Review: JuMu Presents Nu Jewish Music Vol. 1

Review: JUMU Presents Nu Jewish Music Vol. 1

JUMU has to be the most interesting music entity that I have encountered. The mission of JUMU is to introduce New Jewish Music artists to the French music scene, for both Jewish and non-Jewish audiences. This first compilation album consists of tracks from the artists they have been associated with since 2004. The album is a cross-section of the bands that are leading the new direction in Jewish Music. This international collection shows us that this music has a wide acceptance by young people around the world and JUMU is there to light the way.

This is a great introduction to New Jewish Music for those that might be new to the genre or are not sure where to start listening. So many musical styles are here in one place, from hip-hop and rap, to electro and pop, as well as some alternative and experimental sounds. I find this collection of music to be exactly where contemporary Jewish Music is focused and lays the foundation for what will be attracting an increasingly wider audience in the years ahead. I feel very fortunate to be in a small way connected to the pulse of this new musical direction.

So, what is on the album? North American readers might be familiar with Socalled, David Krakauer, Frank London, Hip Hop Hoodios, and Balkan Beat Box. My favorite song is Socalled’s You Are Never Alone, the first track on the album. To me, this song defines the New Jewish Music genre, mixing together layers of instruments, vocals, and electronic sounds.

But the real excitement for me is discovering the other bands that have not had much exposure yet. My favorite among these is Anakronic Electro Orkestra, from France. They have a great blend of old and new, combining a traditional Klezmer feel with electronic elements. And, as a big fan of Shantel, I am drawn to his remix of a track by Amsterdam Klezmer Band, again taking traditional Klezmer, but mixing in his special blend of Euro-Balkan electronica and vocals.

Other bands featured are Oi Va Voi, Boogie Balagan, Emunah, J.U.F., Boom Pam, Sophie Solomon, and new Pop singer Yael Naim, who is known to North American listeners from her song, New Soul, featured in an Apple Macbook Air TV commercial.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this album. It is, for me, the best compilation of New Jewish Music around, and I can highly recommend this album to anyone with an interest in exploring the new bands and musical directions that JUMU has become known for. Thanks to JUMU and these fine artists for putting New Jewish Music on the world map.

Keith Wolzinger
Klezmer Podcast

JUMU Presents Nu Jewish Music Vol. 1
JUMU/ V2 Music
2007

Track List:
1. You Are Never Alone
2. Adir Adirim
3. A Csitari Hegyek Alatt
4. Biomecanicamel
5. Why Is It Funny
6. Bum Ching
7. Gypsy Part Of Town
8. Bulgarian Chicks
9. Havana Nagila
10. Bubbemeises
11. Who Knows One
12. A Time Of Desire
13. Freylehks Fun Der Khupe: Pelt Me With Rice
14. Wedding Son
15. Sadagora Hot Dub
16. Pin Pricks And Gravy Stains
17. Paris

Links:
JuMu MySpace
JuMu (France)

Klezmer Podcast On The Mainly Musical Meanderings Blog

Please read the nice post from Dan at Mainly Musical Meanderings

http://jazzsick.wordpress.com/2008/09/21/aeo-jumu/

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Review- Yizkor: Music Of Memory

Yizkor: Music Of Memory
David Chevan w/Hazzan Alberto Mizrahi And The Afro-Semitic Experience

As Yom Kippur approaches, and with it the associated prayer service of Yizkor, David Chevan’s Yizkor: Music Of Memory could not have been released at a better time. Chevan, along with the gifted Hazzan Alberto Mizrahi and The Afro-Smitic Experience, has completely re-imagined the Yizkor liturgy and given us the gift of a musical journey unlike any other we are likely to encounter.

