This page features reviews of a bunch of compilation albums that don't quite fit into the other categories of world music that are reviewed on Slipcue.Com. As my interest in some of these styles broadens, I may expand some of these reviews into larger sections of their own, but for now, this seems like a nice spot to tuck them all together.
Various Artists "THE BRIDE'S JOYS AND SORROWS: SONGS AND BALLADS OF THE MOROCCAN JEWS" (Global Village Records, 1994)
These ancient tunes, sung a capella by the woman of Tetuan, Morocco, are undeniably authentic, yet probably too stark in their rendering to be of interest outside of devoted cultural historians, or the most diehard listeners. It's cool on a folkloric level, but I couldn't listen to it for very long.
Various Artists "CANTORS, KLEZMORIM AND CROONERS: 1905-1953" (JSP Records, 2009)
Various Artists "DOYRES (GENERATIONS): TRADITIONAL KLEZMER RECORDINGS, 1979-1994" (Trikont Records, 1995)
Various Artists "FROM AVENUE A TO THE GREAT WHITE WAY: YIDDISH & AMERICAN POPULAR SONGS FROM 1914-1950" (Columbia Legacy, 2002)
This fine 2-CD set traces the growth of Jewish American popular music from its roots as an Eastern European dance style, through the thriving Yiddish theatre scene, and into its role as one of the pillars of modern American pop. The first CD may be rough going for the Yiddish-impaired; very "ethnic" sounding, and slightly impenetrable, although it does feature rare recordings by many of the genre's biggest stars -- Molly Picon, Abe Moscowitz, and klezmer pioneer Abe Schwartz (see above). Disc Two kicks off with an Irving Berlin song, and proceeds straight into the American mainstream, and an increasingly English-speaking and bilingual mileau. Eddie Cantor, Fannie Brice, Sophie Tucker, Benny Goodman and the Gershwin sibs all get their due, and a parade of great recordings zip by. Some of the skits are hilarious, but as they are chosen for historical relevance as well as artistic content, some listeners (depending on their temperament) may find the content -- particularly the ethnic stereotypes that thrived in the vaudeville and Catskills theatre circuits. Anyone who wants to research this subject, though, will find this collection invaluable. Great liner notes -- both informative and hilarious -- by producer Harry Sapoznik.
Various Artists "IT'S A SCREAM HOW LEVIN DOES THE RHUMBA" (Reboot Stereophonic Records, 2013)
An impressive archival effort, with two CDs worth of vintage tunes tracing the connections, both direct and inferred, between Jewish and Latin dance music... The first disc is dominated by corny comedic novelty numbers, which for me if the spice of life. This includes of old, dated examples of broad, self-effacing ethnic humor, Jewish comedians wisecracking in high, whiny voices, kvetching about this and that, and occasionally making a few comments about how much things cost, etc. Doubtless, some listeners may find these heavily stereotyped skits offensive, but keep in mind these were records made by Jewish artists, whose primary audience was Jewish as well, mainly first- and second-generation immigrants who recognized the tropes, and got the jokes. And even stuff that seems corny or pat can be revealing or even revelatory to a modern-day audience. This strand of the story includes gems like The Barry Sisters singing "Channah From Havanna," Irving Kaufman's "Moe The Schmo Takes A Rhumba Lesson," "My Yiddishe Mambo" by Mickey Katz, and the title track, "It's A Scream How Levine Does The Rhumba." There are also plenty of "oh! they're Jewish, too?" moments -- Eydie Gorme, sure, Carole King -- yeah, of course -- Stan Getz, yeah you betcha. But learning that blues/jazz surrealist Slim Gaillard came from a mixed Afro-Cuban/Jewish family? A few things really start falling into place with that one. Next come a number of tunes flowing in both directions where each side borrows from the other, the best of which are the songs that actually mix Jewish and Afro-Cuban melodies -- which is easier than you'd think given the Andalusian and Arabic overlaps in both group's musical histories. Some of these melodic hybrids are a little kitschy ("Twist Of Hava Nageela," anyone?) but some -- notably Mark Weinstein's "Just Another Guajira" -- are stunning. Less exciting a straight salsa and boogaloo tracks whose including hinges on there being some random Jewish horn player blowing in the background or taking a brief solo. These are balanced out by the presence of genuine Jewish salsa pioneers like Andy and Larry Harlow who were foundational figures in New York's salsa scene. A mixed bag, with a little something for music fans of many persuasions... But who among us can resist such gems as "MamboShevitz (Man, Oh Man)," by the Harlem-based doo-wop group The Crows, or Slim Gaillard's "Meshuganah Mambo"? Not I.
