CD Spins - Reviews - K
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Comp
KAYHAN KALHOR
Scattering Stars Like Dust (Traditional Crossroads)
Iranian Kayhan Kalhor weaves a hypnotic spell on his debut recording. A
virtuoso of the kamancheh, or Persian spiked fiddle, Kalhor draws on Persian
classical and folk traditions on this extended, original suite, which
includes extraordinary technical and emotional feats. Occasionally
accompanied by Pejman Hadadi on tombak, a percussion instrument, Kalhor
improvises with the heart of a prophet and the soul of a jazzman. The effect
is ultimately symphonic and transcendental. Like all releases on this label,
this isn't mere world-music gimmickry, but the real thing.[ 10/18/98 ]
LUCY KAPLANSKY
The Tide (Red House)
Rather than creating a new singer-songwriter in her
own, Grammy-winning image, producer Shawn Colvin lets
Lucy Kaplansky, her former duet partner, be Lucy, and
not another Shawn Colvin clone. Most of the songs here
are culled from some of the very best contemporary
songwriters, including Richard Thompson, Bill
Morrissey, David Massengill, Cliff Eberhardt and Robin
Batteau. The mostly acoustic, country string-band and
Celtic-flavored folk arrangements eschew the slick,
mainstream folk-pop sound epitomized by Colvin, and
Kaplansky's compelling vocals share a pinched twang
with Nanci Griffith. The folk world has waited a long
time for this debut. Folks, it was worth the wait.
PETER KEANE
Walkin' Around (Flying Fish)
Peter Keane takes the tradition of such white,
country-blues classicists as Dave Van Ronk, Eric Von
Schmidt and Spider John Koerner and throws a bit of
contemporary singer/songwriter into the mix. The
result is a rootsy menu of eight originals which blend
seamlessy with covers of tunes by Bob Dylan, Tim
Hardin, Von Schmidt, producer/mentor Bill Morrissey,
and the root of all roots, Mississipi John Hurt.
Morrissey lends his distinctive vocals to the last
track, flavoring this meal of back-porch picking with
some Tabasco-spiced camaraderie.
PETE AND MAURA KENNEDY
River of Fallen Stars (Green Linnet)
This Austin-based duo, formerly of Nanci Griffith's
Blue Moon Orchestra, crosses the finely honed
songwriting of Richard and Linda Thompson with clean,
Byrds-like, jangly folk-rock. Infused with the spirit
of Ireland, where most of these songs were written,
the Kennedys instantly propel themselves into the
forefront of contemporary folk-pop with Maura's
rootsy, Lucinda Williams-like vocals and their nearly
psychedelic brand of roots-rock.
THE KENNEDYS
Life Is Large (Green Linnet)
Pete and Maura Kennedy offer a fresh update on
classic, '60s-style folk-rock. Imagine the Byrds
fronted by Linda Ronstadt on a gleefully melodic
journey aided by the likes of Nils Lofgren, Steve
Earle, Kelly Willis, Peter Holsapple, Eric Ambel, John
Gorka and Mr. Rickenbacker himself, Roger McGuinn, who
are on hand to help out on this effort which will
please those who like their guitars jangly instead of
grungy. The last three tracks, including the Buddy
Holly-meets-Ravi Shankar "Right As Rain" and the late-
Beatles-sound-alike "Blackberry Rain," suggest the
Kennedys are moving in a more experimental,
psychedelic direction.
BARBARA KESSLER
Notion (Eastern Front)
Kessler follows up last year's stellar debut with an even better collection of her original folk-pop tunes.
Producer Jerry Marotta is on hand this time to lend a Mitchell Froom-like touch, catapulting this former Shawn Colvin-soundalike into more experimental, Suzanne Vega- like territory. But Kessler is no clone -- she has a natural gift for melodies and hooks, as well as a lyrical forthrightness that doesn't stint on metaphors.
But her greatest strength may well be her voice, a smooth, expressive instrument that variously coos, aches and growls on these 11 songs. One of the year's best.
BARBARA KESSLER
Stranger To This Land (Eastern Front)
The debut of a major writing and performing talent.
If you can get past the at times uncanny similarity to
Shawn Colvin's vocal and song styles, you'll discover
Kessler's own voice dramatic, direct, and with an eye
for detail unsurpassed in contemporary folk. Best cuts
are the Mary-Chapin Carpenter-ish ``Deep Country,''
``Kathy'' _ yet another one of those whatever-
happened-to-the-friend-I-knew-in-high-school songs
(now married and lives in a condo, of course), and
``Mary Tyler Moore,'' which fits the '70s TV icon as a
superwoman of the '90s (``you were paradox in a
pantsuit'').
JENNIFER KIMBALL
Veering From the Wave (Imaginary Road/Polygram)
Jennifer Kimball played Art Garfunkel to Jonatha Brooke's Paul Simon in The
Story, but with this album Kimball arrives as a fully-blown
singer-songwriter talent in her own right. Whereas Brooke's post-Story
albums haven't clicked in any major way with the growing audience for
intelligent, female folk-pop, ironically this just might be the album Story
fans have been waiting for. Chock full of pop hooks juxtaposed with
intriguing experimental textures, the album details the end of a
relationship without succumbing to morbid self-pity. Worth the price alone
for the sheer beauty of Kimball's vocals.[ 8/30/98 ]
THE KINKS
To the Bone (Guardian/Konk)
Until the day when the sordid legal struggles
surrounding the masterful catalog of songs written and
recorded by Ray Davies and the Kinks are sorted out,
allowing for a complete reissue of their amazingly
deep and influential oeuvre, we will have to be
satisfied with this two-disk collection of live and
"unplugged" tracks recorded recently by the band that
remains perhaps the most underrated of any rock group
in history. Not a greatest-hits compilation --
although favorites including "Lola" and "You Really
Got Me" are included -- rather "To the Bone" showcases
the many facets of Ray Davies, songwriter par
excellence.
