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July 9, 2004/Tamuz 20 5764, Vol. 56, No.42
New CDs reflect diversity of Jewish musical experience
JENNIFER GOLDBERG
Staff Writer
Just like the woman who has a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear, it's easy to get bored listening to the same old music.
Fortunately, there is never a shortage of new recordings of Jewish music and recordings by Jewish artists. From the villages of Uganda to New York City, the shtetls of Eastern Europe and the heart of Jersualem, here are some Jewish recordings to inject new life into an old music collection.
First up is "Voices for Israel," a two-disc set of 35 contemporary Jewish songs. The songs, which are performed in Hebrew and English, are performed by some of the most well-known Israeli and Jewish musical acts, including Blue Fringe, Shlomo Simcha, Lenny Solomon and Shlock Rock and more.
The first song on disc one, "Chazak Amenu: We Stand as One," is a standout, a sort of Jewish "We Are the World," in which all the featured artists participate. Also notable is "Shir Lismoach, (Malki's Song)," written by 15-year-old Malki Roth just months before she was killed in the Jerusalem Sbarro restaurant terrorist bombing. Many of the songs have a light rock/easy listening feel, and will appeal mostly to the over-30 crowd.
The "Voices for Israel" project is a grass-roots, nonprofit organization, and profits from the CD will be donated to those assisting Israelis who have experienced a terror attack. Visit www.voicesforisrael.org.
"When the Rabbi Danced: Songs of Jewish Life from the Shtetl to the Resistance," by Counterpoint, a choral and instrumental group, is a moving collection of traditional Yiddish and Hebrew songs from Eastern Europe in three times or places: the shtetls, or villages, Terezin concentration camp and the resistance period, when Yiddish songs and stories functioned as cultural expression in a time of great oppression.
The collection reflects the variety of experiences in mid-century Eastern Europe, from "Rozhinkes Mit Mandlen (Raisins and Almonds)," the story of a young widowed mother singing to her baby, "Sha Shtil (Sh! Be Still)," a rousing song about a dancing rabbi and "Nit Ayer Mazl (It's Not Your Fate)," a tale of woe about life in the ghetto.
The songs are beautifully sung and orchestrated, and a mood of melancholy pervades most of the songs, as befits the era from which they originated. "When the Rabbi Danced" is a somber but worthwhile addition to any music collection. Visit www.albanyrecords.com.
Next is a fascinating recording by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, "Abayudaya: Music from the Jewish People of Uganda." The Abayudaya are a community of approximately 600 practicing Jews living in villages in Eastern Uganda, whose ancestors converted to Judaism in 1919. Their musical style is derived from a unique combination of influences, from Zulu radio, Bantu folk music and Jewish tradition.
Songs from all aspects of Abayudaya life are represented on the CD.
Psalms are sung primarily in Luganda, the native language. "Adon Olam (Master of the World)" is a traditional Jewish song that is made new with a melody composed by Gershom Sizomu, one of the Abayudaya. Especially charming are the tracks sung by the community's children, including "Mi Khamokhah (Who is Like You, O God?)" sung by children in the Hadassah Nursery School, and "Twagala Torah (We Love the Torah). The traditional Shabbat blessing, sung in Hebrew, is a gentle and beautiful reminder that the Jews are one people, no matter where they live. Visit www.folkways.si.edu.
Finally, for seekers of great secular music, there is the new CD of Broadway hits by Janis Siegel, "Sketches of Broadway." Siegel made a name for herself in the 1970s as a member of The Manhattan Transfer, a popular pop band, and is the winner of multiple Grammy awards.
Siegel takes a jazzy, cabaret-style approach to a unique playlist, such as "Show Me" from "My Fair Lady," "My Best Beau" from "Mame," "Born Too Late" from "The Littlest Revue," and "I've Got the Sun in the Morning (and the Moon at Night)" from "Annie Get Your Gun."
Siegel's voice is soothing and engaging, and the CD is enjoyable for its selection of songs from some mid-century musical favorites. "Sketches of Broadway" is available on www.amazon.com.
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