Far away from the avant-garde, yet very modern in its approach, two musical masters play full of pleasure, enjoying each other's skills, technical possibilities, and improvisational brilliance. They dance, they sing, they waltz around each other, interlocking notes, phrases, rhythmical complexities, playing jazz mixed with klezmer, but there is something of Mozart as well, and all this with music that is accessible, that sounds simple, yet that is in reality full of ear-candy, sophistication, expressivity, technical inventiveness. The masters are Burton Greene on piano, and Perry Robinson on clarinet. The music is lyrical, fresh, creative, ... everything you would need in the desert to get through it, after water this would be the next best thing. One great aspect of their music is that they keep far away from the usual Radical Jewish Culture series' increasingly boring repetition of using klezmer scales and rhythms for yet another style mix exercise. No, this is real music. No gimmicks. Really beautiful stuff.© stef
6 comments:
Nice review, Stef. I really wish you'd review Tzadik releases more. Despite what you say, I think they have a lot to offer. I agree that not everything they release is good, though. Speaking of which, you should get "O'o" which is the continuation of "Dreamers" which you liked if I remember it well. But I got to say I like it much more, very nice record, if a bit on the "light" side. But that's not a bad thing, is it? ;-)
Wow fantastic blog! Congrats!
Do you have posted something of Carling Family or the impressive Camile O'Sulivan?!
I'm trying to find some material but it's very hard to find a single music of them.
Thanks Skald - O'o is on the review pile: coming soon!
Reinaque - I don't know the names you mention. I will check them out.
thanks
stef
You might also enjoy Rashanim's new album: "Gathering". Good stuff.
I forgot to add that they've posted 5 full tracks on their myspace site:
http://www.myspace.com/rashanim
It's the first 5 tracks. It has a certain "western" tinge, doesn't it?
I suspect Reinaque's request (the Carling family/ Camile O'Sulivan reference) is what we call 'pulling your leg' in English. But then again, maybe he's serious - check them out at you're own peril!!
All the best - J
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