KlezKamp 2007 is underway. A good way to keep up with the daily activities is through the KlezKamp Blog. Click the link and check it out.
KlezKamp Blog
Keith Wolzinger
Klezmer Podcast
26 December 2007
24 December 2007
Review: Spice It Up!
Review: Spice It Up!
Red Hot Chachkas
Spice It Up! is the second release by Red Hot Chachkas, of the San Francisco Bay area. The group has an eclectic sound with truly inventive arrangements of both traditional and original works. Many of the songs are composed or arranged by the band members. Some songs defy classification. They can be a blend of styles that merge into a wonderful sound that is a refreshing listening experience. All of the tracks are outstanding, but here are the the ones that really struck me.
Kostanowsky’s Sher No. 4 is a traditional sher dance that sets the tone for the album and is a jumping-off point for all that follows.
What happens when you combine Reggae with a nice Chosidl? The result is Barbara Speed’s Chosidl Diddle, which gives a new perspective on the traditional dance style. It works very well here, and the rhythm adds energy to this nice tune.
Speed gives us another great offering in Stomp It Up, a song that starts out as a Bulgar by the Clarinet, then changes to Bluegrass by the fiddle, with a nice clarinet/fiddle duet, and a somewhat Zydeco Accordion. There is a short open solo section, then we are taken through the cycle again for the finish. It’s a wonder how much music can be packed into two and a half minutes!
In a return to traditional dance, Tanz Medley is a great example of the band’s Klezmer roots. Beckerman’s Hora, Belf’s Chosidl, and Pedotser’s Tants make up this set, with some creative drumming by Michael Arrow in the middle section. Time to get up and dance!
Little Gouda is my favorite track on the album. It has a little bit of everything. It starts with a melancholy Bass solo, then the Violin takes over the melody in a slow Hora tempo, followed by the Clarinet. The song then takes a fast tempo, and runs away with a bluegrass-style Fiddle/Clarinet duo. A transition to a Bulgar gives us room for solos by the Accordion, Clarinet, and Violin. Then everyone comes back in for a high-energy finish. This is a great showcase for the Chachkas.
Cholent is more progressive in style, a free improv by the Viola and Sax. It creates an interesting mood, and show’s the group’s versatility.
A pleasant surprise is when the Chachkas turn Barbara Speed loose with her Flute on Sholom and beautiful Alto Flute on Son Kuslar, the latter a Turkish-inspired offering that is a real gem.
Shofar is another Hora, but this one comes across with an Irish feel. It’s a lovely tune, and I think the style is great and shows another side of the group.
The last track, Rocky Hora, is my favorite song title (though it has nothing in common with the similar-titled movie). This is an extended piece, at just over nine minutes, and is a great solo vehicle for the band members. The band shifts gears again, switching the instrumentation to Sax, Electric Violin, Accordion, and Electric Mandolin. The piece is a bit edgier than the others, and is a great closer for the album. Just when I thought I’d heard all that the band has to offer, they surprise yet again.
The CD package includes descriptions of each song and some nice photos of the band members. If you choose to download the tracks instead, the same information can be found on the band’s website.
The recording quality and mix is excellent, sounding equally vibrant on earbuds and in my home theater. As they claim from the liner notes: “Everything on this CD was recorded live in the studio, with no overdubs or patches.” It takes great musicianship to do that, and it shows. My only complaint would be that there’s a bit too much room ambience on the clarinet.
With 18 tracks and over 72 minutes of music, you really get your money’s worth from the album. To sum up, this is a terrific recording by a top notch group. If you’re ready for a wide-ranging adventure in Klezmer, you should give the Red Hot Chachkas a listen. They really know how to Spice It Up!
Keith Wolzinger
Klezmer Podcast
Spice It Up!
Red Hot Chachkas
2007
Links:
Red Hot Chachkas
RHC On MySpace
Red Hot Chachkas
Spice It Up! is the second release by Red Hot Chachkas, of the San Francisco Bay area. The group has an eclectic sound with truly inventive arrangements of both traditional and original works. Many of the songs are composed or arranged by the band members. Some songs defy classification. They can be a blend of styles that merge into a wonderful sound that is a refreshing listening experience. All of the tracks are outstanding, but here are the the ones that really struck me.
Kostanowsky’s Sher No. 4 is a traditional sher dance that sets the tone for the album and is a jumping-off point for all that follows.
What happens when you combine Reggae with a nice Chosidl? The result is Barbara Speed’s Chosidl Diddle, which gives a new perspective on the traditional dance style. It works very well here, and the rhythm adds energy to this nice tune.
Speed gives us another great offering in Stomp It Up, a song that starts out as a Bulgar by the Clarinet, then changes to Bluegrass by the fiddle, with a nice clarinet/fiddle duet, and a somewhat Zydeco Accordion. There is a short open solo section, then we are taken through the cycle again for the finish. It’s a wonder how much music can be packed into two and a half minutes!
In a return to traditional dance, Tanz Medley is a great example of the band’s Klezmer roots. Beckerman’s Hora, Belf’s Chosidl, and Pedotser’s Tants make up this set, with some creative drumming by Michael Arrow in the middle section. Time to get up and dance!
