New From Kabbalah- Devil... on the road

Kabbalah "Devil... on the road" - Nouveau CLIP

Kabbalah en tournée été 2012 !
Album "Boxes, Bagels & Elephants" 
Vidéo by Fred Falques

Yael Meyer- Fire

New track from Yael Meyer. Check it out:

Shotnez Bursts Onto The Scene

Once in a great while there appears on the musical horizon a fresh, new sound that pushes into new areas of the sonic spectrum. Today, that new sound comes from Shotnez, a band formed by Ori Kaplan and Tamir Muskat, of Balkan Beat Box fame. The music comes from an experimental base, but still speaks to us from their Mediterranean roots. Smooth melodies are punctuated with wild improvisations and complex rhythms.

The Guitar lines of Stephen Ulrich have a surf quality that adds another dimension to the antics of Kaplan’s multiple Saxes and Muskat’s eastern punk Drumming and mixed Electronica, while Itamar Ziegler’s Bass holds everything together with finesse. Short bits of spoken word add to the mood and randomness of the endeavor.

The band’s website uses the terms Art Rock, Noise Rock, and Crime Jazz to describe the music, but I think that I can most easily relate to Mediterranean Surf Noir. Shotnez truly is cutting edge music and defies classification by genre. The genre listed in the iTunes Store is “Alternative,” a term that I think is vastly over-used. All that being said, I think that Shotnez is on to something here that is rich, deep, and exciting.

The opener, Stolen Goods is a fast-paced tour-de-force that will whet your appetite for what is to follow. Driving Drums, Bass, and Electronica back the Sax/Guitar lines that have both a Surf and Balkan quality, if such a thing is possible.

Bagdad is a bit more experimental in nature, and has only a slight Middle-Eastern rhythmic quality.

Golden Apples is a bit more low key, with sparse percussion and longer melodic lines from the Saxes, and Jazz Organ pads underneath. Some tasty improvisational turns from the Sax and Guitar add some authenticity and remind us that Jazz is to be found here in some measure. The slightly out-of-tempo bending melody near the end is a nice touch that lets us down easy and shows the soul of the band.

Swag is a smooth groove with a swinging drum feel and great interaction between Sax and Guitar.

New Country starts with a nice Guitar riff, with Bass and Percussion. The Saxes join in with a very smooth Jazz line in harmony, then break into a sweet improv section. I Wish it was a longer track.

Chaos features some cool interplay between Sax and Guitar, with a lot of background Percussion going on. A nice slow jam is happening here!

Untested cranks up the heat with a frenetic beat and cool electronic rhythms going on, and a jazzy line from Sax and Guitar.

New Low is a moderate tempo jam featuring Guitar in a Punk-Jazz vibe followed by the Sax in a similar vein. I guess this is what Crime Jazz is all about. Yeah, baby!

Black Eyed Susan starts off easy, but soon the Saxes come raging in with the melody, supported with the strong attack of Bass and Drums. This is my favorite track and, I think, really defines what Shotnez is all about. Great stuff!

East Broadway takes us back into the Jazz groove, with Sax taking the lead on a smooth line that sounds like it could be a movie score. Probably the most traditional song on the album, it is a fabulous crossover piece for those just discovering the Shotnez universe.

Dear John is a rich interlude for the Guitar. This could also make for a good movie score, as the smooth lines lead to a sense of serenity.

Make It Run takes us back to a bluesy Surf Noir groove, this time with a Vocal. It has a beatnik 1950’s feel that is so cool and so fitting the Shotnez vibe. Check out the driving Bass lines that keep everything moving forward.

Shotnez has burst onto the scene and thrown down the gauntlet for all those Alternative-Punk-Jazz-Rock-Electronica fans out there. These guys are not about to be pinned down to a single music style. They have created their own distinct brand, and that is Shotnez. Enough said! Highly recommended for all of you who enjoy seeking out new sounds and new musical expressions. Yeah, man. Groovy!


Shotnez:
1. Stolen Goods 03:28
2. Baghdad 03:45
3. Golden Apple 05:17
4. Swag 03:09
5. New Country 02:06
6. Chaos 03:51
7. Untested (Fifth Bordeaux) 03:23
8. New Low 03:42
9. Black Eyed Susan 04:35
10. East Broadway Boogaloo 03:04
11. Dear John 02:46
12. Make It Run 04:30

The Band:
Ori Kaplan- Sax
Tamir Muskat- Drums/Electronica
Stephen Ulrich- Guitar
Itamar Ziegler- Bass

Shotnez- JDUB Records

Klezmer Podcast 76- Yiddish Princess

Click the link below to listen:
Klezmer Podcast 76- Yiddish Princess


Klezmer Podcast 76- Yiddish Princess. On this episode we get to hear from New York-based Yiddish Princess. Yiddish Princess stands feet firmly planted both in the folk poetry of Yiddish song and the enticing sounds of 80s and 90s rock music. We hear the track Ver Vet Blaybn from their recent self-titled EP.
Run time: 22:24.

