Den Flygande Bokrullen / Tarrschwein

band and instruments in front of oriental carpet cut out in pseudo onion-dome church style? Den Flygande Bokrullen
Tarrschwein

Arko Records, ARKO CD005, 2002

Herrgården 8
S-745 41 Enköping, Sweden
Tel: +171 365 62
www.denflygandebokrullen.nu

Back with a new release, time has not quieted nor calmed Sweden's Den Flygande Bokrullen. To the contrary, they remain a propulsive, brassy reminder of American Klezmer as it was recorded most loudly in the early 20th century. This isn't to say that they are stuck in the past - their rendition of the "Trisker Nign" will surely remind many ears of the Macarena (Matzorena?). At the same time, their "Freylekhe Mehkutonim" or their arrangement of the "Donner Bulgar" would be welcome at any celebration.

This is raw, noisy klezmer played by a band who would be at home in any village square, unamplified. There is no Yiddish theatre music or folk music here, just solid, thumping dance music, propelled by a solid thumping drum kit, good for klezmer, for polkas, good anywhere that a gaggle of loud, reasonably coherent kapelye would be welcome. These are the true children, not only of those old '78s by the Kandel Orchestra, but also of the madcap, fun-loving original Klezmer Revival band, the Klezmorim. Listen to the band's own "Farshtinkener Boris" with solos ranging from banjo to accordion to tuba. This is rollicking fun.

Reviewed by Ari Davidow 6/8/03

Personnel this recording:
Arvid Pettersson: tuba, piano, tenor horn
Matti Pohjola: cornet, mandolin, tenor banjo, euphonium
Gustav Johansson: accordion, trombone, baritone horn
Carl Johansson: drums, percussions, baritone horn
Lars Ydgren: clarinet, alto sax

Guests
Tomas Dawidowski: double bass (tracks 4, 9, 11, 14)
Mikael Sjöberg: piccolo (track 12)
Oskar Pohjola: saz (track 1)
Horns of Hoodwink: (track 5)

Songs

  1. Meshuggah (Matti Pohjola) 2:29
  2. Freylekhe Mekhutonim (trad., arr. DFB) 3:14
  3. Trisker Nign (trad., arr. DFB) 3:01
  4. Zefki (trad., arr. DFB) 3:48
  5. Ziganoff (Matti Pohjola) 3:33
  6. Schweir und Schwiger Tantz (trad., arr. DFB) 2:55
  7. Farshtinkener Boris (Gustav Johansson) 2:26
  8. Besaraber Khosidel (trad., arr. DFB) 2:52
  9. Kleopatras Leda (Lars Ydgren) 4:33
  10. Donner Bulgar (trad., arr. DFB) 2:46
  11. Lajka (Matti Pohjola) 6:08
  12. Evrejskij Tanets (trad., arr. DFB) 2:40
  13. Karpat Jodel (Matti Pohjola) 2:16
  14. Honga (trad., arr. DFB) 2:26

Yiddish Voice
Sound files hosted by The Yiddish Voice.
WUNR 1600 AM/Brookline, MA,
Wednesdays, 7:30 - 8:30 pm


to top of page To top of page

the KlezmerShack Ari's home page
to About the Jewish-music mailing list
to The Klezmer Shack main page
to Ari Davidow's home page