Review - Greetings From... The Isle Of Klezbos

[R.A.S. <richards...>]

(This review was written on July 4th before the start of shabbos but held
up due to computer failure)


Greetings from... The Isle Of Klezbos


At last it's here - the long and eagerly awaited solo debut album from all
female band, The Isle Of Klezbos! Relased in May on the Rhythm Media label
in the US, "Greetings from The Isle of Klezbos" is finally also available
in the UK, distributed by Stern's Music.

Those who have heard these dynamic ladies either live or on Metropolitan
Klezmer's previous album "Mosaic Persuasion" doubtless expect much from
Isle of Klezbos' solo debut recording. "Greetings from The Isle of Klezbos"
will not disappoint - it's something quite special. It's the eclectic blend
of genres and styles, of traditional klezmer, Middle Eastern, swing,
Balkan,
Mediterranian, that one has practically come to expect from Eve Sicular led
ensembles, with more than generous doses of verve, charm and elegant
sophistication. Isle of Klezbos absolve themselves with great aplomb and
style on their debut album, and with impeccable musicianship and tight
ensemble playing. The arrangements are as elegant and sophisticated as
ever.

Of the fourteen tracks, three were recorded live, and these blend in very
well with the rest of the album. The opener, "Houdini Hora", is a gentle,
lilting processional Hora from the Rumanian tradition. Isle of Klezbos here
treat it sensitively as ever with just the right amount of restraint and
subtlety. It takes you right back to another time, another place. "Goldene
Khasene", a popular favourite, goes straight for your feet with its high
energy. (Help! We badly need some sort of Yiddish dance workshops in the
UK!) "Revery in Hijaz" takes its title from the classical Arabic maqam
(mode)
of that name, which closely corresponds to the Freygish (Phrygian) mode of
klezmer (in liturgical music also referred to as Ahava Raba, after the
prayer opening with those words with which it is associated). "Revery..."
is a Terkisher dance, based on a theme within a tune recorded by tsimblist
(cymbalom player) Joseph Moskowitz in 1916. Dreamy and reflective as its
title suggests, Pam Fleming stands out with her muted trumpet through its
incredibly delicate subtlety on this track. "Klezbos Kolomeyke", another
dance tune, starts off sedately, getting ever livelier and quite
irresistable
to the feet. A Doina or Doyna, originally a Rumanian shepherd's lament that
developed into a rhapsodic improvisatory form that from about the late
19th century (C.E.) started to replace the Arabic/Turkish improvisatory
form of the taqsim or taksim in klezmer, "Rachelle's Doyna Indigo" leads
into the next track, "Klezmerengue". Klezmer with a Hispanic Caribbean
touch (the Merengue is a popular dance form originally from the Dominican
Republic widespread throughout the Caribbean), "Klezmerengue" is
irresistable
in both its liveliness and charm and is based on the Yiddish theatre song
"Yosl, Yosl" and its similarity to a merengue party tune, "Carna Brava"
(Wild Crane). "Abrah" is a Debra Kreisberg original inspired by the more
meditative type of klezmer tunes as well as modern acoustic Brazilian
music,
reflecting both sadness and strength, somewhat subdued but with a strong
underlying groove. There is almost something of the "cool" of Bossa about
this charming piece in its easy-going, laid-back style. A classic from the
Yiddish cinema from 1940, "Unter Beymer" is a lullaby, rendered sensitively
by Deborah Karpel. An Eve Sicular original, "East Hapsburg Waltz" starts
out with an Old World, eastern Austro-Hungary feel, melancholy rather than
Viennese-exhuberant, and goes on to explore anxiety, menace, humour, even
the unexpected, with a hint of Beethoven here and a touch of "The
Godfather"
there. A sophisticated blend, this piece could be sub-titled "A musical
exploration of the classic Austro-Hungarian neurosis" - Freud himself
might have been delighted. Szol a Kakas Mar comes from the Hungarian folk
tradition as well as the Hassidic tradition and is the first of the three
live tracks. A gorgeous extended rhapsodic opening leads into an ever
livelier dance, and this leads on to another live track, "Revery Reprise",
the debut performance of "Revery" of track three of this album. I find it
impossible to choose one version over the other, each possesses its own
particular charm. "Father's Cadenzas" is essentially two improvised solo
rubato preludes, one on trumpet the other on clarinet, anticipating in
their
chord structure the nigun, "My Father's Nigun", that follows. The closer,
which is also the final live track, is a superb medley opening with an
accordion "Doyna" by Rachelle Garniez. This leads seamlessly into "An Alter
Nigun" which in turn leads into Yiddish theatre star Molly Picon's
signature song, "Abi Gezunt", in a supremely laid-back and sophisticated
example of "Yiddish Swing", greatly enhanced by the wonderful live
atmosphere
here.

The informative liner notes by Eve Sicular include the lyrics for songs in
Yiddish, romanised Yiddish, as well as English translation, also by Eve
Sicular.

"Greetings from The Isle of Klezbos" is as fine a debut album as any band
could wish for. You're bound to enjoy this musical vacation on The Isle.
Bask
in this glorious heat and sunshine, enjoy the cool refreshing breeze... Me,
I'm going for an extension!


Richard
"Renaissance Man"

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