Songs of Our Fathers

Andy Statman, David Grisman

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 10, 1995)
• Original Release Date: May 16, 1995
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Acoustic Disc
• ASIN: B000003919
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #16,264 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #7 in	Music > Folk > Klezmer
  #8 in	Music > World Music > Middle East > Israel
  #12 in	Music > Folk > Jewish & Yiddish Music

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Another cross-cultural, acoustic-music synthesis is achieved on this collaboration between Grisman, the bluegrass/swing virtuoso who opens for Allison Krauss Thursday at Wolf Trap, and klezmer star Statman. Both are mandolinists, and on this album of seven traditional klezmer tunes, four Shlomo Carlebach compositions, and one Statman original, Statman challenges Grisman to play up to the tradition's standards, while Grisman challenges Statman to push the tradition's envelope. The result is a creative tension that keeps the music exciting. The two leaders are backed by a band that includes Meyer, classical guitarist Enrique Coria, and Phil Spector drummer Hal Blaine. For Grisman and Blaine, who are ethnically but not musically Jewish, this project is an emotional homecoming and those feelings can be heard in the playing. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A real mechayah (delight)!, June 19, 2000

By	Rabbi Yonassan Gershom (Minnesota, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

I bought this CD on the high recommendations of a thread in an email discussion group, and was definitely not disappointed. This is Jewish music at it's very best. I especially like the fact that it is 100% acoustical, with none of the ear-splitting electronic sounds that have crept into "modern" klezmer lately. This album evokes the spiritual intimacy of the Melavah Malkah (Saturday night post-Sabbath gathering) around the woodstove in Old Russia. There are pieces from a number of different Hasidic groups, a lively Russian kazatski that is "fueled with Kentucky sour mash instead of potato vodka" (according to the album insert), plus an original Sephardic dance called "Bashi's Bounce," written by Andy Staman in honor of his wife, Barbara ("Bashi" in Hebrew.)

Also included are several tunes written by the late Shlomo Carlebach, a 20th-century Hasidic folksinger whose music has become so integrated into the Jewish world that it is often assumed to be "ancient" liturgy. (Carlebach's 1960's album "At the Village Gate" has been re-released on CD and is available here at Amazon). Statman and Grisman are obviously having a great time improvising on these familiar tunes!

"Songs of Our Fathers" comes boxed with a very nice, slick-print booklet on the history of the album, Jewish music in general, and the background of each of the pieces. The booklet includes color photos and brief bios of Statman and Grisman, along with plenty of B&W pics of the traditional Jews who originally played this music. Ten stars!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The saddest joy, November 26, 2001

By	Pharoah S. Wail (Inner Space) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

While I was writing my review for Grisman's newest wonderful release (Traversata, with Carlo Aonzo and Beppe Gambetta) it struck me that I never wrote a review for the great Songs Of Our Fathers.

For me, this cd displays both sides of the coin, the mourning of those who are gone, as well as the celebration of the joy and beauty in life. There is just no denying that Shalom Aleichem is one of the saddest and most beautiful melodies ever written, or that the Chassidic Medley (track #2) is all-out dance music!

Andy Statman is a true musical marvel. If he only played clarinet as well as he does then he'd be legendary, and if he only played mandolin as well as he does he'd be legendary. Instead, he just plays both instruments as well as he does (and composes and arranges too).

I've had this cd for 5 or 6 years and had I reviewed it when I first got connected to the internet I would have given it 5 stars. The only reason I'm only giving it 4 stars now is because Acoustic Disc releases (Grisman's label) have even crisper, fuller, richer sound now than they did back when Songs Of Our Fathers was released.

This recording is one of the crown-jewel's of the Acoustic Disc label.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, July 21, 1999

By A Customer

I listen to this and/or "The Hidden Light" every night while meditating, and often play it after I turn the lights out, and when I get up in the morning. It is lovely, lyrical, uplifting, joy-inspiring music, and Andy Statman's fresh, somewhat jazz-influenced approach raises the beautiful traditional melodies to new levels.