Big Galut(e)
Big Galut(e) (Pastromele Records, 2015)
This new klezmer group of virtuoso musicians has created a set of unconventional and bold musical pieces rooted in Jewish tradition. The musical influences include klezmer, Argentine tango, classical music, Middle Eastern, Indian, bluegrass, and opera.
In addition to the cross-pollination of genres, the classically-trained musicians also add some instrumentation that is rare to find in klezmer groups, such as theorbo, Baroque guitar and Indian tabla. “We must be the only band that plays klezmer on the theorbo,” says violinist and vocalist Sasha Margolis about the Baroque plucked instrument. “It has timbral similarities to the tsimbl, and works perfectly.”
Part of the group’s performance include a generous amount of humor and goofiness. Sasha adds: “We enjoy constantly changing styles and energy levels. That keeps everyone engaged. There are serious moments, but there’s also lots of laughter. We tell jokes. Robin tells jokes in Yiddish and I translate loosely into English. We do a few soulful tunes, then switch to the Baroque stuff. Being goofy is true to tradition.”
The lineup on the album includes Robin Seletsky on clarinet; Sasha Margolis on violin and vocals; Michael Leopold on theorbo and Baroque guitar; Richard Sosinsky on bass and mandolin; Mark Rubinstein on accordion and percussion. Ehren Hanson maes a guest appearance on tabla.
Big Galut(e) have developed jubilant contemporary klezmer music with a global edge.
Buy Big Galut(e) CD
Buy Big Galut(e) digital download
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
