Frank London is the trumpeter for NYC's Klezmatics, a group that has successfully updated and expanded the repertoire of Jewish-American "Klezmer" music without ever losing the original spirit of the form. He has assembled a cadre of kindred spirits, such as guitarists Elliot Sharp and Marc Ribot along with members of the Klezmatics, around this soundtrack project. Even without the moving images, The Shvitz provides us a vivid picture of what's up with Jewish culture in the lower east side today.

 Jewish music provides the base for the material, but the approach is mighty different from track to track. Within the first three minutes we're propelled from a gorgeous clarinet solo(To the Shvitz), to a vicious guitar assault(Freaky Guitar Freylehks) and then a Yiddish rap(How To Sweat). There are several examples of more traditional material (Emma Goldman's Wedding, Kolomeyke) that are as good as you're ever going to hear. However, I'm more jazzed by the guitar-driven, outside noise workouts (Take One, Psycho Klezmer, Die Neier Freylehks) that loving quote ancient melodies while ripping them to little pieces. I've never been a fan of Elliot Sharp's work, but his violent gutting of pioneer klezmer clarinetists' Naftule Brandwine's themes bear particular attention. Also of note is the disturbing V'erastikh Li (The Betrothal), and the languid Vus Vet Vayn (What Will It Be Like When The Moshiach Comes?). Personally I could have done without the rap attempts, if only because the beats are so weak. Maybe it had some context in the film to which this is, after all, a soundtrack.

 I'm not sure how well this disc would go down on the average listener; some prior exposure to Jewish music is required to fully appreciate what London and his gang is up to, and this surely shouldn't be considered an introduction to klezmer. But to folks like me, this is an great example of how to embrace one's culture traditions while simultaneously challenging and expanding its boundaries. Hasn't left the CD player yet.

Mark Rubin
10/11/96