Polina Shepherd and Psoy Korolenko Live At Molly Malone's

Polina and Psoy performed live at Molly Malone's in Los Angeles 14 Dec 2106

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

11/9 - Inna's Yiddish Lullabies & Love Songs @Barbes

Dear friends & fans,

I'm singing this Sunday at 5 pm at Barbes in Park Slope, with the Yiddish Lullabies & Love Songs project, as part of Ljova's Sunday@5 residency at Barbes.  Hope to see some of you there, and tell your friends!

Info below -

http://romashka.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2256e46f87a6e96ff9da790e3&id=767f326461&e=dc6eb19497

INNA BARMASH | YIDDISH LULLABIES & LOVE SONGS

in Ljova's Sunday@5 residency at Barbes in Park Slope

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2014

5 PM

DETAILS:

Sunday, Nov 9th at 5 pm

$10

Barbes

Park Slope, Brooklyn

376 9th St, Brooklyn, NY 11215 (corner of 6th ave and 9th st)

F train to 7th Ave

Twinkling Lullabies & Songs of Love and Love Gone Wrong....

As part of Ljova's Sunday@5 residency at Barbes, Inna Barmash is bringing back her Yiddish Lullabies & Love Songs project, featuring  Lev 'Ljova' Zhurbin on viola, Shoko Nagai on accordion and piano, Dmitry Ishenko on bass, and a special guest, Sam Sadigursky, on clarinet.  The program explores art songs and folk songs, including rarely heard treasures of old Soviet era anthologies of songs collected in the shtetls of Ukraine in the 1920s and art songs by Soviet composers set to Yiddish poetry.

About Inna Barmash

Inna first started singing in Yiddish back in her home city of Vilnius, Lithuania as a child in the late 80s. After immigrating to the US with her family in 1991, Inna has continued singing in Yiddish, Russian and other languages with numerous klezmer and folk groups in the NY area. She is the vocalist of the chamber folk band Ljova & the Kontraband and co-leads the gypsy dance party band Romashka.

AUDIO: http://romashka.us6.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=2256e46f87a6e96ff9da790e3&id=e204978ed7&e=dc6eb19497

VIDEO: http://romashka.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2256e46f87a6e96ff9da790e3&id=86569d7944&e=dc6eb19497

The "Yiddish Lullabies & Love Songs" recording was made possible through a grant by the BluePrint Fellowship project of COJECO, funded by the UJA-Federation of New York and Genesis Philanthropy Group.

REVIEW OF THE CD RELEASE SHOW AT JOE'S PUB:

"...At Joe’s Pub, Inna Barmash led an excellent band ... through a set of frequently spellbinding, emotionally rich new arrangements of old Jewish folk tunes from the Ukraine and points further west. In this performance, Barmash built a warmly personable rapport with the audience, sharing her passion and erudite knowledge of obscure treasures brought to light by both Dmitri Shostakovich as well as legendary pre-Holocaust archivist Moishe Beregovsky. . . . As nuanced a singer as [Inna] Barmash is in the studio – her new album, Yiddish Love Songs and Lullabies, many of which she played this evening – is fantastic, but live is where her heart is...." - New York Music Daily

==============================================

Our mailing address is:

Inna Barmash

225 Central Park West, Ste 611

New York, NY 10025

USA

Klezmer Podcast 115- Golem

Klezmer Podcast 115- Golem. This episode features an interview with Annette Ezekiel Kogan of the band Golem. The band has released a new album, Tanz, and we hear the title track.
Run time: 23:40.

Klezmer Podcast 100- Trans Siberian March Band

Trans Siberian March Band:




The Tractor Makers' Ball

Klezmer Podcast 100- Trans Siberian March Band. Welcome to the 100th episode of Klezmer Podcast. Since it began in January 2007, I have met amazing musicians from around the world, and have made friends with so many of them. The fans have been wonderful as well, and I appreciate your support. While in London recently, I attended the Victory At Stalingrad 70th Anniversary Night Out, which featured Trans Siberian March Band as the headliner. The band plays a mix of Eastern European styles, and is as much fun to watch as they are to listen to. They are dedicated to their music, and have put their own twist on the traditional sounds, plus writing originals in the same style. We hear the track Sher from the album The Tractor Makers' Ball.
Run time: 17:15.