Chevan quotes Abraham Joshua Heschel in the liner notes. “There are three ways to mourn. The first is to cry. The second is to grow silent. The third is to transform sorrow into song.” Certainly, words designed to comfort the mourner, but to a musician, it becomes an imperative. What better way for a musician to express sorrow and mourning? And the Yizkor service lends itself to this musical transformation very well. Chevan goes on to liken Yizkor to the Requiem Mass, with a set of texts that have been recited, unaltered, for centuries. Spurred by death and near-death among his family and friends, he channeled his mourning by composing these jazz settings of the sacred texts.

How do you combine jazz with the Hazzanut of the traditional service, you ask? Well, as a jazz fan as well as a Klezmer/Jewish Music fan, I can say that the combination works very well. Granted, the jazz is toned down a bit to provide the support for the vocal artistry and gymnastics of Mizrahi. But there are two bonus instrumental tracks where the band gets its moment to shine.

I have been awaiting this release for the better part of a year. I learned of it in November, 2007 from Chevan’s Fall Newsletter. He mentioned listening to the rough mixes and how excited he got every time he heard them. He kept posting updates on the project throughout the year. Then in July 2008, I was fortunate to meet Hazzan Mizrahi and hear his magnificent voice. He mentioned the Yizkor album project he worked on. And so here we are.

Mizrahi brings a fresh perspective to this concert setting of Yizkor. Keep in mind that the Hazzanut he sings are based in the traditional style; the jazz resides with the orchestrations of the band. Mizrahi, though, does get a chance for some improvisation on Psalm 23, a beautiful piece with a groovy rhythmic background and open solos from the Piano and Guitar.

El Meleh Rakhamim is the touchstone of the album. This work features Mizrahi in his most impassioned performance.

Yizkor For Martyrs is the showcase for the powerful vocal range Mizrahi possesses. He is capable of dynamics that few can approach. The last Amen is nearly a whisper. I highly recommend watching the beautiful video of this song on YouTube, a documentary film about the making of the album. See the link at the end of this post.

Psalm 121 Esa Enai is a quick three tempo, and shows the lighthearted side of Mizrahi. Very enjoyable, but it is the shortest track on the album. David, how about another chorus? The band obviously likes this song, too. It is one of the songs that is included as an instrumental on a bonus track.

My favorite song, though, is the opener Adonai, Mah Adam. From the opening line in the Bass, followed by the Piano, Clarinet, and Flute, this is a song you can really get in your head. Plus, this is the other bonus track instrumental version.

The engineering on this recording is very good, overall. Mizrahi’s vocals come across as both powerful and delicate in the right places, with just the right EQ and reverb applied. The band mix sounds good, but to me the ancillary percussion is a bit too present and there seems to be a bit too much room ambiance on the clarinet and sax.

The eight page CD insert is very well done. The design evokes the feeling of Yizkor, and the cemetery photographs enhance the album’s theme of memory. There are Hebrew transliterations and English translations of each song, plus an introduction and thank yous from Chevan. He promises to post additional material on his website soon.

This is not background music for your next party. But if you invest the time for some serious listening, you will be deeply rewarded. I have not had such a rich listening experience in a very long time. Yizkor is worth the effort and this music deserves your attention. As the prayer says: A good doctrine has been given to you; do not forsake it.

Track Listings
1. Adonai, Mah Adam (My God, What is Man?) (4:43)
2. Psalm 16 Shiviti Adonai L'Negdi Tamid (I Keep God Before Me At All Times) (7:05)
3. Psalm 121 Esa Enai (I Raise My Eyes) (2:54)
4. Yizkor for Martyrs (5:26)
5. Psalm 23 (9:42)
6. El Maleh Rakhamim (God, Full of Compassion) (10:56)
7. Adonai, Mah Adam (Instrumental version) (4:45)
8. Esa Enai (Instrumental version) (3:32)

Keith Wolzinger
Klezmer Podcast

Yizkor: Music Of Memory
David Chevan w/Hazzan Alberto Mizrahi And The Afro-Semitic Experience
2008
Reckless DC Music
RMCD-1053

Links:
Yizkor Project
David Chevan
Yizkor For Martyrs YouTube

Review: Klezmafour

Review: Klezmafour

New bands are always appearing on the Klezmer scene, but one of the most exciting bands I have found is Klezmafour, a fabulous, high-energy group based in Poland. I’ve been listening to their hot new album, the self-titled Klezmafour for some time now, and it has become one of my top favorites for this year.

