Re: essential klezmer cds

[Eric Myrvaagnes <myrvaagnes...>]

To Ari's list I would add a few that showcase individual instruments: 
Definitely Alicia Svigals' "Fidl", Adrianne Greenbaum's "Fleytmusik". 
Margot Leverett's "The Art of Klezmer Clarinet", Elaine and Susan Hoffman 
Watts' "I Remember Klezmer" (which includes a 1968 Xylophone track by 
Elaine's tate, Jacob Hoffman), and two Budowitz CDs, "Mother Tongue" and 
"Wedding Without a Bride".

Eric

At 03:26 PM 1/20/2004, you wrote:

>>If you were to recommend 10 CDs to a budding klezmerologist that 
>>accurately represent the best of the various strains over the past 25 
>>years--traditional, modern, and so on--which 10 would you choose?
>
>...
>
>>Mine includes Izhak Perlman, Shirim's "Klezmer Nutcracker,"....
>
>
>As much as I love the Klezmer Nutcracker, I think of it more as a 
>curiosity (albeit wonderfully done and performed) that distracts attention 
>from the first two Shirim CDs, which are very different, and each quite 
>essential. The second CD, "Naftule's Dream" (later chosen by the band as 
>the name for their avant garde, post-klezmer band-name) was one of the 
>original "essential" klezmer CDs with which the KlezmerShack was begun - 
>in support of an article for the Whole Earth Review which needed the 
>obligatory (in 1995) "support webpage".
>
>The other five CDs that seemed to represent the diversity of that time 
>still stand up as worth listening to (or better), although the world 
>continues to expand:
>
>Brave Old World / Beyond the Pale (but, as with the Klezmatics, below, I'd 
>have no trouble suggesting the new album, "Bless the Fire")
>Kapelye / On the Air (the precursor to Henry's wonderful Yiddish Radio 
>Project - this, too, shouldn't be forgotten)
>Klezmatics / Jews with Horns (today I would happily suggest the latest: 
>"Rise Up!")
>Klezmer Conservatory Band / Yiddish Renaissance (which I think =has= been 
>overshadowed, especially by albums in the last five years, but is still 
>wonderful)
>Andy Statman-David Grisman / Songs of our Fathers (never my personal 
>favorite, but an album that people continue to mention to me)
>
>ari
>


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