klezmer by Los Angeles Guitar Quartet

[Seth Rogovoy <rogovoy...>]

I was about to toss into the discard pile a new promo CD I got by the Los
Angeles Guitar Quartet ("L.A.G.Q." on Sony Classical) when I glimpsed on the
program notes a 3-track medley called "Klezmer Dances." This is on a CD that
includes all kinds of "world-beat" music: African, Spanish, Brazilian,
Balkan, French, reggae, Chilean, Japanese, etc.

The quartet is joined by clarinetist Leo Chelyapov on the cuts (the liner
notes say he's a Russian born klezmer scholar who has toured with Perry
Farrell's rock band Porno for Pyros). The introduction has a kind of
Middle-Eastern, flamenco flavor, followed by a very heartfelt doina by
Chelyapov, and then the medley concludes with some trad-flavored freilachs.

I don't know that anyone but the diehard klezmer completists would want to
rush out and buy the CD just for the medley. I think it's noteworthy,
however, that a group such as LAGQ, which apparently boasts a versatile
world-beat repertoire and records for a major classical label (the same
label that has released the new Andy Statman CD and the soundtrack to the
Governess which we have been discussing here as of late), has seen fit to
include klezmer in that repertoire.

More indication of klezmer's growing appeal and popularity?