The band has been performing since 1999, mostly in Poland and neighboring Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Slovakia, and Czech Republic. With the release of this CD, Klezmafour has put their name on the world Klezmer map. I’m sure they will be touring widely very soon.

The music is a combination of traditional Klezmer tunes mixed with original material. The music is quite lively and, in the right places, very emotional. They blend styles and make just the right transitions, putting the music front and center, making this a magnificent listening experience. While the music is aimed at the younger crowd, there is plenty here for the more seasoned listener to appreciate. The lead duo of Andrzej Czaplinski and Wojciech Czaplinski (Violin and Clarinet, respectively) are brothers from a musical family. Together, they lead the band through a broad range of Klezmer styles, with some Balkan and Middle-Eastern influences. The music is fresh, and I find it irresistible.

Opening the album, The Storm, an arrangement by Wojciech, sets the tone for all that is to follow. A nice groove is set by the rhythm section, then the Clarinet enters with a Klezmer melody. Later they switch to a tune I know as Tantz, Tantz Yidelekh, but they play it at half tempo, with a fast rhythmic background. Very effective. There is even some thunder added for effect, hence the track’s title.

My favorite track has to be Psalm, arranged by Andrezej. It begins with a series of long electronic chords, that give a feeling of other-worldliness. Lots of ambiance behind the soulful violin solo. The Clarinet and Violin alternate with the melody in a very slow tempo, then suddenly we are up to speed, and the band kicks into high gear with the fast melody and some wizardry from the Bass.

Suite Part 1 and 2 are further examples of some very creative arranging by Andrzej and Drummer Tomasz Waldowski. Suite Part 1 is slow, ethereal, with a nice Clarinet melody, and subdued background. Part 2 opens with some wild Bass, leading to a great melody- first by Accordion, then with harmonized Clarinet/Violin. There is even room for Accordion and Clarinet solos. Then they sing and clap in a slower tempo, speeding up gradually to the original tempo, followed by a Drum break before ending. This has to be the most fun track for the band. You can’t help but sing along.

The Middle-Eastern influence is most apparent on Safar Al Omr. with a heavy beat from the Drums, particularly the Toms. It’s a very interesting track, with the Clarinet melody played over some very interesting rhythms from the Bass/Accordion/Violin combination. If you like Drums, this is the one for you!

Lublin Station and Bialystok Station (both by Wojciech) are a short suite wiith some contemporary elements. There is even a bit of Bulgar rhythm. Together they show the range and versatility of Klezmafour. This is the essence of their music, and I find it very engaging.

The sound quality is outstanding. Of course, the bass and drums sounded magnificent on my home theater, but the mix is balanced and each instrument is clear and distinct. The mix also held up well in the car as well as on computer speakers and earbuds.


These songs all fit together very well. There wasn’t anything on the album that I didn’t like. Klezmafour has hit on a new sound that, I believe, makes a bold statement on the the future direction of Klezmer. For more on Klezmafour, listen to my interview with Wojciech on Klezmer Podcast 36.


Klezmafour
Klezmafour
2008

Links:
Klezmafour
Klezmafour MySpace

Klezmer Podcast 38- JUMU

I have posted Klezmer Podcast 38, featuring an interview with Claude Szwimer of JUMU in
Paris, France.