Various Artists "JEWFACE" (Reboot Stereophonic, 2007)
An impressive cultural artifact that collects sixteen Jewish-themed "ethnic" comedy-novelty numbers from the early years of the 20th Century, songs culled from the tail end of the great migration of European Jews into the United States. These were vaudeville numbers that played on ethnic stereotypes of Jewish avarice, timidity and quarrelsomeness, themes that will doubtless be offensive (or at least surprising) to some modern listeners, but which will also be taken by many others in the spirit they were originally intended, as playful self-parody. Unlike the more vicious humor of the "blackface" minstrel shows, where white performers imposed derogatory stereotypes onto African-Americans, these songs were actually written by Jewish artists for Jewish audiences, and were both good-humored, laugh-at-yourself larks and brisk portraits of a poor but upwardly mobile immigrant group that was rapidly assimilating into American society. They also mirrored similar recordings aimed at other audiences -- novelty songs about Irish and Italian immigrants, for example -- ribald, ethnic-themed comedy skits that were one of the early staples of the American recording industry. The dark side has to be acknowledged: these jokes wouldn't have been funny if they didn't reflect genuine antisemitic images that were already in the popular culture, but in much the same way that derisive words like "black" and "chicano" were reclaimed in the 1960s, Jewish artists of an earlier generation wrested away the power these stereotypes had, and made the material their own. Some of it may be rough going for modern listeners, both because of the shrill, exaggerated nasality of the singers and because of the choppy state of some of these antique acoustic recordings. The historical value is immense, though, and a lot of it is simply hilarious -- when faced by a song such as "Pittsburgh, PA," which lists all the other "boigs" one might encounter in America (the Goldboigs, the Steinboigs, etc.) what else can you do but laugh? (By the way, if you enjoy this collection, you might also want to browse the Cylinder Digitization Project an online resource at UC Santa Barbara that makes thousands of old Edison recordings available for download, including numerous novelty numbers of similar vintage... Pretty cool website, and their archive was used to assemble this album...)
Various Artists "KLEZMER MUSIC -- EARLY YIDDISH INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC: 1908-1927" (Arhoolie Records, 1997)
Various Artists "YIKHES: LINEAGE - EARLY KLEZMER RECORDINGS 1911-1939" (Trikont Records, 1996)
Jewish klezmer music, even in its modernized, toned-down form, might not be for everyone... Still, this infectious dance style can be incredibly captivating, filled with dazzling clarinet solos and inventively bouncy melodies. For anyone who's already a fan of the style, these two CDs are a must. They come from UC Berkeley professor Martin Schwartz's vast collection of rare 78s, and each volume features some of the most stunning early Jewish music set on wax at the start of the 20th Century. These CDs are also an invaluable historical resource, since many of these recordings are unique, and no other original copies exist other than the ones that went into the creation of these collections... For an ecstatic and authoritative look at the major pioneers of the style, this is where to look.
Various Artists "MUSIC FROM THE YIDDISH RADIO PROJECT" (Shanachie Records, 2002)
Music literally salvaged from the scrap-heap of history... This disc collects some of the highlights of an NPR radio series that looked back at the golden age of Yiddish-language radio broadcasts, when Jewish-American immigrants from Eastern European still had a sizeable ethnic enclave, complete with newspapers, magazines, theatre and radio programs that kept the language of "the old country" alive. Some of these artists flirted with fame outside the boundaries of the enclave, but mostly they were celebrities within this cultural bubble. A fascinating look back at one of America's most vibrant immigrant cultures.
Various Artists "PUTUMAYO PRESENTS: A JEWISH ODYSSEY" (Putumayo, 2000)
Europe, Asia and the Americas provide the material for this straightforward, 11-song overview. As might be expected from the Putumayo label, this disc is, generally speaking, a bit softer and less challenging (or, "more accessible," if you prefer...) than your average klez-fest. And that's fine, really: this stuff isn't the easiest music to get into, so a selection like this might be an ideal entry point. Ofra Haza, The Klezmatics, Chava Alberstein and the Klezmer Conservatory Band are among the better-known artists on here... Some of the tunes may be a little bland, but it's a good introduction.
Various Artists "REVE ET PASSION: THE SOUL OF KLEZMER" (Network Medien, 1995)
Various Artists "SHTEYGERS (WAY): NEW KLEZMER MUSIC, 1991-1994" (Trikont Records, 1995)
Various Artists "TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE HANUKKAH" (Reboot Records, 2012)
Nobody loves Christmas more than American Jews! From the Idelsohn Society, the same folks who brought us pop cross-culture explorations such as JEW FACE and IT'S A SCREAM HOW LEVIN DOES THE RHUMBA comes this archival set of winter holiday fun, spotlighting the collision of Jewish and Christian festivals of light, with tracks from the famous and obscure alike... The big-name artist include folks such as Theodore Bikel, Eddie Cantor, Bob Dylan, Woodie Guthrie, Mickey Katz and Mel Torme... Also some more modern-day rocker types such as Lou Reed, Luther Dickenson, and The Ramones. Ho, ho ho!
Various Artists "YIDDISH - NEW YORK, PARIS, VARSOVIE: 1910-1940" (Fremeaux & Associes, 1995)