Listen to Klezmer Podcast 100 here:



Video from Victory At Stalingrad 70th Anniversary Night Out:

Trans Siberian March Band Play Klezmer

TSMB play for the Victory At Stalingrad event at Rich Mix in London on 2 February 2013.

Kabbalah- Der Bosfor- Live At The Mint- Los Angeles

Watch Kabbalah perform during their current USA tour:






Kabbalah backstage before the show:

Klezmerpodcast Promo 2012

I just posted a short promo featuring some of my past guests on Klezmer Podcast:

Klezmer Podcast 79- Polina Skovoroda and Merlin Shepherd

Klezmer Podcast 79- Polina Shepherd (Skovoroda) and Merlin Shepherd. Polina's recent album is titled Civilization, featuring songs in Yiddish and Russian, accompanied by Merlin with Fanfara. On this album Polina explores her musical roots through Jewish, Tatar, Ukrainian, Cossack, and Russian songs. She talks about the Islamic influence of growing up in Tatarstan. Merlin talks about his growing interest in Turkish Clarinet styles.
Run time: 41:12.
Klezmer Podcast 79

Review- Traktorist

Traktorist
Di Naye Kapelye

I’ve been listening to Traktorist from Di Naye Kapelye for quite a while now, and I’ve become quite a fan of the group. The album embodies all the best parts of what we think of as traditional Klezmer village (or shtetl) music. While the musicianship of the group is outstanding in its own right, the collaboration with the village band from Tjaciv lends a special quality that brings us right to the heart of the Hungarian Jewish musical tradition. This music grabs you and doesn’t let go until the very end.

The vocal selections immediately transport you to the local village hangout, and you feel as though you’re spending the evening with a group of really close friends, having a great time, just singing. Try listening to this album without trying to join in the fun. I bet you can’t do it.

The album features some unusual instruments. When was the last time you heard solos on the Caval and Cimpoi, as well as the Vioara Cu Goarna? Well, they are featured here, and give the album a little something extra that not only adds to the authenticity, but also introduces us to a new sound that is interesting and joyful in this age of electronic instrumentation. Listen to Pastekhl/Moldavian Caval and Hamanut from Dragomiresti to hear these instruments.

Uncle Arpi’s Nokh a Bisl is a Tsimbl (Cimbalom) feature, and shows what the instrument is capable of in the hands of a master. Sadegurer Hosid is another feature, one that may be familiar to many listeners.

Yankl Falk does a terrific job on both Clarinet and Vocals. Listen to his Hasisic-inspired vocal on Hoaderes and contrast that with some nimble Clarinet work on the opener Nit Bay Motyen and also on the lively tune Pirim.

The village band from Tjaciv lends a lively folk style to the album. There is nothing quite like the village sound this group puts out. These musicians have soul to spare and it shows through on this recording. The performance is completely genuine, with some wandering intonation. But this is a window into village life, and this is the gift they give to the listener, whether a serious student of Carpathian music or a casual listener. You cannot help but let yourself be transported to Tjaciv and see with your ears what life is like there. Listen to Baj Van Medley, Hutsul Medley, 7:40, and Chernobyl. I’ve heard 7:40 many times before, and even played it quite a bit myself, but it never sounded like this. See for yourself. Chernobyl has a Russian feel to it, and Falk is featured again on the Yiddish lyrics.

Michael Alpert is one of my favorite musicians on the planet, and makes a guest appearance here with DNK. Mashke is my favorite among his tracks. Trading verses with Falk, he blends well with the group. He has a story to tell, and he gets his point across, even if you don’t understand Yiddish.