Review: David Buchbinder's Odessa/Havana

Review: David Buchbinder’s Odessa/Havana

David Buchbinder has been around the muisc scene for a long time as a performer and composer. His newest project, Odessa/Havana, has the tag line “The explosive Jewish/Cuban musical mash-up.” While true, this barely scratches the surface of what this music really is all about. Odessa/Havana breaks new ground, firmly landing in a new musical genre that results in a fresh approach to what we call World Music, though it really is described better by Buchbinder as World Jazz. “This is not traditional music from either side, but original music filtered through Cuban and Jewish sensibilities.Cuban and Jewish elements are used as raw material to create something new,” he says.

Odessa/Havana is a musical adventure unlike any in recent memory. At first listen, the album seems to be Jazz-centric, but when you listen further you cannot help being drawn into a world of multi-cultural influenced music that goes way beyond the boundaries of Jazz. Buchbinder describes it as”a new direction of jazz in the macro sense.”

The opening track, Lailadance, is indicative of this new direction. Familiar Jewish instrumentation of Trumpet, Clarinet, and Violin, is joined by Afro-Cuban Piano, Bass, Drums, and Percussion. Some of the finest musicianship anywhere is on display here and I was immediately drawn in by the rhythms and the melodies. The music is both refreshing and exciting.

Duran’s Impresiones continues this exploration of styles with an introduction from Buchbinder and Duran that I see as a Cuban Doina with Trumpet and Piano, then Bass and Percussion bring us to the main theme where Trumpet and Sax play in octave unison with th Violin puctuating the lines in a Progressive Jazz context. Great solos from Sax, Piano, and Violin round out the action.

My personal favorite and, I feel, most engaging piece is Cadiz, written by Buchbinder. The track starts with slow out of time Piano/Bass with the opening theme, then Trumpet and Violin take turns with Judeo-Spanish styled solos. Then the tempo picks up and starts a progressive Afro-Latin groove, and leaves room for more solos, then finally returns to the slow opening theme to end this, the longest piece on the album. Buchbinder cites a number of cultural influences in writing this piece: Jewish, Arabic, African, Free Jazz, Roma. Cadiz is, according to Buchbinder, not technically Cuban or Jewish, but takes both these sounds and creates a new world from within.

My second favorite is Prayer. If there is such a thing as Jewish-Cuban Blues, Buchbinder has found it here. It is the most melodiacally beautiful piece on the album. The opening Bass solo gives way to a very sesitive Trumpet, followed by a lovely Violin/Oud duet and then Soprano Sax/Trumpet. Buchbinder then gives a great jazz ballad solo before bringing the Violin/Sax/Oud back to the theme. The song ends with an unresolved chord, which corresponds perfectly to an unanswered prayer.

Colaboracion is descriptive of this joint Buchbinder/Duran composition. Piano/Percussion set the tone for a Jewish-styled Violin solo followed by a free-jazz Trumpet solo and a mainstream Sax solo. I like the Piano groove that Duran lays down, and particularly the coda of the last minute of the song, a groovy outro that comes from nowhere. Very inventive stuff that I can’t get enough of.

The closer, a great encore piece, is Freylekhs Tumbao. Buchbinder gave Duran some Klezmer tunes to work with, and the result is a great take on these tunes from a Latin perspective. Nothing corny here, this medley takes on Klezmer head on and presents it in a sizzling flurry of Latin beats and percussion.

I have always loved Jazz, and Afro-Cuban Jazz in particular. To match it with Jewish-Klezmer is a dream come true, and I thank David Buchbinder and Hilario Duran for bringing these two world together and creating something that is truly unique and has the potential to further expand multiculturalism through Jazz. I can’t wait to see what they will come up with next. In the meantime, I will keep listening to Odessa/Havana and enjoying the spirit that infuses their music.

