Brother Moses Smote the Water

Klezmatics + Nelson & Farmer
Piranha Musik
World | May 2005

Reviews

Fo
Reviewed 2005-11-04
THE KLEZMATICS + NELSON & FARMER – “Brother Moses Smote the Water”
Piranha, 2004

Klezmer meets the "Negro spiritual"! This unique collaboration between the renowned band and Joshua Nelson, a black Jewish singer in the mold of Mahalia Jackson, was recorded live in Berlin. The group, (also with singer/organist Kathryn Farmer), takes on an assortment of old spirituals plus some tunes from the Klezmatics’ repertoire. Not as earth-shaking as I had hoped, but it works pretty well.

Fo’s picks: 2, 5, 6, 9, 10

1. 2:39 – slow trumpet + organ tones, quiet Passover song in Hebrew & Yiddish
2. 9:17 – powerhouse spiritual: strong vocal, weeping violin & clarinet breaks
3. 6:41 – upbeat seder song in Hebrew, group vocals, happy stomping beat
4. 8:30 – song of peace, starts slow & quiet, builds power. Vocalists take turns
5. 5:17 – midtempo, rollicking tune, with a New Orleans jazz flair
6. 7:21 – dripping with soul: Farmer & Matt Derriau (sax) trade off verses.
7. 3:08 – group a cappella spiritual, uptempo
8. 3:49 – Sam Cooke’s rewrite of an old tune: a midtempo gospel stomp
9. 5:01 – strong gospelly "rave-up” with excellent vocals and little horn riffs
10. 5:49 – Yiddish socialist anthem, trumpet break, audience sings, gospelly ending

[Fo] – 11/4/05

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Charting

2005-11-06 — 2006-01-08 Reggae/World
Week EndingAirplays
Jan 1 1
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Nov 27 3
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Track listing

1. Eyliyohu Hanovi
2. Elijah Rock
3. Ki Loy Nue
4. Shnirele, Perele
5. Walk in Jerusalem
6. Go Down Moses
7. Moses Smote the Water
8. Oh Mary Don't You Weep
9. Didn't It Rain
10. Ale Brider