Arts & Entertainment
NEWYEAR'S EVE
PARTY
at
Sound Sensations
7ttlet
The best Jewish CDs of 2006.
RESTAURANT
George Robinson
Special to the Jewish News
(9pm- I am)
A
Entertainment, Six Course Meals,
Champagne, Midnight Breaciast Buffet
Party Favors
$90 per person
Regular Menu offered 5pm-9pm
For Holiday and NewYear's Eve Parties
Call for Reservations
248-592-1500
5586 Drake Rd. • West Bloomfield
—
1
Non-Smoicing Eztablishment
Underwritten by the Daimler Chrysler Foundation
From a performer's standpoint it would be hard to imagine a quartet piece more
physically demanding than this one, which is nearly 80 minutes long, meant to be
played very slowly and features some truly mind-blowing shifts in dynamics.
Feldman was one of the most creative and rigorous of Webern-influenced seri-
alists, and his,work rewards — no, demands — close attention. If you can give
yourself over to this piece of music completely, you will be richly rewarded, but it
is almost as tough a test for a listener as it is for a performer. This recording, by the
Group for Contemporary Music, is masterful.
,oisHEN4.„
't•C
d a
The Klezmatics: Wonder Wheel (JMG).
Is c4iive cAika tee!(
cA4c4
ecic
German Goldenshteyn:
A Living Tradition (Living Traditions).
This is not merely a very fine album of traditional klezmer. It is also a historical
document of 20th-century Jewish culture of incalculable value.
German Goldenshteyn, who died earlier this year at 71,
was a bridge between the Jewish musicians of pre- and
post-revolutionary Russia and the young musicians of the
American klezmer renaissance. He was a walking encyclo-
pedia of klezmer tunes, carrying in his head more than 800
songs, almost none of them known here.
Fortunately, he imparted them to those younger musi-
cians, and they are being published posthumously. And
equally fortunate, he was recorded last December at KlezKamp so that we have an
auditory record of his playing to go along with the notated one.
Goldenshteyn was a superb clarinetist with a bedrock sense of time and a deep,
throaty tone. The band that backs him is excellent, and the sound is remarkably
good, given that this session was rather off-the-cuff. This is a must for anyone who
cares seriously about klezmer.
Available from www.livingtraditions.org .
Group for Contemporary Music: Morton Feldman: String
Quartet (1979) (Naxos).
C6
(C4 C
11 in all, 2006 was a very good year for Jewish music. Here, in alphabeti-
cal order, are my top Jewish records of the year. All received my five-star
rating.
This CD continues the Klezmatics' collaborations with the Woody Guthrie Archives,
which is looking like a very fruitful pairing indeed. Drawing a wide range of
moods and tones from the archives collection of previously unset lyrics, the band
gets to show off its considerable range, from a funky faux-Latin "Mermaid Avenue"
and the lovely calypso-ish lullaby "Headdy Down" to a klezmer "Goin' Away to Sea."
One of the surprises of the set is how profoundly spiritual some of the Guthrie
lyrics are; one expects the good-natured progressivism of something like "Come
When I Call You" and "Heaven,Thut the deeply felt religious feeling of "Holy
Ground" is unexpected and moving.
doe
Pecember 5, .006-7Aeiclei 6, .40OI
-
Pircaca by riwi< A. Lit
--
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris transforms Brel's
poignant passionate and profound songs into a vivid theatrical experience
that has delighted audiences for nearly four decades. From life and love to
war and peace, this show celebrates Brel's timeless relevance and enduring
passions. Translated from the French by American poet Eric Blau and
lyricist Mort Shuman, the show is a diverse blend of ballads, tangos,
boleros, rock, and classics.
New Year's Eve Gala celebration. 9 p.m. performance
followed by dancing, food, and live music.
GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY! 248.788.2900
42
December 28 2006
1191•160
David Krakauer and Socalled w/Klezmer Madness!:
Bubbemeises: Lies My Gramma Told Me (Label Bleu).
This is by far the most interesting synthesis of hip-hop and klezmer attempted
to date. It helps that Krakauer and Socalled are on the same page, that Socalled's
beats give a deliciously herky-jerky underpinning to Krakauer's natural affinity for
eccentric rhythms and that the band is one of the best in
this music.
000
If you come for Krakauer's clarinet playing, you won't be
KRAKAUER
disappointed; he's in fine form here. For the most part, the
hip-hop elements won't put off the true believer, although
LIES MY GRAMMA
the bizarre, dirge-like "Rumania, Rumania" may prove hard
TOLD ME
for some to swallow.