Search - Marty Ehrlich :: Sojourn

Moving elegy to Mr Ehrlich's cultural heritage

Ian Muldoon | Coffs Harbour, NSW Australia | 04/23/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Dedicated to Mr Ira Ehrlich who passed on in 1999, the father of leader, composer, and musician Mr Marty Ehrlich, this music is chamber music in the tradition, infused with a great contemporary musical intelligence and deep feeling. What tradition? The tradition of Western classical music,the tradition of Klezmer music, the tradition of Afro-American improvised music, including the blues. The quite beautiful unaccompanied solo voice of clarinet on THE MODZITZER NIGUN hints most strongly at Klezmer music, but there are echoes even in the bass solos say on ELIAHU: 2nd VARIATION. The title track probably stands as an exemplar of the music as a whole - plangent, plaintive and the harmony of the cello and clarinet a typically quite moving moment. But it is hard to discern where compositions leave off and improvisations begin. There is the gentle cry of the soprano on BLIND WILLIE McTELL which seems so perfect an instrument for that composition; but there is also the joy of THE GIT GO where Mr Ehrlich's clarinet soars and swings with such power and with at times a sound or tone to rival Mr Artie Shaw. A well recorded album which does justice to the excellent music therein."