run deeper than that format allows.
effort, Drama Queen. Again, she's out-
It's illuminating to listen to
side looking in, observing the behavior
Edelman's music knowing that it is
of others and how their worlds turn.
influenced by her Jewish upbringing.
(Unlike Janis Ian, Edelman keeps her
"I think Judaism manifests itself in
distance and doesn't get personal.) The
my music," Edelman explains. "My
characters are facing bleak circum-
whole approach to lyric writing is
stances, but exhibit a grace and quiet
informed by the way I was brought
tenacity born of keeping the faith.
up, which is with the feeling of being
The opening song, "Good Day,
a Jew. When I think of what it feels
There It Goes," signals that dichoto-
like to be a Jew, it's with a little bit of
my: "It's a good life, it's a bad life,
sadness in every ounce of happiness.
heaven knows," Edelman pines. In
It's never fully light.
"Load of Blues," she declares, she's
"Jews are not reckless in their happi-
••• gonna find good news in a load
ness. There's always a sense that the
of blues."
other shoe could drop, so pay a little
What keeps these songs as buoyant
respect to the left hand of God, or the
as they are blue is Edelman's secret
darker side of life." She adds that
weapon: a wonderful backing band.
there's a bit of redemption in every sit-
The group is built around the
uation. Her songs "don't leave things
dynamic, often downright cheerful
without the possibility of a little bit of
mandolin picking of Matt Flinner
sweetness."
(who also is Edelman's husband), the
Each of her albums includes songs
atmospheric cello of Ron de la Vega,
with Jewish reference points, some not
the unbridled fiddle playing of Casey
always obvious even to her.
Driessen and Stuart Duncan, with
The reggae-inflected title song of her
Edelman on guitar.
debut album, Perfect World, references
The secret is revealed, or becomes
the concept of loshon hora, the evil
more obvious, on the instrumental
tongue, among other things, and
track "Preacher and Flo," and boils
includes the haunting lyrics: "Silent as
over into the next song, a passionate
a prayer and deadly with a word, I
vocal and instrumental workout called
ache like hell this morning, but at
"The Lies Are True."
least nobody heard. ... In the end I'm
Edelman suspects that her songs are
left with only one way to explain, how
really prayers. "Maybe writing, in a
the world still keeps turning with the
way, is my ritual; my way of focusing
weight of so much pain. ... The cra-
inward like someone who prays might,
dle's rocking to the rhythm of the cries
and expressing what it feels like to be
of a perfect world."
a Jew," she says.
In other words, God's perfect world
In the end, she adds, "I'm affirming
includes good and bad, peace and
life in song." If so, they are affirma-
pain. It is a striking song made even
tions worthy of any ear. You can find
more so by Edelman's plaintive
out more about her at www.compass-
singing.
records.com .
Her follow-up
album, Only Sun,
includes the song
Jerusalem to Jackson,"
and bristles with taut
lyrics that suck in the
listener: "Joe was a pil-
grim from Mississippi,
he lost his grip on a
bus in the holy city.
Just south of sane, just
east of alone, Jerusalem
to Jackson, Joe is going
home."
In concert, she
introduces the song
saying, "This is the
closest thing to gospel
music a Jew from New
York City is ever going
to write." The song's
drama is irresistible.
Which brings us to
Edelman's most recent Judith Edelman: A irming life in song.

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