the KlezmerShack

As we get ready for a new secular year, and most important, after yet another stupdendous Yiddish New York, I have been on overdrive trying to catch up with new recordings. Many of these feature YNY participants. A reminder to those thinking to maximize impact to the artists: This Friday will be a "Bandcamp Friday," (first Friday of the month) where Bandcamp gives up its cut from the sale of music and funnels it all to the artists:

• Christian Dawid is one of my favorite clarinet players, a long-time band-leader from early revival bands such as Khupe and Sukke, clarinet-player-about-town on a host of other recordings including recent Daniel Kahn. Isolated by the pandemic, this new solo recording has fun with his name, and provides lots of fun music, running the gamut from brassy ensemble music to straight-ahead clarinets (all instruments played by Dawid): Christian plays Jewish
• I took so long in reviewing the first Forshpil album, that the band got impatient and released a second one (in 2020, I am way behind). If anything, it is even better than the first as the band infused Yiddish with heavy metal psychedlia, played by an incredible group of musicians and propelled by Sasha Lurje's powerhouse of a voice: Tsvey./li>
• This is the album that Ezekiel's Wheels was promoting when we got hit by the pandemic. If you explore Bandcamp, you'll see that they have been most busy since them. In the meantime, this is a wonderful place to start: די פאָדעם The Thread
• Zach Mayer comes from a lot of yiches. This latest solo recording of nigunim from earlier this year showcases his multi-instrumental virtuosity and warm voice: Zamru
• As one might say of any Frank London recording, this new one is different. In this case, we go from renaissance Italy to American and South African dance music. At a time when too many people around us are becoming more tribal, this may help serve as a corrective: Ghetto Songs
• I apologize for waiting so long to catch up on this bluegrass-focused Andy Statman release from 2019. Monroe Bus, has been one of the listening pleasures of the pandemic
• As is the case with so many musicians, the pandemic hasn't slowed Michael Winograd down a bit. But this is what he was touring as the pandemic hit, and it is one of the recordings that has sustained me this year: Kosher Style. Explore bandcamp—he's been busy.
• Finally, I would not have made it through the last two years without Abraham, Inc's 2019 release, Together we stand. If you don't already have a copy, get one, and don't leave home without it.

More to come, I hope—still trying to catch up with newer recordings by YNY musicians and teachers.