V.A. - The Rough Guide To Klezmer Revolution (2008) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 In a lot of ways, the spread of klezmer has mirrored the Jewish diaspora. It started out in Europe, village music for poor folk, then once in America it took on a new life, fitted out in new clothes and (literally) jazzed up. Then, in the decades since the end of World War II, it's taken on a fresh, much more urban profile back in Europe. Klezmer is global -- the only place it doesn't seem to have a hold of some sort is Israel, perhaps because it's music that goes along with the Yiddish language, not Hebrew. This quick survey of people operating near the musical frontiers of klezmer is illuminating. The Klezmatics, major architects of the klezmer revival, are shown here in a multi-faith gospel context that isn't perhaps the most illustrative, while elsewhere the music moves from near blues ("Friling") to a hip-hop version of a Jewish wedding ("Kaze Bazetsn"), and from the relatively bland (the much-praised Oi Va Voi, who fail to satisfy, or even sound especially klezmer-ish on "Yuri") to the aural richness of Mikveh's "Vos Vet Zayn." At times it goes into overdrive, as on the track by original Klezmatics' member David Krakauer, where the music heads of towards the avant-garde, and the following, wonderful cut by pianist (not an instrument associated with klezmer by any means) Marilyn Lerner lands it squarely on the musical front line -- then she reappears on the next track as a very accomplished accompanist on "Tati und Mami Tanz." There's the venerable (Theodore Bikel) and the unusual, like the mandolin that brings in "Nayer Khusid Tanz," but there's something for every new strand of klezmer -- and even a touch of the more mainstream to finish things off. by Chris Nickson
Tracklist:
1 The Klezmatics – I Ain't Afraid 4:21
Written-By – Holly Near
2 Amsterdam Klezmer Band – Sadagora Hot Dub 5:21
Music By – Gijs Levelt, S. Hantel
Producer, Remix – Shantel
Words By – A. Kopyt
3 Solomon and Socalled Feat. Michael Alpert – Alt.Shul Kale Bazetsn 3:58
Music By – David Krakauer, Sophie Solomon
Music By, Words By – Josh Dolgin, Michael Alpert
4 Daniel Kahn, Psoy Korolenko, Oy Division – Rakhmones Afn Tayvl 5:38
Written-By – Daniel Kahn, Oy Division, Psoy Korolenko
5 Wolf Krakowski – Friling (Springtime) 7:59
Music By – Abraham Brudno
Text By – Shmerke Kaczerginski
6 The Flying Bulgars – Shivering 3:11
Written-By – David Wall
7 Theodore Bikel & Socalled – (Rock The) Belz 5:11
Arranged By – SoCalled
8 Frank London's Klezmer Brass Allstars – In Your Garden Twenty Fecund Fruit Trees 3:51
Arranged By – Frank London
Lyrics By – Marianna Sadowska
Music By – Traditional
9 Oi Va Voi – Yuri 4:32
Written-By – Oi Va Voi
10 Michael Winograd – Nayer Khusid Tanz 3:38
Written-By – Michael Winograd
11 David Krakauer – Moscovitz & Loops Of It 5:09
Traditional
12 Marilyn Lerner – Fun Tashlikh / Throw Your Sins To The Wind 4:33
Arranged By – Marilyn Lerner
Traditional
13 Moguilevsky & Lerner – Tati Und Mami Tanz 2:33
Traditional
14 Polina Shepherd Vocal Experience Feat. Quartet Ashkenazim – A Nigndl 3:02
Music By – Polina Shepherd
Words By – Shike Driz
15 Shtreiml – Uncle Tibor's Spicy Paprikash 1:57
Written-By – Jason Rosenblatt
16 Mikveh – Vos Vet Zayn 4:41
Traditional
Arranged By – Svigals, Sklamberg
17 Margot Leverett & The Klezmer Mountain Boys feat. Michael Alpert – Leibes Tanz 3:35
Traditional
Arranged By – Leverett

