Tsvey Brider+Baymale / Kosmopolitn

Among the many reasons to love Anthony Russell is his inventive use of his magnificant voice. On this recording, he and long-time musical partner Dmitri Gaskin (the Tzvey Brider, two brothers) partner with additional musicians to (re)create an early twentieth-century cabaret. Did such a cabaret ever exist? I like to think, contrary to the liner notes, that something like it could have existed in Paris or Warsaw or New York or any of several Yiddish centers prior to the Holocaust. These particular songs? No—die tsvey brider have set Yiddish poems of the era to music and created a new/old artsong that lingers tantalyzingly in the ears. It may not have existed, but it shoulda!

From the opening setting of Celia Dropkin's signature "Circus Dame," the band wraps around Russell's voice, weaving an artistic tapestry and a kosmopolitn (in so many meanings of the word) environment. It's a cabaret filled with Yiddish artsong the way it was meant to be sung. Many of the poems are so familiar it seems amazing that they have never before been set—perhaps they were, elsewhere, elsewhen. Others, such as Mordechai Gebirtig's "Kinder yorn" (childhood) are familiar, but rearranged to fit the cabaret, offering new insight in the new telling.

I also have to call out the intermission—the music interludes composed by accordionist Dmitric Gaskin, which provide a perfect way to wile away the time between "sets".

The music resumes with the winsome "Sheyne Fremde Froy" and a slightly macabre William Shakespeare poem (from which play?), "Full Fathom Five," reminding us of how popular Shakespeare—improved via translation into English—was with Yiddish theatre-goers. Continuing the theme of performance, there are two Leyb Naydus poems, performatively alone ("Zayn Aleyn") and heartlorn ("In der fremd"). "Chicago," capturing the hustle and bustle of Chicago and its stockyards and industry is perfectly matched by Chicagoan Kurt Bjorling's music. This may be my favorite piece among favorites. Finally, this imaginary cabaret ends with Avrom Reyzen's wise "Child's play", as we listen/watch as the children "shouting the name of your far-off town, they ride off into the sunset...," as do we, with only a few more listens to enjoy Russell's voice and that of the wise & playful ensemble backing him.

Reviewed by Ari Davidow, 28 December 2024 .

Songs

1. Tsirkus Dame—Circus dame (words: Celia Dropkin; music: Tsvey Brider) 2:13
2. Vays vi der Shney—White like snow (words: Celia Dropkin; music: Tsvey Brider) 2:42
3. Mayn Heym—My home (feat. Veretski Pass) (words: Avrom Reyzen; music: Tsvey Brider) 3:52
4. Glikn—Happiness (words: Avrom Reyzen; music: Tsvey Brider) 3:23
5. Kinder Yorn—Childhood (Mordechai Gebirtig; arr Dmitri Gaskin) 3:17
6. In Hamak—In a hammock (feat. Vivek Datar) (words: Tsilye Dropkin; music: Tsvey Brider) 5:30
7. Common Sense Skotshne (trad & composed: Dmitri Gaskin) 2:51
8. Free and Easy Legényes (trad & composed: Dmitri Gaskin) 1:11
9. Risky Business Sher (trad & composed: Dmitri Gaskin) 3:06
10. Sheyne Fremde Froy—Winsome wondrous woman (feat. Veretski Pass) (words adapted from: Melech Chmelnitsky; music: Tsvey Brider) 3:27
11. Finf Klafter—Full fathom five (words: William Shakespeare; yiddish: L. Goldberg; music: Tsvey Brider) 3:47
12. Zayn Aleyn—I want to be alone (words: Leyb Naydus; music: Tsvey Brider) 2:39
13. In Der FremdIn a strange midst (words: Leyb Naydus; music: Tsvey Brider) 4:52
14. Shikago—Chicago (feat. Joshua Horowitz) (words: Ben Sholom; music: Joshua Horowitz) 2:40
15. Kindershpil—Child's play (feat. Kurt Bjorling) (words: Avrom Reyzen; music: Tsvey Brider) 3:34

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