Black Rooster Kapelye / Vos mir zaynen (Who we are)
Black Rooster Kapelye / Vos mir zaynen (Who we are), 2024
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Sasha Lurje and Ilya Shneyveys grew up on Riga. They have become an essential part of the general klezmer/Yiddish music revival. Here, they revitalize "Latvian Jewish and Latvian folk music collected by Emilis Melngails at the turn of the 20th century. While Melngailis is well known as a prolific collector of Latvian folk songs, his Jewish music collection has remained virtually unknown and underappreciated for years. As one of the only such collections from the region, it offers a rare window into the life and art of Baltic Jewry of the time."
Those familiar with music from nearby regions, such as the Michael Alpert/Craig Judelman release a couple of years ago, "In der heym," will feel right at home. But, Sasha Lurje's ethereal voice gives this album a special feel, starting with the opening "a dream," and songs such as "I sing I rejoice" and the all-female harmonies "Oh God, Help Us." Eli Ellere also contributes lead vocals on "I sing, I rejoice" and "Will there be good fortune" (ethereal with Ilya Shneyveys accordion and accompanying electronics? percussion?). Ilga Vālodze Ābele leads on "I will walk, I will run." All three women come together on "Oh God, Help Us." The entire ensemble joins in the the group harmonies, such as on "I sing I rejoice, or the album's second song, "Along the river". It is a glorious combination of voices and harmonies, happy, sad, alive.
In between, there are some gentle instrumentals, as on the quiet, "The ark is opened," "Who we are," and dances with vocals such as "Raise a glass," and intricate, almost psychedelic, spiritual interludes, as on "Have no fear", contrasting with the still-gentle, but anthemic "The Golden Peacock," complete with bagpipes,or "Little thunder," evocative, a bit, of Lurje's and Shneyveys' "Forshpil" project, replete with a fiddle-breakdown-ending. This is traditional folk music for tradition-loving 21st century folk.
This is one of those special recordings, made with love, emanating love. It's a long recording—over an hour. It ends with "Dreamwalking," the band's arrangement of a song, "a dream," familiar to Yiddish singers all over. The recording ends, we awaken, and wish only that the dream were longer still.
Reviewed by Ari Davidow, 28 Dec, 2024.
Personnel this recording:
Craig Judelman: fiddle, 5-string violin, mandolin, voice
Eli Ellere: voice
Ilya Shneyveys: accordion, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, fretless electric guitar, loog electric guitar, fretless electric bass, flutes, baglamas, manjo, piano, drum kit, poyk, drums, spoons, castanets, bells, lamp, cowbell, tambourine, trīdeksnis rattle, claps, voice
Ilga Vālodze Ābele: kokle, bagpipes, wooden flute, Jew’s harp, voice
Jānis Zemgus Jātnieks: bayan, mandolin, voice
Sasha Lurje: voice, poyk
Song Titles
- A Dream (arr: Ilya Shneyveys) 5:29
- Along The River (arr: Craig Judelman, Elīna Ellere, Ilga Vālodze Ābele, Ilya Shneyveys, Jānis Zemgus Jātnieks, Sasha Lurje) 4:43
- The Ark Is Opened (arr: Craig Judelman and Ilya Shneyveys) 3:02
- I Sing, I Rejoice (arr: Elīna Ellere) 2:05
- I Will Walk, I Will Run (arr: Ilga Vālodze Ābele) 3:28
- Who We Are (arr: Craig Judelman, Elīna Ellere, Ilga Vālodze Ābele, Ilya Shneyveys, Jānis Zemgus Jātnieks, Sasha Lurje) 5:53
- A Boat In The Sea (arr: Elīna Ellere, Ilga Vālodze Ābele, Jānis Zemgus Jātnieks) 3:23
- Oh God, Help Us (arr: Sasha Lurje) 3:52
- Raise A Glass (arr Craig Judelman) 5:04
- Have No Fear (arr: Craig Judelman, Elīna Ellere, Ilga Vālodze Ābele, Ilya Shneyveys, Jānis Zemgus Jātnieks, Sasha Lurje) 5:19
- Will There Be Good Fortune (arr: Elīna Ellere and Ilya Shneyveys) 7:25
- The Golden Peacock (arr: Ilya Shneyveys) 7:39
- Little Thunder (arr: Craig Judelman, Elīna Ellere, Ilga Vālodze Ābele, Ilya Shneyveys, Jānis Zemgus Jātnieks, Sasha Lurje) 6:09
- Dreamwalking (arr: Ilya Shneyveys) 6:15
All music traditional. Arranged as indicated.
