| CD REVIEW (This review was also published at www.701.com) |
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| Oy, I like it! While I would be hard-put to explain in lay terms what �three distinct lullabies juxtaposed contrapuntally� means (a partial description of the 7-minute �Whassat�), suffice it to say that there�s some complex orchestration happening here, including a somewhat wobbly-stringed bass tiptoeing its way through a symphony of strings, clarinet and mandolin on this particular track. The description of Eric Stein�s �Bulcharescu�, where �the slinky 6/4 section poses a contest to see which member of the band can produce more spooky and/or bizarre noises on his instrument� is much more listener-friendly. If you are a fan of any or all of the different ethnic facets of �gypsy music�, you�ll find the total package here � Serbian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Ukranian, and even something called �Jew-Maican�, a melding of reggae and klezmer (as in the Dave Tarras-inspired �Tarrastaman�). �Oy I Like She� (Aaron Lebedeff), delivered by guest vocalist/pianist Josh Dolgin, brought back fond memories of Ron Moody (playing Fagan) singing �You�ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two� (in the Carol Reed musical of Oliver Twist), even though the lyrics here describe another type of trickery. The impeccable recording, which also features female guest vocalist Yeva Medvedyuk, was captured live in a January 2004 double-night performance at Al Green Theatre in Toronto, and judging by the intensity of the consistent audience applause and catcalls, both concerts were very well-received. There�s an ebb-and-flow pacing both within each composition and from one to the other, something I observed at the equally enthralling Kalman Balogh presentation of �Gypsy Spirit - Journey of the Roma� at Hamilton Place earlier this year. It�s as if each track is a mini-CD in itself. The �consensus� owed to the title of this CD seems to be that music is a universal language to be enjoyed, as much from its origin as to its final destination. That being said, if your taste runs more towards �meat and potato� compositions, you might feel a tad overwhelmed by this delightful musical smorgasbord! |
| CONSENSUS (LIVE IN CONCERT) - BEYOND THE PALE (2004) |
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