Customer Reviews

King Django's Roots & Culture

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've heard about King Django ever since a buddy of mine spun a 12" of "Seventh Day" at a toaster's gig a year or so ago. I was transfixed by the beautiful coming together of ska, hard dub, and klezmer music.

It sounds almost cheesy to say that music can truly unite cultures and peoples, but its so true. That night, people of all creeds, cultures, races, and socio-ethnic backgrounds all grooved as one to King Django. It didn't matter that the lyrics were mostly in Hebrew. It was the tight grooves that united everyone.

I have since turned on at least 25 people I know to this lp, and they in turn have spread it around. Its klezmer, its hard dub, its dancehall, some ska..but most of all, its great!

This is a very unusuall reggae album as it sticks with the reggae most of the way through and you can hear elements of all sorts of genres flying about. If you're a fan of reggae music then you will love this album but strictly speaking it can appeal to anybody. The first time i heard King Django was on a hellcat compilation that was'nt too good and it was one of the only tracks that stood out. I was suprised when i bought this album as it makes you think about other cultures and countrys different to us and the over all feel from the album is like listning to the music while at the beach so it's a good album especially for those with an over active imagination. I also like the inclusion of the various instruments throughout the album. It's a great album that i was lucky to come upon and i strongly recommend anything by king django to date.

This disk astonishes me everytime I listen to it. Just when it seems like a bone-deep ska album, the klezmer influences rise to the top. There are new takes on temple and Hebrew school cliches that make you sit up and pay attention. The obvious passion brought to bear on this music is evident in every bar. A tour-de-force of musical expression. I know of no other disk which remotely resembles this one.

On this CD are examples of revisionist brilliance wherein the cover version transcends the original. Gregory Issac's cover of Neil Diamond's "Red Red Wine', and a recently released ska version of Robert Parker's old soul/R&B tune "Barefootin'" also accomplish this feat. This album is a seamless, spontaneous cross cultural melange which many others have attempted, but (despite their discographies) have not been able to accomplish.

Jeff Baker has been one of my favorite musicians since Open Season came out a few years ago. Being Jewish as well, i always thought it was cool to have an openly Jewish ska genius out in the world, making some truly incredible music. When "Roots and Culture" came out, i almost wet myself with happiness. The CD is an experience in itself, a music bar mitzvah proving that the limits placed on contemporary music is simply an implied one. The first track is a wonderful Django original, all in Yiddish (as are most of the songs on the album), and the Yiddish versions of 'Night Boat to Cairo' and 'Do Nothing' are not only interesting to listen to, but great covers as well. I was even impressed with the versions of Jewish Traditional Music ('Heveinu Shalom Aleichem,' and 'Ya'aseh Shalom) of which i got sickened after years of hearing them at temple as a kid. Nothing matches the power of the last track, though. "Slaughter" is a song that every human being should listen to--a track of unmistakable anger and frustration at the atrocities of the Holocaust ending with the haunting plea, "Never again!" echoing in the listener's mind for quite some time after the song's end. Highly reccommended

I LOVE this CD--I've never heard anything like it (has anyone?) but I think it's fabulous!

Klezmer and Ska! What a fabulous sound! A mixture of traditional and new. Every song is a hit and an obvious labor of love. You'll play it over and over.

Klezmer and Ska! What a fabulous sound! A mixture of traditional and new. Every song is a hit and an obvious labor of love. You'll play it over and over.

I play it over and over and never get tired of listening