The latest from Mark Rubin: Belf Romanian MP3s and the Youngers of Zion CD
One of the fascinating stories of early klezmer is that of the Belf Romanian Orchestra. About all we know about them is that they now appear to have been Ukrainian, and recorded some wonderfully florid klezmer tunes that continue to be prized. Jeffrey Wollock summarized what little we know of the band in his lovely "European Recordings of Jewish Instrumental Folk Music, 1911-1914," (ARSC Journal V28, N1, Spring 1997). But where can you get the recordings? Fans such as Kurt Bjorling supply high quality cassettes. Anthologies of early recordings usually have one or two. Now Mark Rubin has made 27 MP3s available for everyone's listening pleasure: www.belfsmusic.com.
Hey Bub,
You get time to check this site [www.belfsmusic.com] out? It's my latest hobby. Would appreciate a link.
Just got back from NYC where I did sessions with German Goldynstein and Frank London's Klezmer Brass All Stars. We did a day of German's tunes under the direction of M. Alpert with considerable contributions from London, Jeff and Deb Warschauer and the very hip and you can remember I told you about him years from now Alex Kontorovich. Frank's sessions the next day included a 7 piece Brazilian percussion ensemble, 6 female vocalists (under the sly name Kol Isha) and Alpert singing one of his Yiddish tunes only this time in Spanish and in the style of a Mexican banda (I played guitar BTW as there were 2 tuba players on the date....) In other words, a typically brilliant Frank London project. I came home to my beloved Red State with a nasty cold and high as a kite on the memory of the music. No word on release dates for either, but I can hardly wait.
BTW: Didja get the YOZ CD?? Curious to know what you think of it. I continue to dig it no matter what anybody thinks of it.
PS: Happy Mardi Gras! It formally starts now and I head to New Orleans to march for the Krewes as a member of the Panorama Brass Band everyday from 2/2 up to Fat Tuesday (2/8.)