Ezekiel's Wheels Klezmer Band /
khanike chanukah hannukah janucá party
Ezekiel's Wheels Klezmer Band / khanike chanukah hannukah janucá party, 2020
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Ezekiel's Wheels have been my main local Boston klezmer band for over a decade. They continue to play traditional klezmer, while also pushing each other and their friends to explore every possible corner of Jewish music. Back in 2020, during the covid lockdown they took it upon themselves to address one major failing among klezmer bands: Khanike repertoire played by a Klezmer Band. I can only think of two previous examples: My first Boston faves, Klezmer Conservatory Band's "Oy Chanukah," and the Klezmatics settings of Khanike-themed Woody Guthrie songs (not even klezmer!), "Woody Guthrie's Happy Joyous Hanukkah."
Here, the band gives the klezmer treatment to old favorites such as "Oy Khanike, Ma'oz Tsur," and "Drey dreydelekh." They also give us great renditions of Khanike-adjacent classics like "A glezele yash" (a glass of whiskey), "Babka!," and "Bulbes" (potatoes—how else latkes?).
This is just a fun, fun record, perfect for the kids and their parents (and, in our case, grandparents). It's not a long recording, but a very fun one. Make sure it's on your own holiday rotation.
Reviewed by Ari Davidow, 16 Dec, 2024.
Personnel this recording:
Abigale Reisman: Violin, Harmony Vocals
Jonathan Cannon: Violin
Kirsten Lamb: Double Bass, Lead Vocals
Nathaniel Seelen: Clarinet
Pete Fanelli: Trombone
Song Titles
- Oy Khanike (words: Mordkhe Rivesman; arr: EWKB) 1:49
- Dos bisele shpayz (Music: Efim Chorny; words: Meir Harats; arr: Kirsten Lamb) 3:46
- Khale iz Geshmak (Abigale Reisman) 1:05
- Bulbes (trad) 1:06
- Hudl mitn shtrudl (attr to Adolf King) 1:10
- Babka! (Nat Seelen) 1:42
- A Glezele Yash (words: Josef Kerler; music: Vladimir Shainsky; Arr: EWKB) 0:54
- Ma'oz Tsur (trad) 1:26
- Drey dreydelekh (words: attributed to Abe Ellstein and Moyshe Oysher; music: David Beigelman; arr: EWKB) 3:25