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Creative Loafing Charlotte, Review >>
This conglomeration of African-American gospel and Jewish traditional music may invoke a pause, but not for long — both traditions have long suffered bondage and fights for civil rights after hard-won freedom. Recorded live in Berlin in the summer of 2004, Brother Moses Smote the Water is more a confluence (rather than fusion) of two long-running musical traditions getting reacquainted, as if they've known each other for years. The Klezmatics' Klezmer music, together with spirituals sung in Hebrew, Yiddish and Aramaic, fits comfortably with the soaring gospel vocals of Joshua Nelson and Kathryn Farmer in an affirmation of spiritual brotherhood between two cultures. The vocal-led tunes like "Shnirele, Perele" and the poignant acapella version of the title track are most effective, while "Walk in Jerusalem" is a jazz-gospel tune, and "Go Down Moses" and "Didn't It Rain" are straight gospel takes. All are traditional songs arranged by the Klezmatics and include an interpretation of Sam Cooke's "Oh Mary Don't You Weep." This is the Klezmatics' first live recording, and it's more of a spiritual, meditative exercise than a concert of perky Klezmer. The result is an unlikely church/synagogue gathering where the musical boundaries intertwine and transform into someplace better.
-Tara E. Flanagan 02/23/05 >> go there
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