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"The Klezmatics have always chosen the path less traveled in its 20 years as a band. And with a variety of lefty political messages injected into traditional klezmer music, there's no disputing its reputation as radical. This live effort is a collaboration with guest singers Joshua Nelson and Kathryn Farmer joining in on the fun. The Newark, New Jersey-based Nelson brings (believe it or not) a serious gospel music flair to four songs, turning the klezmer band into a fire-and-brimstone gospel group as he exhorts both the players and the crowd on songs like gospel standard "Walk Into Jerusalem." The remarkable pairing is more balanced on the rest of the album, but never better than on "Shnirele, Perele," a duet featuring Nelson and Klezmatics singer Lorin Sklamberg that has an ecstatic drama that bridges these seemingly contradictory religious cultures. The album's eight new songs and two hits is as good a collection yet produced by this band, and one of the most remarkable examples of genre-bending heard in years.
To the question of what this all means in terms of Frank London's sense of new American Jewish music, he responded: "Links in the chain, Ari." Which takes me back to where I began: the dialogue about what it means to be Jewish is alive and well. Judaism and Jewish culture are no longer frozen in time as they seemed to be during my growing up in the shadow of WWII. The Holocaust didn't succeed. Bands like the Klezmatics—especially the Klezmatics, are playing amazing music linked directly to the chain of Jewish tradition, and more. It's perfectly okay to purchase this album because it contains great live music. What makes this album great is that there is so much more here than mere great live music. Enjoy."
"The entire band pitches in vocally on several cuts to great effect, particularly on a cheerful a capella 'Moses Smote the Water´, and the instrumental contributions from the 'Matics are superb as usual, with particular garlands due Matt Darriau´s reeds. A pure delight from start to finish."
"One spiritual transformation after another... makes being black and Jewish seem as obvious and natural as matzo."
"A moving summit of African-American, Jewish worker's, spiritual and festive songs."
01. Eyliyohu hanovi (trad., arr. London)
02. Elijah rock (trad., arr. Klezmatics and Joshua Nelson)
03. Ki loy nue (trad., arr. Klezmatics)
04. Shnirele, perele (trad., arr. Klezmatics)
05. Walk in Jerusalem (trad., arr. Klezmatics and Joshua Nelson)
06. Go down Moses (trad., arr. Klezmatics and Kathryn Farmer)
07. Moses smote the water (trad., arr. Klezmatics)
08. Oh Mary don't you weep (Sam Cooke / Leroy Crume)
09. Didn't it rain (trad., arr. Klezmatics, Joshua Nelson)
10. Ale brider (trad., arr. Klezmatics)
Lorin Sklamberg: lead vocals, accordion
Frank London: trumpet, keyboard, organ, vocals
Matt Darriau: alto sax, clarinet, bass clarinet, vocals
Lisa Gutkin: violin, vocals
Paul Morrissett: bass, tsimbl, vocals
David Licht: drums, vocals
with
Joshua Nelson: lead vocals, piano, organ
Kathryn Farmer: lead vocals, piano, organ
Link
pass: bluesmen-worldmusic.blogspot.com
Klezmatics mix jazz, folk, rock and Jewish music into a unique and powerful new sound. This album is one of the more challeging of their many works, leaping from genre to genre with seeming abandon. A core element of the record is the songwriting of playwright Tony Kushner, a self-described "half-baked, half-former, re-formed, dummermann kind of Jew." His lyrics for "Undoing World" are powerful phrases of love, loss and exile played against a traditional tune. Klezmatics can break into a frenzied dance here or a heart-rending fiddle tune there; the beauty of Possessed is its complete unpredictability. This is klezmer music of a high order.
01. Shprayz Ikh Mir
02. Kolomeyke
03. Moroccan Game
04. An Undoing World
05. Mizmor Shir Lehanef (Reefer Song)
06. Shvarts Un Vays (Black And White)
07. Lomir Heybn Dem Bekher
08. Sirba Matey Matey
09. Mipney Ma
10. Beggars' Dance
11. Shnaps-Nign
12. Interlude
13. Dybbuk Shers
14. Fradde's Song
15. Der Shvartser Mi Adir
16. Hinokh Yafo
17. Mipney Ma
18. Eyn Mol
Link
Original uploader: josefK. Thanks!
Loneliness, loss, displacement, and death loom large among the topics covered in the 15 Yiddish poems set to melodies by popular Israeli folk singer Chava Alberstein, and arranged by New York's exploratory Klezmatics, on this deeply sad and beautiful album. Anyone familiar with the Klezmatics' more rambunctious side will be impressed by the inventive delicacy and subtlety they bring to these elegant vestiges of fading Yiddish culture, virtually reanimating it with tangos, Hasidic melodies, polkas, and festive freylekhs that recall its vibrant past. Alberstein's low voice meshes beautifully with Lorin Sklamberg's high tenor, adding extra emotional resonance to a series of poems in the middle of the album that evoke the genocide twilight that enveloped the writers' world half a century ago. Their tragedy is redeemed in The Well.
"The Well is an extraordinary collaboration between two extraordinary artists. Renowned Jewish roots sextet The Klezmatics and legendary diva Chava Alberstein, called "the first lady of Israeli song," have joined forces in creating a rapturous modern Jewish music. Set to words from this century's finest Yiddish poets,The Well draws from the vibrant musical traditions of klezmer, Middle Eastern, French chanson, German cabaret and American folk in a gorgeous original score. Chava's lush, golden vocals describe experiences of love and loss both profoundly Jewish and universal, while The Klezmatics' radiant virtuosity is suffused with "the Eastern European accents, unfettered joy and instrumental brilliance that define klezmer."
01. Di krenitse
02. Ikh shtey unter a bokserboym
03. Ergets shtil Baym taykh
04. Ver es hot
05. Ovnt lid
06. A malekh veynt
07. Bay nakht
08. Vek nisht
09. Kh'vel oyston di shikh
10. Mayn shvester Khaye
11. Umetik
12. Di elter
13. Velkhes meydl s'nemt a bokher
14. Di goldene pave
15. Zayt gezunt
Chava Alberstein: vocals, classical guitar
Lorin Sklamberg: vocals, accordion, piano, bass accordion, harmonium
Alicia Svigals: violin
Frank London: trumpet, flugelhorn, alto horn, piano, harmonium, bass accordion, synthesizer
David Licht: drums & percussion
Matt Darriau: clarinet, bass clarinet, alto sax, kaval, harmonium
Paul Morrissett: electric bass, double bass, tsimbl, hardanger fiddle
with
Ben Mink: guitar, mandocello, mandolin
John Friesen: cello (6)
Link
pass: bluesmen-worldmusic.blogspot.com