Review: Postcards

Review: Postcards
Beyond The Pale

Eric Stein and Beyond The Pale are at it again. Their latest venture, Postcards, takes us on another journey around the world as seen through the eyes and ears of the eclectic and innovative group from Toronto. These 16 tracks are a collection of snapshots that tell the story of the places the group has visited, and they have translated these experiences into song. Whether traditional or original tunes, BTP has put their distinctive stamp on each one, with flair and conviction.

While it is difficult to put a label on their music, BTP starts with a Jewish Klezmer sensibility, but right from the first track you can tell that there are many influences at work here, guiding and nudging the music into a multi-genre ménage that adds in Eastern European styles like Roma, Balkan, and Greek, but also has tinges of American Bluegrass, as well as Jazz, Folk, and Roots. In addition, there are three songs in collaboration with my favorite Yiddish Vocalist, Vira Lozinsky. Whether you listen to a lively dance tune or a delicate, exposed piece, there is no doubt about the quality of the arrangements and the extraordinary level of musicianship on display throughout the album.

BTP loves to re-invent songs from the traditional repertoire, and we find a few gems among the tracks here, such as the opener, Magura, a bouncy folk tune that tosses the melody around the band and then slowly accelerates to a blazingly fast speed right up to the end. Kamenetzer is a tune that many would be familiar with. It’s a favorite of mine, and is the most authentic Klezmer style that is offered here. Anthem, while listed as Traditional, comes from the repertoire of the late German Goldenshteyn, who brought the Jewish music of Moldova to North America a few years ago. This is probably the most popular of Goldenshteyn’s tunes, and always lifts the spirit, especially when BTP takes it out for a spin.

While Traditional songs are the heart of BTP, their original compositions provide a glimpse into the band’s soul. I love the odd meter Balkan-style rhythms that Violinist Aleksander Gajic brings to his songs Solution, Katarina, Back to the Beginning, and Extra Spicy.

Like Goldenshteyn, Irving Fields gets the BTP treatment with Turkish Delight, probably his best-known song. I really liked the feel of the song and the new life that Stein breathes into it, with his Mandolin leading the charge.

Martin van de Ven contributes a pair of originals. Are Two is a slow, beautifully melodic Clarinet duet with Accordion, that really shows a more serious side to the usual acrobatics of most Clarinet features. Dutchmandu hints at his heritage, but is a bit jazzy and tosses in some Latin percussion.

Stein contributes his own arrangement of Meditation, dedicated to the memory of his brother, David Stein. This is a beautiful song, with the exposed feeling of classical chamber music. His originals Split Decision and Postscript are livelier tunes that clearly show the North American influence on the band’s music.

BTP also handles the arranging duties on Vira Lozinsky’s Yiddish songs Shtern, An Old Legend, and Doina. I was already familiar with Shtern and my love of this song was deepened even more by the heartfelt accompaniment from the band. The others are treated with the same delicacy, never getting in the way of Lozinsky’s lush vocals.

I was super-impressed with the recording quality of the album. I can’t over-emphasize how important good engineering is to the overall enjoyment of the listening experience. Each instrument is clear and distinct, without ever sounding muddy. Clarinet and Mandolin are two of the most difficult instruments to record properly, and they really shine here. The Clarinet on Are Two is probably the best sounding recording I can remember. The vocals are equally outstanding, and bring out the best in Lozinsky’s lower range. The album sounded great on every device I tried it on, but listening on my home theater system was really exceptional. I’ll be using this as a reference for a long time. Thanks to Jeremy Darby, Sam Ibbett, and Fedge for their wonderful work getting the sonics so perfect.

The CD package is a rather simple tri-fold tray, with some good photos, track and musician lists, credits, and acknowledgments. There are no liner notes, but more information is available online, including English translations for the Yiddish songs.

BTP has shown again why they are among the top Klezmer performers around. The album is very listenable, never boring. It’s going to stay in my playlist for a long time. Highly recommended.

Keith Wolzinger
Klezmer Podcast

Postcards
Beyond The Pale
Borealis Records BCD197
2009

Track List:
1. Magura
2. Solution
3. Katarina
4. Kamenetzer
5. Anthem
6. Shtern
7. Turkish Delight
8. Back to the Beginning
9. Meditation
10. Split Decision
11. Postscript
12. Old Legend
13. Are Two
14. Dutchmandu
15. Doina
16. Extra Spicy
Play time: 56:00

Beyond The Pale:
Bogdan Djukic (Percussion, Violin)
Bret Higgins (Double Bass)
Aleksander Gajic (Violin, Viola)
Milos Popovic (Accordion)
Eric Stein (Mandolin, Mandocello, Cimbalom)
Martin van de Ven (Clarinet, Bass Clarinet)

Special Guest:
Vira Lozinsky (Vocals)

Links:
Beyond The Pale
MySpace
English lyric translations
Borealis Records