Bob Cohen has a wonderful way of interpreting this material on Violin. Listen to his emotional intro to Moldvai Zhok. When he’s not soloing he blends with the rhythm instruments to give us that village vibe that makes this album so memorable.

As an extra surprise we get to hear Josh Dolgin on two tracks, playing Accordion and Piano. It’s rare to hear him play the traditional folk style, but he is a serious musician and he brings his love and dedication to the art to DNK and does an admirable job.

The recording quality is very good and the album sounds great on computer speakers and earbuds, but really opens up when I listened on my home theater system. There is a nice balance between the instruments and vocals and the mix sounds very even throughout. I couldn’t find any engineering/mixing/mastering credits for the album, except that it was produced by Yankl Falk. But I have an idea that Bob Cohen had a hand in the recording process.

The 20-page CD booklet is quite good. It contains information about each track, some very good quality photos of the band, tracks, personnel, and some additional info.

I like the fact that DNK takes such care to find the music, bands like Tjaciv, and then pulls off an album of village music like this. They’ve been at it for a long time, and they are true masters. Listen for yourself and see if you don’t agree that DNK is one of the best bands around.

Traktorist
Di Naye Kapelye
Oriente Musik RIEN CD 69
2008

Tracks:
1. Nit Bay Motyen (Trad. arr. Cohen/ Técsö) 3:12
2. Traktorist (Trad./lyrics by Emil Saculets, arr. Cohen/ Técsö) 2:07 

3. Pastekh / Moldavian Caval (Trad. arr. Cohen/ Técsö) 5:55

4. Schwartz's Sirba / A Briv Fun Yisroel (Trad./lyrics by I.Schwartzmann, arr. Cohen/ Técsö) 2:53

5. Baj Van Medley (Trad. arr. Cohen/ Técsö) 2:51
6. 
Az Nisht Keyn Emine (Trad. arr. Cohen/ Técsö) 4:58

7. Hamanul from Dragomiresti (Trad. arr. Cohen/ Técsö) 2:22

8. Uncle Arpi's Nokh a Bisl (Trad. arr. Cohen/ Técsö) 1:49

9. HoAderes (Trad. arr. Cohen/ Técsö) 3:05

10. Sadegurer Hosid (Trad. arr. Cohen/ Técsö) 1:41

11. Hutsul Medley (Trad. arr. Cohen/ Técsö) 3:51

12. Mashke (Trad. arr. Cohen/ Técsö) 5:47
13. 
Pirim (Trad. arr. Cohen/ Técsö) 2:50
14. 
Moldvai Zhok (Trad. arr. Cohen/ Técsö) 2:38

15. “7:40” (Trad. arr. Cohen/ Técsö) 4:02
16. 
Chernobyl (Trad./lyrics by Michael Alpert, arr. Cohen/ Técsö) 3:29

total time 53:30

Di Naye Kapelye:

Bob Cohen – violin, vocals, koboz, Carpathian drum, vioara cu goarna (Stroh fiddle), cimpoi (Moldavian bagpipe) 

Yankl Falk – vocals, clarinet

Antal (Puma) Fekete – kontra, Carpathian drum

Gyula (Kosztya) Kozma – bass 

Ferenc Pribojszki – cimbalom, caval, Carpathian drum



Special guests:

Michael Alpert (vocals, violin, percussion) – 3, 4, 6, 12

Aron Cohen (vocals) – 6

Josh Dolgin (accordion, piano) – 4, 10

The village band from Tjaciv (Técsö), Carpatho-Ukraine – 5, 11, 15, 16:
Joska Csernavec (bayan accordion),
Misu Csernavec (tsymbaly),
Jura Csernavec (drum, plonka, voice),
Ivan Popovics (violin)

Tom Popper and Imre “Kutyuli” Keszthelyi (chorus vocals)

Links:
Di Naye Kapelye
Oriente Misik