Keith Wolzinger
Klezmer Podcast

Odessa/Havana
David Buchbinder’s Odessa/Havana
2007 Tzadik
TZ 8121


1. Lailadance 5:41
2. Impresiónes 6:41
3. Cadiz 9:34
4. Next One Rising 6:46
5. Rumba Judia 3:38
6. Prayer 4:21
7. Colaboración 8:34
8. Freylekhs Tumbao 4:38

Links:
Odessa/Havana
O/H MySpace

Review: "Borsht with Bread, Brothers" Klezmer

Review: “Borsht with Bread, Brothers” Klezmer
Yale Strom & Hot Pstromi

Yale Strom has been on the Klezmer scene for many years and has collected a large repertoire from the Eastern Europe countries that once were the center of Yiddish culture. Strom refers to himself as an Ethnographer, a term I was not familiar with. Strom studies the culture of the people that live in the various towns and regions and analyzes how the Jews interacted with the cultures of their host nations and, by extension, the influences these cultures had on each others’ music.

In the case of “Borsht with Bread, Brothers” Strom uses the band to transport the listener to those faraway lands where itinerant musicians traveled the countryside and village bands played for every occasion. Of particular interest to Strom is the interaction between the Jews and Rom (Gypsy) people. The music of these two cultures existed side by side for centuries, and musicians learned to play both styles.

The music here represents the material Strom found on his many visits to Eastern Europe. He walks a fine line between faithfulness to the original field recordings he made and his original compositions that push Klezmer music into new sonic realms. The result is a freshness that brings the art form to a new level, the sound of transforming the village band into a modern entity, able to hold the attention of traditionalists as well as lovers of new music.

Hot Pstromi, itself a play on Strom’s name, is easily able to convey the feel of the village band as it would have been heard from Romania to Bessarabia, Russia, Poland, and Germany. Even Strom’s new compositions are in the same style, so one has to listen closely to find where the new sections are.

The album contains four Yiddish vocal selections featuring contralto Elizabeth Schwartz. Schwartz brings emotional depth to the material, and adds a bit of spontaneity to Ver Es ken Keseyder Tseyln, a wedding song from Ukraine embellished with batkhones, traditional singing/talking. I also liked Szol A Kakos Mar, with lyrics in Hungarian and Hebrew. This song is not like anything I’ve heard before. It comes from Hungary, where the Rom musicians still remember the Hebrew lyrics. It gives the feeling of Jewish Mysticism.

Another favorite song was Kalarasher Bulgar. This tune from Moldova changes character, starting as a nice slow bulgar, then changing to a fast freylekhs. I have to particularly mention David Licht on Percussion and Sprocket on Bass who together drive the band with a great style- traditional but with a bit of zip.

I must also mention Ben Avrameni, an original by Strom based on music he heard while traveling in Romania. It has an interesting violin/whistling duet opening, then changes to a sort of extended Gypsy jam with lots of room for solos from the band members and some vocalizing from Strom.

The included booklet is 36 pages with excellent information on the album’s concept, history of the band, musician bios, track descriptions, and song lyrics in Yiddish and English. The booklet is in English, French, German, and Spanish, a nice touch that I have found from ARC Music releases. There are also some great photos of the old-time musicians Strom encountered during his travels.

The sound quality is outstanding. The work by Michael Broby, Tripp Sprague, and Diz Heller brings the band to life. The disc sounds terrific on my home theater as well as on headphones, with deep, crisp bass, light drums, clear vocals, and a nuanced sound on the flutes and pennywhistle. My only criticism would be that the Tenor Sax sounds a bit harsh in a couple of spots. Otherwise, it has a consistent sound overall, which is a great accomplishment since the tracks are from studios in New York and California.

It’s always interesting for me to hear bands like Hot Pstromi, whose music comes from years of research and dedication to preserving this musical language nearly lost in the Holocaust. I admire Strom for his dedication and ability to interpret the material in a way that is both entertaining and truthful.

Keith Wolzinger
Klezmer Podcast

“Borsht with Bread, Brothers” Klezmer
Yale Strom & Hot Pstromi
EUCD 2102
2007 ARC Music Productions Int. Ltd.

Links:
Yale Strom
Hot Pstromi MySpace
ARC Music