Little Gouda is my favorite track on the album. It has a little bit of everything. It starts with a melancholy Bass solo, then the Violin takes over the melody in a slow Hora tempo, followed by the Clarinet. The song then takes a fast tempo, and runs away with a bluegrass-style Fiddle/Clarinet duo. A transition to a Bulgar gives us room for solos by the Accordion, Clarinet, and Violin. Then everyone comes back in for a high-energy finish. This is a great showcase for the Chachkas.
Cholent is more progressive in style, a free improv by the Viola and Sax. It creates an interesting mood, and show’s the group’s versatility.
A pleasant surprise is when the Chachkas turn Barbara Speed loose with her Flute on Sholom and beautiful Alto Flute on Son Kuslar, the latter a Turkish-inspired offering that is a real gem.
Shofar is another Hora, but this one comes across with an Irish feel. It’s a lovely tune, and I think the style is great and shows another side of the group.
The last track, Rocky Hora, is my favorite song title (though it has nothing in common with the similar-titled movie). This is an extended piece, at just over nine minutes, and is a great solo vehicle for the band members. The band shifts gears again, switching the instrumentation to Sax, Electric Violin, Accordion, and Electric Mandolin. The piece is a bit edgier than the others, and is a great closer for the album. Just when I thought I’d heard all that the band has to offer, they surprise yet again.
The CD package includes descriptions of each song and some nice photos of the band members. If you choose to download the tracks instead, the same information can be found on the band’s website.
The recording quality and mix is excellent, sounding equally vibrant on earbuds and in my home theater. As they claim from the liner notes: “Everything on this CD was recorded live in the studio, with no overdubs or patches.” It takes great musicianship to do that, and it shows. My only complaint would be that there’s a bit too much room ambience on the clarinet.
With 18 tracks and over 72 minutes of music, you really get your money’s worth from the album. To sum up, this is a terrific recording by a top notch group. If you’re ready for a wide-ranging adventure in Klezmer, you should give the Red Hot Chachkas a listen. They really know how to Spice It Up!
Keith Wolzinger
Klezmer Podcast
Spice It Up!
Red Hot Chachkas
2007
Links:
Red Hot Chachkas
RHC On MySpace
14 December 2007
Review: Sheynville Express
Review: Sheynville Express
Sisters Of Sheynville
Sheynville Express is the new release from Sisters Of Sheynville, the all-female Yiddish Swing-Klez group from Toronto. SOS, as they refer to themselves, bases their vocal style on the recordings of the Barry Sisters. But to pigeonhole them would be a great mistake. The sound is a great combination of a contemprory feel while holding true to the Swing tradition. Fronted by Vocalists Isabel Fryszberg and Lenka Lichtenberg, the three-part harmonies are intricate, but easy to listen to.
Probably the most inventive arrangement on the album is I’m An Old Cow Hand. Yes, it’s the old Western-style tune you may be familiar with, but they’ve added Jewish lyrics. “I’m an old cow hand from Bathurst and Grand” is a reference to a Jewish neighborhood in Toronto. After the second verse the song goes from a western swing into a German Goldenshteyn Bulgar, then to a latin clave, then a Western movie theme, and back to swing. I like the changing styles. Along with the new lyrics, this song covers a lot of territory.
Then there’s the Yiddish classic Chiribim. A favorite song for many, the middle section is infused with great jazz solos by Saxophonist Jane Fair and Pianist Fern Lindzon. Lindzon also provides the third vocal harmony on the album.
I must mention the outstanding rhythm section of Fern Lindzon on piano, Rachel Melas on Bass, and Lorie Wolf on Drums. These ladies are terrific! They shift between swing, bulgar, latin, and contemporory jazz with ease and absolutely nail each style.
The group is rounded out by the horns with Kinneret Sagee on clarinet, and guests Jane Fair on Sax and Rachel Lemisch on Trombone. They have a great sound, and Sagee’s Clarinet evokes the time of many of these songs, when Benny Goodman and Woody Herman were in their heyday.
While these songs are a combination of English and Yiddish, there is one absolute gem among them. Zivot je jen nahoda is a great song that starts in English, but comes around again in Czech, the native tongue of Lichtenberg. To hear this in three-part harmony is unusual and exciting. It’s clear the language is not easy to pronounce. I tried to sing along, but I almost hurt myself. (Not really, but I think I need some Czech lessons.)
Blues Stay Away From Me is a lovely change of pace as a slower song, as is Halfmoon, an original by Isabel Fryzsberg, done in a similar style
Another pleasant surprise is Lichtenberg’s arrangement of Sheyn vi di Levone, a well-known Yiddish swing song. This time it is done at a halftime tempo, which allows SOS to bring out more nuance, giving the song a very different feeling.
For Klezmer lovers there is A Vaybele a Tsnie, a Freylachs that is high energy and makes you want to get up and dance.
The album also includes such classics as Ketsele Broyges, Yidl Mitn Fidl, Di Grine Kuzine, and Ooh, Mama!. These are all very well done and enjoyable to listen to. This is what makes Yiddish really swing!
