New Jewish music builds on tradition
by Seth Rogovoy

(WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., Nov. 28, 1999) -- There is a veritable explosion of creativity in new Jewish music. Much of it is based in klezmer, while some of it is rooted in other Jewish musical traditions. What the best efforts all have in common, however, is a respectful devotion to the source material - even while they're twisting and turning it into nearly unrecognizable forms and dimensions.

"Knitting on the Roof" (Knitting Factory) is an obvious example of building on tradition while rendering it anew, kicking off as it does with a neo-klezmer version of the song "Tradition" by the New Orleans Klezmer Allstars. The CD features a dozen other contemporary versions of songs by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick from the Broadway musical and film, "Fiddler on the Roof," filtered through the contemporary sensibility of several cutting-edge visionaries from downtown's Jewish music scene and a few artists not typically associated with new Jewish music. Pop star Jill Sobule turns in a straightforward reading of "Sunrise, Sunset," but the most innovative cuts include Negativland's hip-hop fueled, sample-crazed reading of "Tevye's Dream," the Residents' electronic rendition of "Matchmaker" and Come's post-modern take on "Do You Love Me?"

Another striking fusion of old and new is Zohar's "Keter" (Knitting Factory), a blend of Sephardic cantorial music, jazzy keyboards, world-beat rhythms and electronic textures. The musicians on this hypnotic, Kabala-fueled effort include Moroccan cantor Aaron Bensoussan, avant-garde pianist Uri Caine and DJ Olive. What with the revival of interest in Afro-Cuban music on the heels of the success of the Buena Vista Social Club CD and film, trumpeter Steven Bernstein's "Diaspora Soul" (Tzadik) is a well-timed and beautifully-executed fusion of traditional Jewish melodies filtered through a Gulf Coast jazz sensibility. Among the tunes given a Miami twist are Chanukah songs including "Rock of Ages" and "Ani Mamin."

This past year saw the debut release by the Klezical Tradition. "Family Portrait" (TKT) by this New England klezmer quartet is a concept album taking listeners on a journey from Old World to New World through music, song and narrative. The warm, familiar effort is infused with a deep appreciation of yiddishkayt, or Yiddish culture, as well as authentic virtuosity -- singer Fraidy Katz in particular sounds like she just walked off the stage of a Second Avenue theater.

Contemporary klezmer bands are taking the music of the Eastern European shtetl into surprising new directions. The Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band's "Tsirkus" (Traditional Crossroads), the Canadian group's fourth recording, is the best of its career, a fully-realized fusion of mastermind David Buchbinder's klez-jazz leanings. The title track is a whirlwind of Yiddish music, Beatlesque psychedelia and Steely Dan-like pop-soul, and the album continues in that vein, allowing the group's soloists to stretch out and make compelling, original musical statements that nevertheless address traditional elements.

Likewise, the New Orleans Klezmer Allstars continue to bend tradition on their latest CD, "Fresh Out the Past" (Shanachie). In the tradition of its hometown, the group draws on a broad, deep palette of jazz, world music and contemporary electronics for its original, lively klezmer fusion, and on "Fresh Out the Past" the band cooks up a groove to delight acid-jazzers and Phish-heads alike.

Brave Old World's "Blood Oranges" has been circulating for several years as an import-only album, but this past summer it was finally made available in the U.S. on the Red House label. It's worth stirring up interest in "Blood Oranges" once again, as in its use of recombinant elements -- the manner in which it rearranges traditional material, mixing it with new forms and combining them in innovative ways -- it is the "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" of the klezmer renaissance and its supreme achievement thus far.

Matt Darriau's new Balkan quartet Paradox Trio has often been lumped in with progressive klezmer bands owing to Darriau's membership in the Klezmatics. With "Source" (Knitting Factory), Darriau addresses the relationship between the Balkan and Yiddish traditions directly, revisiting the Balkan/klezmer crossover repertoire. With the help of Klezmatics vocalist Lorin Sklamberg, Paradox breathes new life into jazzy, electric versions of standards by klezmer great Naftule Brandwein.

On Hasidic New Wave's third recording, "Kabalogy" (Knitting Factory), Frank London of the Klezmatics and co-leader Greg Wall cook up a post-Miles Davis, jazz-fusion groove of mostly original tunes inspired equally by Hasidic melody and spirituality and Frank Zappa.

There are several new Chanukah-themed albums appropriate for celebrations of the eight-day holiday that begins tonight, commemorating the victorious struggle for religious freedom. "A Taste of Chanukah" (Rounder) features a varied cast including actor/folksinger Theodore Bikel and Springfield cantor Morton Shames and several vocal and instrumental ensembles, on a selection of instrumental and vocal numbers from the Yiddish, Sephardic and German-Jewish traditions. Arranged and conducted by klezmer revival pioneer Hankus Netsky, the album offers a rich display of Chanukah lore and music appropriate for all generations and musical tastes.

The "Festival of Light 2" (Six Degrees) compilation emphasizes the more ethereal, spiritual side of contemporary Jewish music, but the new-agey stillness is broken up by some contemporary world-beat, a swinging, big-band version of "Oh Chanukah" by the Frank London Big Band, and a new Chanukah novelty by pop group They Might Be Giants, in which they flaunt the obvious rhyme of "Chanukah" and "harmonica."

"Oy Vey! Chanukah!" (Backyard Partners) is the worthy follow-up to Sruli and Lisa's "Oy Vey!" album of a few years ago. As on their first children-oriented album, the duo explores Yiddish tradition and klezmer music through songs, stories and jokes that entertain and educate without stinting on musical values.

"Busy Being Born" (Tzadik) by experimental guitarist/composer Gary Lucas, formerly of Captain Beefheart's band, is a unique effort that should not be overlooked. A kind of avant-garde children's album, it is sure to delight kids and adults alike with its instrumental and vocal versions of traditional hymns, "Fiddler on the Roof" tunes, movie themes, Marx Brothers quotations and folk songs.

With its musical and cultural parodies and lounge-versions of klezmer classics, the Kabalas' third album, "Time Tunnel" (Dionysus), works on dual levels as a novelty that children will love (my kids can't get enough of it) as well as an astute critical look at contemporary Jewish culture in the tradition of Mickey Katz. Call them the They Might Be Giants of Jewish music.

Soprano Ilana Kochinska revisits the deep wellspring of Yiddish folk and theater song on "World of Our Mothers" (Finzi), recorded live in concert. Accompanied by noted Yiddish music authority Zalman Mlotek on piano, Kochinska breathes new life into favorites by great Yiddish composers including Mordecai Gebirtig, Sholom Secunda and Abraham Goldfaden in a program that portrays the lives of Yiddish women through song. "I'm a Little Tailor" (Mitzvah) is a similar effort by folksinger Mark Levy, in this case a collection of picturesque Yiddish work songs, sung a capella or with guitar accompaniment.

Many of these hard-to-find albums can be ordered through local retailers or online at www.jewishmusic.com.

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[This column originally appeared in the Berkshire Eagle on Dec. 3, 1999. Copyright Seth Rogovoy 1999. All rights reserved.]