For more information:
About OOOMPH International Klezmer
About Jack Falk
Oomph
Between two worlds
Global Village Music
245 West 29th St., New York, NY 10001
(212) 695-6024
The label proclaims OOMPH to be "Intercontinental klezmer, and this recording is pleasant Jewish-ish, klez-ish, jazz-ish music. I've never been blown away by it, but some songs, such as "Mazltov shver un shviger," with the exotic tarogato, are just nice, quiet, introspective gems. And, although I sort of like the vocalist, the vocals often just don't work for me. Songs such as "Mayn Yidishe meydele," should come off better, and don't. There are a lot more liturgical songs on the album than I normally want to hear, which may account for some of my resistance to listening to this more often. It's not that I object to hearing them in a secular setting, but that any setting would be the wrong setting for me. I feel the same way about Chasidic tunes. When I think Chasidic, I think "Jewish Fundies." This is very much a personal reaction, however. For many of my friends, these are the melodies that vaguely connect them to Jewishness, and for those people, this is a good, tuneful way to hear them. Nicely done.
The album is well-produced, and attractively packaged with good liner notes. The attention to detail is much appreciated, the moreso as it is so extraordinarily rare on Global Village releases.
Reviewed by Ari Davidow, 6/28/95
Personnel this recording:
Jack "Yankel" Falk: vocals, producer
Mike Curtis: clarinet, soprano sax, tarogato
Dave Leslie: piano, keyboards
Dave Storrs: percussion
Dave Captein: bass
Leroy Critcher: guitar
W E Bowman: bass (Yankl's Tants, Baym Rebns Sude)
Rich Halley: tenor sax (Mizmor L'David)
Songs
- Kazimierz (Leslie) 4:29
- Bay a Glezele Mashke (A glass of hooch) (traditional) 2:27
- Yankl's Tants (Leslie) 5:06
- Mizmor L'David (traditional) 3:29
- Mazltov shver un shviger (congratulations to the new inlaws) (traditional) 3:17
- Mayn Yidishe Meydele (My Jewish Girl) (Schorr/Secunda) 3:17
- Driving the Inlaws Home (Leslie) 4:14
- Eyn Kelokeynu (There is no god like our G-d) (Leslie) 3:45
- Ay Ay Hora (traditional, per Barry Sisters arrangement) 1:59
- Miserlou (traditional) 4:51
- Baym Rebns Sude (At the Rebbe's feast table) (traditional) 4:00
- Nokh a Glezl (Another Glass) (Tauber/Trilling) 4:17
- Boruch Ato Bo'ir / Adir Hu (Blessed are you in the city and in the field / G-d is mighty) (traditional) 3:47
- Hora Mit Tzibeles (Hora with Onions) (traditional) 3:29
- Dror Yikra (He will proclaim freedom) (traditional) 3:45
- Kazimierz (reprise) (Falk/Leslie) 3:01
- Shlimazl Sher (Leslie) 2:48
