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Latest reviews on the KlezmerShack

Sometimes I get so caught up into listening to new music that I forget to tell people about reviews written. That is particular unfortunate this week, since there are some really exciting albums that I wrote about:

interesting lettering and '30s-style cartoonInto the Freylakh has produced a debut album that includes a very tuneful mix of klezmer and jazz. Lots of new jazz material, in particular, to gladden your ears. The album cover is also quite classy.

decent monotype of the band on a bridge, as though old timeyFialke / A grus fun der alter heym. Now, someone explain to me why some of the best traditional klezmer is coming from Germany? For those of us waiting on a next fix from Budowitz or Khevrisa, Fialke steps into the breach. Guest participation by Budowitz tsimbl-master Josh Horowitz helps, too. (Horowitz is currently finishing up an album with fellow-tsimbler Stu Brotman of Brave Old World, et al, and Cookie Segelstein of Klezical Tradition, himself, so stay tuned.)

another obscure tzadik album cover of building upon building upon older buildingPaul Brody's Sadawi / Kabbalah Dream. This is one of the most amazing trumpet albums I have heard in a while. Klezmer, jazz, avant-garde, and entirely listenable.

Enjoy!

Comments

I've seen Into the Freylakh live, and they're great. And I had the distinct pleasure of performing with Bryan Pardo, the founder of the group, in a small avant-garde ensemble.

That's great, because I certainly enjoyed the album. Thanks for posting.

Bryan sent me ITF's album a few weeks back. It's a good start, and I especially like the latter half of the album, which seems to pay respects to HNW and Klezmatics. Goltz's vocal approach is bit brassy for my personal taste, esp. in contract to the more jazzy elements of the album, but Pardo's got good chops and just enough flourish to stand out as someone to watch, especially with a knack for composition...

The more standard fare of Frelachs and Bulgars of the album's first half are competently executed, some better than others as with the Heyser Bulgar, and the closing Oifyn Prip., normally sugary and overly sentimental, is a nice surprise that I actually replayed.

I look forward to hearing more from Bryan and the gang, but I disagree on the cover art :)- sorry ari.

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