Related info:
For more information:
Yiddishe Cup Klezmer Band
17439 Shelburne Rd., Cleveland Hts., OH 44118
216-932-3586
Web: www.yiddishecup.com
E-mail Yiddishe Cup.
Yiddishe Cup Klezmer Band
Klezmerized
YC1001, 1996
17439 Shelburne Rd.,
216-932-3586
E-mail Yiddishe Cup
This is one of the most schizophrenic albums to which I have listened in a long time. When these guys hit an instrumental, say, the Araber Tants, or the opening medley, they are gaily forward non-stop hot smoking fun. Then they interrupt the instrumental madness periodically for campy versions of chestnuts like "Bay mire bistu sheyn" or (so cheesy that I almost forgive its inclusion) "16 tons".
I think that, were the album doing campy instrumentals and campy period vocals, they'd be just plain fun. The world needs more good clean, well-played fun. If they played nothing but instrumental music, chestnuts though these particular selections be, they'd shine. When a band is this good, who cares what they started off playing? The important thing is to dance. But the combination is jarring.
Still, if I were considering this band for a simkha, this CD would be pretty potent proof that this is a band that can play a simkha until everyone is happy and exhausted both, and the band has played everything folks wanted to hear, whatever it was, wherever it came from. Hired!
Reviewed by Ari Davidow 3/9/97
Personnel this recording:
Bert Stratton: clarinet, harmonica
Irwin Weinberger: vocals, guitar, mandolin
Steve Greenman: violin
Walt Mahovlich: accordion
Alan Douglass: accoustic bass, piano, cello, backup vocals
Craig Woodson: drums, percussion
- Di goldene khasene+Der alter tsigayner / The golden wedding+The old gypsy (Abe Ellstein) 3:28
- Bay mir bistu sheyn / By me you look grand (words: Jacob Jacobs / music: Shalom Secunda) 4:22
- Max's Bulgar (Dave Tarras) 4:55
- Tsena, tsena+Am yisrael chai / Come out, come out + The Jewish people live (trad.) 3:00
- Doine (after Naftule Brandwein) 4:35
- Vu bistu geveyzn far prohibition? / Where were you before Prohibition? (Naftule Brandwein) 3:38
- Sirba (trad.) 3:47
- Tumbalalaika / Play balalaika (trad.) 3:47
- Araber Tants (Naftule Brandwein) 3:10
- 16 tons (music: Tennessee Ernie Ford / words: Micky Katz) 3:12
- Szól a kakas már / The rooster is crowing (trad.) 3:31
- Romania, Romania (Aaron Lebedeff) 5:07
