Klezmer Podcast 130- David Krakauer and Fred Wesley of Abraham, Inc.

Funk meets Hip Hop meets Klezmer

David and Keith

David and Fred in concert

L to R: Socalled, David Krakauer, Eric Stein, Fred Wesley

Clarinetist David Krakauer and DJ Socalled have been great musical collaborators for many years. But the move to add Trombonist Fred Wesley sent them on a new trajectory to a new sonic landscape. Abraham Inc. blends Klezmer, hip-hop, and Funk in a way that creates a new genre that sets a new standard for Jewish music. Here, I sit down with Krakauer and Wesley to find out what motivated them to join forces and create this new sound. Like the track Push, a perfect example of this sound, blending Funk and hip-hop with a nigun. And we also hear Moskovitz Remix, showing how well they can take on a Klezmer tune.                                                                                                                       Run time: 34:50.

Klezmer Podcast 129- Paul Green

Klezmer Meets Jazz

This episode features an interview with Clarinetist Paul Green, who has released a new album of Jazz/Klezmer, Music Coming Together. Green does a great job of blending the two genres, particularly on the Klezmer tunes Der Gasn Nigun and Papirosen. But he also is comfortable going the other way, too, as seen in So, Nu? his Klezmer take on the Miles Davis tune So What? After the interview, we listen to the track Tarras Doina and Blues.  

Run time: 35:07.

Album review: Sklamberg & The Shepherds- Aheym/Homeward

New album coming soon (3 Oct. 2015)

There has been a rising tide of new Yiddish music in recent years, and the latest to ride the crest of the wave are Sklamberg & the Shepherds with their first collaborative release aheym/homeward. New York- based Lorin Sklamberg has had an immeasurable impact on the global Jewish music scene since the beginning of the Klezmer Revival. His instantly recognizable vocal style and musicianship, as well as his reputation as a leading Ethnomusicologist have put him at the top of the Klezmer scene for decades. The UK- based husband/wife duo Polina and Merlin Shepherd have won acclaim for their worldwide concert performances and recordings. Polina is a highly regarded vocalist in multiple languages, and Merlin is among the top Clarinetists in the world today. 

Which brings me to the idea of this collaboration of these three artists, each a master of the genre, past guests of Klezmer Podcast, and longtime friends of mine as well. I've seen them performing at the same event, but not all together. So, I had never considered the possibility of them doing something together. But to be honest, even before I heard the first note of the album, I had the thought that this was going to be something great, something groundbreaking. And I was right. 

I had the good fortune to hear these tracks in uncompressed WAV format on my reference home theater system. This made for a highly enjoyable listening experience, but more about the technical side of things later. What about the performances?

I was pleasantly surprised at how well Lorin and Polina blend their voices. The harmonies are beautiful, and they each have moments to shine. 

On the faster songs like Ma Noymar and A Gezang Fun A Traktorist there is a joy in the music that is easy to relate to and forms the basis for the increasing popularity of Yiddish song today. Lorin's Accordion and Merlin's Clarinet help to keep the energy up and your toes tapping.

The fast Horas Hafiflik and Di Bekhers Mit Vayn are in a traditional style and allow everyone some space to shine.

Lorin shows his delicate side and high vocal range on the slow lullaby Viglid, a piece that sounds simple, but is incredibly difficult to perform. And he just nails it!

The most adventurous piece here is Ay-Yay-Yay, a complex song sung in Russian. A feature for Polina, she and Lorin weave their way in and out of harmony, with a delicate accompaniment from Merlin on Clarinet. I kept coming back to this track over and over gain. Simply breathtaking! Polina is also featured on Sankt Besht, a slow waltz, and the longest track on the album. She is a great storyteller, and gives an emotional performance that defines her unique style and solidifies her worldwide popularity.

Not to be left out, Merlin gets his own space on Khalvat and Sahar 1 and Sahar 2. His depth of feeling and impeccable technique are on full display, and show why he is one of my favorite Clarinetists. He can go from a rich, dark tone on one song, to a bright, light touch on one of the fast songs. All amazing performances. 