V.A. - The Rough Guide to Klezmer Revival (2008) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is an album that does pretty much what it promises, and highlights a number of the main players in the klezmer revival that's now been going on for a quarter of a century. So, along with the Klezmatics, who are committed to a new klezmer sound, there are acts like Budowitz and the Klezmer Conservatory Band, who looks back to more classical 19th century klezmer -- before it crossed the Atlantic and grew wild and jazzy in America. There's plenty of variety, like the mandolin of "Flatbush Waltz," but throughout there's a strong sense of Jewish identity and some superb playing (kudos to many clarinet players). A couple of omissions -- David Krakauer and Kroke -- stand out, and at times the compilation seems to be stretching a bit with major names in the field, although perhaps that's more an indication that it's a very small field. Still, for anyone interested in discovering klezmer, this is a fine place to begin. by Chris Nickson
Tracklist:
1 –German Goldenshtayn : Moldavian Freylakhs    
2 –Chava Alberstein, The Klezmatics : Ovnt Lid    
3 –Joel Rubin Jewish Music Ensemble : Vinnitsa    
4 –Brave Old World : Makh Tsi Di Eygelekh    
5 –Di Naye Kapelye : Schwartz's Sirba/A Briv Fun Yisroel    
6 –Giora Feidman : Dancing With The Rabbi    
7 –Sid Beckerman, Howie Leess : Ot Azoy    
8 –Zmiros Project : Veshomru    
9 –Konsonans Retro : Khasitsky Tanets And Horo    
10 –The Kharkov Klezmer Band : Belkele    
11 –Steven Greenman : Odessa Freylekhs    
12 –Yale Strom, Hot Pstromi : Cafe Jew Zoo    
13 –Veretski Pass : Tatarisher Longa    
14 –Budowitz : Tsu Der Khupe    
15 –Klezmer Conservatory Band : Mayn Ershte Vals    
16 –Andy Statman : Flatbush Waltz    
17 –Frank London's Klezmer Brass Allstars, Kol Isha : T'hay Yeshua Zoys    
18 –Merlin Shepherd Kapelye : Ode To Favouritism And Corruption    

V.A. - The Rough Guide to Klezmer (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The editors at the Rough Guide seem almost uniquely able to glean the best of a particular genre for their compilations -- gathering the classic and the visionary, the famous and the undiscovered gems -- and making every song count. This collection is no exception. From Naftule Brandwein, the clarinet legend in New York in the '20s and '30s who left behind a few dozen 78s for the inspiration of future generations, to the downtown avant-garde mania of Naftule's Dream, who hit their stride seven decades later, the compilation is a swinging pendulum of musical and cultural history. Several tracks show the evolution of klezmer as it progressed through the history of the Jewish diaspora and picked up local elements, whether folk instruments of Eastern Europe or funk-jazz riffs of New York City. Some of the most fascinating facets of the klezmer tradition are shown through performers like Alicia Svigals, with her ethereal melodic lines, and the passionate, exuberant performances of many others, including Budowitz, Brave Old World, and the Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band. by Stacia Proefrock
Tracklist:
1 –The Klezmatics : Fun Tashlikh 5:46
2 –Naftule Brandwein : Fun TashlaCh 3:01
3 –Budowitz : Horowitz's Zogekhts 3:34
4 –Budowitz : Shapiros Korohod 1:54
5 –Sukke : Beygele 2:25
6 –Kroke : The Secrets Of The Life Tree 4:27
7 –Brave Old World : Wailing World 6:43
8 –Harry Kandel's Orchestra : Der Gassen Nigen 3:10
9 –Klezmokum : Der Gasn Nigun 4:24
10 –David Krakauer Trio : Bogota Bulgar 4:03
11 –Alicia Svigals : Romanian Fantasy No.1 3:20
12 –Frank London's Klezmer Brass Allstars : Tsu Der Kretshme 2:21
13 –Naftule Brandwein : Der Heisser (Tartar Tanz) 3:13
14 –The Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band    : Sumkinda Hora 3:49
15 –Di Naye Kapelye : Hangu And Freylachs From Podoly 3:42
16 –Joel Rubin Jewish Music Ensemble : Makonovetski's Gas Nign 4:31
17 –Margot Leverett : Oy Tate S'iz Gut 2:32
18 –Naftule's Dream : Oy Tate 5:35