Essen

Shapiro, Paul
Tzadik Records
Jazz | Oct 2008

Reviews

Fo
Reviewed 2008-10-09
PAUL SHAPIRO: Essen
Tzadik, 2008

Vintage "borscht belt" Jewish comedy meets a jumping brew of hot jazz, wailing klezmer, and down 'n' dirty blues. Reviving Yiddish-laced swing-era novelties from hipsters like Slim Gaillard and Cab Calloway, the band cuts loose in madcap abandon. Vocalist Babi Floyd goes miles over the top in #3, while counterpart Cilla Owens adds equal measures of class and sass to the bluesy numbers. Great fun, especially #1 and 8.

Fo’s Picks: 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9

1. 6:25 – hilarious music-hall tale of eating one’s way through a vacation
2. 5:20 – easy blues, relaxed vocals and wailing solos
3. 6:08 – over-the-top vocal craziness and a happy, swinging bounce
4. 4:57 – big bounce, cutesy lyric, bluesy vocals
5. 4:14 – cool-cat swing with vocal riffing, boogie piano
6. 4:55 – Yiddish-laced midtempo blues stomp, cool sassy vocals
7. 2:59 – upbeat, funky and very, very silly
8. 3:49 – very funny storytelling duet, lots of Yiddish dialogue in this one
9. 3:38 – freewheeling vocal madness, red-hot piano & drums
10. 3:57 – 50s rock ‘n’ roll stomp, fun but just kind of weird

[ Fo ] 9-Oct-08

Recent airplay

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Charting

2008-10-12 — 2008-12-14 Jazz
Week EndingAirplays
Dec 14 3
Nov 30 1
Nov 23 1
Nov 9 1
Nov 2 3
Oct 26 2
Oct 19 2

Track listing

1. Essen
2. My Little Cousin
3. Utt-Da-Zay
4. A Bee Gezindt
5. Oy Veys Mir
6. Mama Goes Where Papa Goes
7. Dunkin' Bagel
8. Tzouris
9. Matzoh Balls
10. A Bissel Bop