Frank London / In the City of God

From the album notes:"On May 22, 2024, an all-star group of klezmer musicians and Jewish singers met at Beth El Synagogue Center in New Rochelle, NY under the auspices of Shoresh Halev Center for Jewish Music to record 8 new compositions by klezmer giant Frank London. These brilliant new songs are meant to be sung while dancing hakafot on Simchat Torah. The recording session was held on the eve of Frank's treatment for a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer and what ensued was a beautiful evening of spiritual uplift and close, loving Jewish community. Borscht Beat and Shoresh Halev are very pleased to share these recordings with the world, in hopes of welcoming all of you to our table in peace and ecstatic joy."

Although we mostly associate Frank London with his trumpet, it is easy to forget that there are few genres he hasn't touched, and in particular, that he has a soft spot for vocal music, especially Jewish vocal music (consider decades of songs and arrangements with the Klezmatics, his many projects with Lorin Sklamberg and friends, and perhaps most germane to this recording, the soundtrack to Pearl Gluck's movie, "Divan"). This recording, which does feature his trumpet and other instruments, is primarily choral music—group singing—intended to accompany the many dances with Torah scrolls that happen during the Sukkoth week, if most intensely on Simkhat Torah. With an all-star chorus ranging from Lorin Sklamberg and Basya Schechter and a host of other celebrants, this is an amazing feel-good, feel-happy celebration of Torah that helps conclude the High Holiday season.

The songs are psalms and other sacred texts. Even when one singer takes the initial lead, as Basya Schechter on "Gadol Adonai" (God is great); or Lorin Sklamberg on the opening "L'Adonai Ha-aretz," or engage in call-response as on "Harninu," (Sing joyously) these are songs to be sung with the entire congregation.

Sometimes, the melody is pensive, such as "B'rov Sarapai" (When worrisome thoughts multiply - Elegy for Oct 7, 2023), full of longing "ai yai yai's," but the mood changes in the second part "Come, let us sing joyously to the Lord."" One of my favorites is "Kuma Elohim" (Rise, Creator), which reminds me of my favorite Hallel melodies, and yet, is somehow distinctive on its own, culminating in ecstatic excitement, "rise, rise, rise, Creator!"

This is a special recording, full of hope for the new year, and joy at the continuing cycle of Torah reading. It joins Frank's other Jewish holiday recordings as the perfect accompanyment to the holiday, but also as a continuing reminder of the joy of those seasons.

Reviewed by Ari Davidow, 8 December 2024.

Songs

1. L’Adonai Ha’aretz (First Hakafah, from Psalm 24) 5:39
2. Gadol Adonai (Second Hakafah, from Psalm 48) 4:12
3. Kuma Elohim (Third Hafafah, from Psalm 82) 5:07
4. B’rov Sarapai (Fourth Hakafah Part A, text from Psalm 94) 2:40
5. L'chu Neranana(Fourth Hakafah Part B, text from Psalm 94) 3:25
6. Harninu (Fifth Hakafah, text from Psalm 81) 3:52
7. Adonai Malach (Sixth Hakafah, text from Psalm 93) 2:36
8. Tov L'hodot (Seventh Hakafah, text from Psalm 92) 5:27

All music composed, arr: Frank London. Text from Shir Shel Yom, Psalms of the Day, prepared by Jack Klebanow and Michael Posnick

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