The "Klezmer" Top 10, Dec. 1997

[Ari Davidow <ari...>]

The bands with really popular new CDs seems to be getting 
disproportionately more hits on my Klezmer "top ten" list, 
so I thought I'd pass the results on to readers here. It
is also notable that two favorites have been on the list
almost since it's inception: Josh Waltezky's soundtrack 
to "Partisans of Vilna," and the Rita Ottens/Joel Rubin
compilation, of older klezmer recording, "Yikhes." Both
are highly recommended. I have no explanation as to why
earlier albums by groups such as Brave Old World or the
Klezmatics are back on the list, except perhaps because
people have heard the current albums and are excited and
want to find out more about previous recordings. I'd love
to get feedback from people with stores as to whether this
list reflects what their customers are buying. Here, then, 
is the list (an asterisk, *, indicates a new release):

1. *New Orleans Klezmer Allstars / The Big Kibosh
   A masterful fusion of speed klez, klezmer and funk.

2. *Naftule's Dream / In Search of the Golden Dreydl
   Klezmer-influenced jazz with wonderful horns

3. Josh Waletzky / Partisans of Vilna
   Masterful yiddish songs, soundtrack to a wonderful movie

4. Itzhak Perlman / In the Fiddler's House 
   Classical violin genius meets four of the best klezmer bands

5. Brave Old World / Klezmer Music
   The first album by a band re-exploring Jewish music and identity

6. New Orleans Klezmer Allstars / (eponymous)
   The first release by this band. Very exciting

7. Alicia Svigals / Fidl
   A wonderful, quiet rediscovery of klezmer violin by the best

8. *Kabalas / Eye of Zohar
   An off-the-wall fusion of fun, klezmer, and polka

9. Yikhes: Klezmer Recordings from 1907 - 1939
   One of the best collections of early klezmer recordings

10. Klezmatics / Jews with Horns
   This is the album that that opened up the door. 

Oh, yeah, you can visit the Top Ten lists page at
   http://www.well.com/user/ari/klez/klezlist.html

DISCLAIMER: The Klezmer Shack "People's Top Ten" reflects
hits on album reviews. It is not scientific. It can't even
reflect popularity of albums not reviewed. You can add
your comments and suggestions for albums that haven't been
reviewed, and observations of what is popular by you to the 
new "comments" section on the page.

ari


Ari Davidow
The klezmer shack: http://www.well.com/user/ari/klez/
owner: jewish-music mailing list
e-mail: ari (at) ivritype(dot)com