Chicago Klezmer Ensemble

[Ari Davidow <jmusic...>]

At someone's recommendation I called Kurt Bjoorling in Chicago
a few weeks ago and ordered a cassette of his group, the Chicago
Klezmer Ensemble. It finally arrived today.

I've only listened to it a few times this evening, but it sure sounds
good. This is relatively pure klez. Great clarinet. Transcendent
violin. What a pleasure.

The cassette was $10 (+$1 postage unless ordering two or more).
You can reach the Chicago Klezmer Ensemble at:

201 Elmwood Ave
Evanson, IL 60202

The music is entirely instrumental. This is bedrock, swinging
Eastern European klez. Well, Eastern European. The violin could
just as easily be gypsy. In fact, the cassette came with a testimonial
from Zev Feldman which comments that the rhythmic feel on some songs
is more Moldavian than Jewish. Not sure what that means, but I am
really enjoying the tape. Feldman also says, "This tape is at once
the most authentic and the most exciting Jewish instrumental music in
this country today." That might be overstating the case, but not
by so much that it matters :-).

ari
jmusic (at) israel(dot)nysernet(dot)org

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