Great fun
Allan MacInnis | Vancouver | 02/26/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"With apologies to David Krakauer, of the more klezmery klezmer on Tzadik, these guys take the dreydl any day. They're VERY smart, playful, skilled musicians having a LOT of fun, it sounds like, working with klezmer structures. It's apparently their best album, too. For people interested in more ADVENTUROUS interpretations of Jewish traditional music, I'd point you towards Masada or the New Klezmer Trio; for fans of klezmer -- I really don't think you'll be disappointed by disc. One of the most fun Tzadik releases in the Radical Jewish Culture series(after that Burt Bacharach tribute)."
A masterpiece
bimwa | Australia | 03/10/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If it's klezmer (Jewish wedding/dance music) you're after, you can't go past this, the first cd by Naftule's Dream. In fact, even if you're not too keen on klezmer, I'd still be inclined to recommend this, to any adventurous music-lover.The cd certainly has a klezmer flavour (the band's name refers to Naftule Brandwein, a pioneer klezmer clarinettist from the 1920s) but the tunes are mostly originals. Apart from Brandwein and Jewish music, influence seems to come from people like Frank Zappa and Charles Mingus.The players are remarkable - clarinettist Glenn Dickson and trombonist David Harris are two of the best in the business, both suitably agile and humourous. Michael McLaughlin (piano) and James Grey (tuba) accompany solidly and tastefully. The two 'spanners in the works' who help to freshen the sound are guitarist Pete Fitzpatrick and drummer Eric Rosenthal - Fitzpatrick uses a gritty, often distorted tone, and Rosenthal is one of the funkiest drummers I have heard in a while.What makes this album so outstanding is that each track is a winner, from the traditional klezmer tune 'Oy Tate' here given a rocky cut-up treatment; to the title track, a raucous oompah dance piece; to the beautiful, atmospheric 'Spinoza Of Market Street'.You may also want to check out their second and third albums on Tzadik ("Smash, Clap!" and "Job") which got progressively more grungy and abstract. Also, Shirim's "Klezmer Nutcracker" where Naftule's Dream members give classical pieces the klezmer treatment. But for my money, "Search For The Golden Dreydl" is their most solid effort."