If you like Kurt Weill or Tom Waits, you will probably enjoy Ghetto Tango, an immaculately packaged collection of World War II Yiddish theater songs intelligently interpreted by two contemporary musicians.
Adrienne Cooper’s vocals can crack you up with laughter or wring your guts with heartbreak, and Zalmen Mlotek’s piano accompaniment is brilliant. The anger, irony and danger of the lyrics stand out starkly on tales of greed, hunger, homelessness and death camps. And Cooper’s liner notes and translations are comprehensive and detailed.
Songs:
- Moyshe Halt Zikh
- Coolies
- Mues
- Mazl/ On A Heym
- Makh Tsu Di Eygelekh
- Peshe Fun Reshe
- Yisrolik
- Moorsoldaten
- Vayl Ikh Bin A Yidele
- Fun Der Arbet
- Nit Keyn Rozhinkes
- Ver Klapt Es
- Friling
- Song Of The Nazi Soldier’s Wife
- Amerike Hot Erklert
- Yid Du Partizaner
- Minutn Fun Bitokhn
- The Bar Mitzve Speech
Leave a Reply