Paul Brody’s Sadawi – Krakow – Kielce – Warzawa
Reviewed by Sadie O., 2/19/07
“Klezmer Jazz” – but there’s a lot of other stuff as well. All instrumentals, most songs go through a lot of complex changes, a few involve a bit of electronics and many have almost heavy metal guitars and drums. There’s clearly Klezmer in the horns, but that’s about your only anchor. NB: CD may have damaged bits.
No FCCs – no words. 2, 4, 8 and 13 are terrific.
1. ***big rock’n’roll intro, squealing klezmer woodwinds, midtempo, loud and messy. Klezmer garage rock with a bit of dance syncopation. Jazzy devolution in second half.
2. ****slow rock drum intro, snaky horns, bass and electronics. Goes through changes in mood, but keeps the slow bass ‘n’ drums.
3. **long low-key electronica intro, pretty solo trumpet and random noises, other instruments join in gradually, but it never gets any beat.
4. ****big loping midtempo beat, swingy horns and heavy metal bass and guitar. Again, lots of changes.
5. *mournful solo trumpet intro, bit of upright bass and clarinet, very quiet. Pretty and mellow, again, never gets a beat.
6. **solo trumpet intro, huge startling chord, then more solo trumpet. Beat comes along almost a minute in, banjo-driven (!). a bit uptempo, feels like a line-dance. Whole mess quits halfway through for a bit of clarinet. (also quit on my CD player – hope the CD is ok…)
7. ***horn intro sounds almost like a hurdy-gurdy. Then snaky guitar, upbeat rhythm, bits of Middle East and bits of stuff I can’t quite name, bits of ethereal improv. Ends short with some standup bass.
8. ****violin & horns play a perky but creepy Eastern European folk dance about wolves (I’m just guessing – sounds like that, or maybe bears.) No drums, but a sort of slow pulse. Builds a lot, gets a beat, gains tempo and energy. Winds up huge.
9. *random intro, almost like orchestra tuning. Stays free-form throughout. Ponderous bowed bass in middle.
10. **horn intro, bits of rock drums and electric guitar, jazz bass. Pretty free-form – doesn’t keep steady beat.
11. *solo bass clarinet intro, lots of bits of silence, plucked bass and horns, very quiet and poetic, no beat.
12. ***uptempo, boisterous Klezmer, lots of banjo and oom-pah.
13. ****bit of intro, then midtempo almost belly dance beat with shakers and fascinating stringed things, then very sensuous horns. Builds in intensity.