Being an audiophile, I'm always looking for good sound in recordings. I have to say that the depth and detail here is top notch. While the voices sound clear and natural, the detail in the instrumentals is where I found the greatest enjoyment. I have to come back to Khalvat to say that I feel it is the best engineered track on the album. Hearing every breath, the subtle, single notes from the Accordion, the movements of the Piano, all give the feeling that you are there in the studio with them during the recording session. And guess what? The album was mixed by Merlin. Say no more.

Final thoughts? Sklamberg & The Shepherds take us on a musical journey that entertains, is full of both joy and deep emotion, and pushes us further into the resurgence of Yiddish song. Come along and ride the wave with them. You definitely will not be disappointed. 

Album available here:

Aheym CD

Duo Doyna: "Sammys Freilach" with improvised Doina

New music from Berlin:







http://www.doyna.de/

The Kalimutke Philharmonia: Gypsy Jazz-Klezmer Fusion

This just in....

Review: New King Of Klezmer Clarinet

New King Of Klezmer Clarinet
Yom


The Clarinetist known simply as Yom has made a bold statement with his album New King Of Klezmer Clarinet. Billed as a tribute to Naftule Brandwein, who called himself the King Of Klezmer Clarinet, Yom takes a look at the Klezmer tradition and expands on it, breathing new life and energy into these songs. While paying tribute, Yom shows off his considerable talent playing at lightning-fast tempos and with great intensity. Yom gives a full and sometimes gritty Clarinet sound, but can also back off and give a more impassioned performance.
The songs presented here are some of Brandwein’s best known compositions, plus one from Dave Tarras, and three by Yom himself.

Yom plays so many notes on the fast songs that I just follow along with the chord changes, because there is not much straight melody. Don’t get me wrong, these are amazing performances, and Yom shows a high degree of virtuosity throughout the album.

It’s difficult to pick just one favorite, because I have at least three. I really got into Where Were You Before Prohibition? sometimes known as Sholem’s Bulgarish; The Boiling Hot Bulgar with some wild playing on the intro, then right into Der Heyser Bulgar at a blazing tempo; and Cascade Of Sins, also known as Fun Tashlich, with some more great playing, a gritty clarinet tone, and increasing to breakneck speed at the end. Clarinet enthusiasts will really enjoy these tracks.

I have to mention the wonderful sidemen on this album. The first thing I noticed is the awesome Tuba performance by Benoit Giffard, who does an amazing job of keeping up with Yom on the fast tunes. He throws notes out as fast as Yom and manages to keep a rock steady tempo at the same time. I haven’t experienced Tuba playing like this before. Just amazing. The other great contribution is by Pianist Denis Cuniot, who is given some nice solo space on The Joyful Wedding and Introduction, and does a tremendous job accompanying Yom on his wild adventures throughout the album.

The audio quality on the album is excellent. Each instrument is clearly defined, and the Tuba accompaniment, though prominent, never overshadows the soloist. The mix sounded great on everything I played it on, and there was a good punch from the Tuba and Tapan when played through my home theater. Kudos for Engineering/Mixing by Philippe Teissier Du Cros, and Mastering by Raphael Jonin.

The album package is a six panel foldout. There is a full page with biographical information about Brandwein, and a page with track list, band members, and credits. Photos are excellent, and the image of the New King Of Klezmer Clarinet sitting on his throne with his instrument and scepter is both iconic of Yom and a clever marketing strategy.


I find this album to be a great set of Klezmer tunes and is fitting as a tribute to Brandwein. I highly recommend this to those who love innovative Clarinet playing, have a historical interest in the music of Naftule Brandwein and Dave Tarras, and who enjoy great Klezmer music. Long live Yom!

Keith Wolzinger
Klezmer Podcast

New King Of Klezmer Clarinet
Yom
Buda Musique 860169
2008

Musicians:
Yom (clarinet)
Denis Cuniot (piano)
Alexandre Giffard (tapan)
Benoît Giffard (tuba)

Track List:
1. The Jew In Jerusalem 3:59
2. Where were you before prohibition? 2:42
3. The hot boiling bulgar 6:03
4. Kallarash 3:52
5. The rabbi's disciple 5:48
6. Cadence 1:34
7. Naftule attitude 1 2:31
8. Naftule attitude 2 1:42
9. Cascade of sins 3:03
10. Oh daddy that's good 5:55
11. The joyful wedding 5:39
12. ? 0:59
13. Tarras' sirba 3:37
14. Introduction 3:38

Links:
MySpace
Buda Musique