Metropolitan Klezmer
Mosaic Persuasions
Rhythm Media Records (www.metropolitanklezmer.com)

Consistency is not what Mosaic Persuasions is about. Out of 16 tracks there are eight traditional Yiddish songs, one Yiddish jazz standard, one poem set to music, three covers and one original. In addition to the diversity of musical selection, almost every track goes through several musical movements.

"Humphrey Bulgar"

Mosaic Persuasions features some fantastic players, including three from the female quintet The Isle of Klezbos. "Humphrey Bulgar," an up-tempo instrumental cover, is the finest example of the band's ability to toss the lead to each other. Clarinet, bass, accordion, drums, trumpet, and violin all take turns and then take a quick turn on Grieg's "Hall of the Mountain King." Deborah Karpel delivers excellent vocals on a number of tracks, her voice taking on the characteristics of a clarinet as it slides up and down the melody.

There is a heavy influence from Arabic music on most tracks. "�sk�dar Taxim/ Terk in Amerike" starts almost completely Turkish in style and then, as the song progresses with a tight percussive bottom, the Yiddish influence mixes in with the Turkish. The lack of strict Yiddish references gives this album a lot of its strength and diversity, something the band could delve into deeper in the future. - Scott Atkinson

Audio: "Humphrey Bulgar"
Public Domain: based on "Bulgar" by Jack Boogich, in the Kammen Folio No. 9
(c)2000 Metropolitan Klezmer, used by express permission