THE KLEZMATICS/CHAVA ALBERSTEIN
The Well (Xenophile)
This collaboration teams The Klezmatics, the leading lights of the
neo-Klezmer revival, with Chava Alberstein, who for three decades has been Israel's answer to Joan Baez. Together they draw upon the deep well of 20th-century Yiddish poets for inspiration. Produced by Ben Mink (K.D. Lang), the album sets Alberstein-penned melodies and vocals against the Klezmatics' signature neo-Klezmer, part traditional, part contemporary, all joy, passion and wit. The Klezmatics' own vocalist, Lorin Sklamberg, duets with Alberstein on several numbers. The result is an antidote to Mandy Patinkin's schmaltzy version of Yiddish pop, but more than that, it transcends its roots to create a fresh, authentic style of world-pop music that needs no translation. [ 10/4/98 ]
THE KLEZMER CONSERVATORY BAND
Dancing in the Aisles (Rounder)
The Klezmer Conservatory Band is equally at ease with
vocal-based, Yiddish theater music as it is with more
traditional, instrumental-based klezmer. In either
case, bandleader Hankus Netsky is to be commended for
his dogged efforts at unearthing vintage, Yiddish-
swing arrangements from klezmer's heyday in pre-war
America. But Netsky's gifts as arranger and composer
are what turn this top-flight repertory outfit into
one of the world's greatest contemporary klezmer
bands, making Jewish soul music that is both joyous
and profound. [ 7/27/97 ]
MARK KNOPFLER
Golden Heart (Warner Bros.)
Independence from Dire Straits, one of the world's most popular bands, has allowed Knopfler to veer off into more of the traditional-style material he favored with his side group, Notting Hillbillies. But most of the elements that characterize the best of his group work -- his ear for dramatization, his laconic vocals, his signature guitar -- are here in abundance, and Dire Straits fans who see beyond "Money for Nothing" won't be disappointed by Knopfler's first official solo effort.
SPIDER JOHN KOERNER
StarGeezer (Red House)
Anyone who thinks traditional folk music has to be a
grim affair has never heard Spider John Koerner. On
"StarGeezer," a great introduction to the '60s folk
veteran, Koerner has his unique way with traditional
folk and blues classics like "Danville Girl," "Casey
Jones" and "Stewball," turning them into party music
without violating their integrity. In addition, he
shows himself to be a composer of equal wit and
imagination on a number of originals.
WOLF KRAKOWSKI
Unbounded (Kame'a)
At least two continents and one century's worth of musical traditions swirl
through the mix of Northampton-based singer-songwriter Wolf Krakowski's
latest rootsy collection of original tunes, where spiritual love songs and
political anthems rub up against country novelties, calypsos, rags, blues
and classic rockers. With a backup cast on hand drawing on some of the
Pioneer Valley's finest musicians, including The Lonesome Brothers,
Krakowski -- a deceptively gritty vocalist -- has laid down some of the
rootsiest prayers disguised as party music since The Band's "Music From Big
Pink." (Full disclosure: the album includes liner notes penned by this
reviewer.) [ 9/20/98 ]
DIANA KRALL
All For You (Impulse)
There's no surplus of young, female jazz singers, so
when one comes along who is not only as presentable
and talented as Diana Krall, but who also plays piano
as well as she sings, it's no wonder critics jump
through hoops and start swooning. On this tribute to
the Nat King Cole Trio, Krall nearly lives up to the
hype, both vocally and instrumentally. Within the
constraints of her conservative style she is an
inventive pianist, and her vocal instrument is
versatile and suggestively textured. She's definitely
one to watch.
DAVID KRAKAUER
Klezmer Madness! (Tzadik)
This is not your grandfather's klezmer, but an
exciting new style that retains the forms and essence
of the traditional, Yiddish party music while adding a
host of influences including funk, jazz, rock,
classical and avant-garde, to create a new-world
fusion that is a feast for both mind and heart, as is
all great music. Krakauer, a clarinet virtuoso and a
former member of the Klezmatics, is joined here by
some former bandmates and other denizens of downtown's
Radical Jewish Culture movement, of which this album
is a stellar exemplar.
WOLF KRAKOWSKI
Transmigrations (Kame'a)
On "Transmigrations," Northampton's Wolf Krakowski
has taken a dozen Yiddish folk songs and rearranged
them as contemporary rock, reggae, honky-tonk and R&B
tunes. Himself a survivor of the war that pretty much
totally destroyed the culture of Eastern European
Jewry, Krakowski creates a poignant, compelling new
fusion out of its ashes that needs no translation
(although English translations are provided in the
liner notes). Backed by some of the top musicians in
the Pioneer Valley, the end result -- alternately
soulful, sinuous, suggestive and hypnotic -- sounds
like nothing less than a rootsy, Yiddish version of
"Street Legal"-era Bob Dylan.[ 7/13/97 ]
rogovoy@berkshire.net
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Comp
Copyright © 1996 Seth Rogovoy
Produced bt The BerkshireWeb