The last song, Ay, Ay, Hora, is a great closer. It is in a fast two and gives a last taste of the great SOS sound.
Speaking of the SOS sound, the recording and engineeering quality on the album is outstanding. Every vocal and instrument is clear and well-defined, and the mix sounds great on everything from earbuds to my home theater. Much credit goes to Producer Eric Stein, of Beyond The Pale and the Ashkenaz Festival, for bringing out the best the group has to offer.
I really liked the musical arrangements of Fern Lindzon, who has a great understanding of the varied musical styles on the album. The vocal arrangements by Lenka Lichtenberg are wonderful as well, highlighting the vocal talent of these gifted singers.
The 16-page CD booklet is nicely laid out, with both Yiddish and English lyrics and plenty of photos. One of the pages is about the concept for the album and the background of the band.
While these ladies are not really sisters, and there is no place called Sheynville (they say it is really a special place in their hearts and minds), the music here is genuine and impassioned. It left me wanting more. So stamp my passport, I’m hopping on the Sheynville Express!
Sheynville Express
Sisters Of Sheynville
2007
Keith Wolzinger
Klezmer Podcast
Links:
Sisters Of Sheynville
SOS On MySpace
Sisters Of Sheynville
Sheynville Express is the new release from Sisters Of Sheynville, the all-female Yiddish Swing-Klez group from Toronto. SOS, as they refer to themselves, bases their vocal style on the recordings of the Barry Sisters. But to pigeonhole them would be a great mistake. The sound is a great combination of a contemprory feel while holding true to the Swing tradition. Fronted by Vocalists Isabel Fryszberg and Lenka Lichtenberg, the three-part harmonies are intricate, but easy to listen to.
Probably the most inventive arrangement on the album is I’m An Old Cow Hand. Yes, it’s the old Western-style tune you may be familiar with, but they’ve added Jewish lyrics. “I’m an old cow hand from Bathurst and Grand” is a reference to a Jewish neighborhood in Toronto. After the second verse the song goes from a western swing into a German Goldenshteyn Bulgar, then to a latin clave, then a Western movie theme, and back to swing. I like the changing styles. Along with the new lyrics, this song covers a lot of territory.
Then there’s the Yiddish classic Chiribim. A favorite song for many, the middle section is infused with great jazz solos by Saxophonist Jane Fair and Pianist Fern Lindzon. Lindzon also provides the third vocal harmony on the album.
I must mention the outstanding rhythm section of Fern Lindzon on piano, Rachel Melas on Bass, and Lorie Wolf on Drums. These ladies are terrific! They shift between swing, bulgar, latin, and contemporory jazz with ease and absolutely nail each style.
The group is rounded out by the horns with Kinneret Sagee on clarinet, and guests Jane Fair on Sax and Rachel Lemisch on Trombone. They have a great sound, and Sagee’s Clarinet evokes the time of many of these songs, when Benny Goodman and Woody Herman were in their heyday.
While these songs are a combination of English and Yiddish, there is one absolute gem among them. Zivot je jen nahoda is a great song that starts in English, but comes around again in Czech, the native tongue of Lichtenberg. To hear this in three-part harmony is unusual and exciting. It’s clear the language is not easy to pronounce. I tried to sing along, but I almost hurt myself. (Not really, but I think I need some Czech lessons.)
Blues Stay Away From Me is a lovely change of pace as a slower song, as is Halfmoon, an original by Isabel Fryzsberg, done in a similar style
Another pleasant surprise is Lichtenberg’s arrangement of Sheyn vi di Levone, a well-known Yiddish swing song. This time it is done at a halftime tempo, which allows SOS to bring out more nuance, giving the song a very different feeling.
For Klezmer lovers there is A Vaybele a Tsnie, a Freylachs that is high energy and makes you want to get up and dance.
The album also includes such classics as Ketsele Broyges, Yidl Mitn Fidl, Di Grine Kuzine, and Ooh, Mama!. These are all very well done and enjoyable to listen to. This is what makes Yiddish really swing!
The last song, Ay, Ay, Hora, is a great closer. It is in a fast two and gives a last taste of the great SOS sound.
Speaking of the SOS sound, the recording and engineeering quality on the album is outstanding. Every vocal and instrument is clear and well-defined, and the mix sounds great on everything from earbuds to my home theater. Much credit goes to Producer Eric Stein, of Beyond The Pale and the Ashkenaz Festival, for bringing out the best the group has to offer.
I really liked the musical arrangements of Fern Lindzon, who has a great understanding of the varied musical styles on the album. The vocal arrangements by Lenka Lichtenberg are wonderful as well, highlighting the vocal talent of these gifted singers.
The 16-page CD booklet is nicely laid out, with both Yiddish and English lyrics and plenty of photos. One of the pages is about the concept for the album and the background of the band.
While these ladies are not really sisters, and there is no place called Sheynville (they say it is really a special place in their hearts and minds), the music here is genuine and impassioned. It left me wanting more. So stamp my passport, I’m hopping on the Sheynville Express!
Sheynville Express
Sisters Of Sheynville
2007
Keith Wolzinger
Klezmer Podcast
Links:
Sisters Of Sheynville
SOS On MySpace
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