"Shpilkes" 2004

Sounds of Yiddish and Klezmer
Reviewed by Alex Dafner (SBS radio )
Australian Jewish News December 17th 2004.

Shpilkes as in the Yiddish expression “pins and needles”, is the catchy title of the new CD by Melbourne Klezmer band Spiel Azoi. The 12 songs feature Yiddish and Klezmer classics such as Rumania, Rumania, Mayn Yiddishe Meydele and Az der rebbe Elymeylekh, together with some rarely heard gems including Shpayz ich mir and Birobidzhan.
There are also sweet hebraic sounds of Pisku li and Nigun Bialik., as well as toe tapping dance tunes including Lebedik un freylekh, the Ukrainian Nye Ze Ritse Chloptsi and the irrepressible Der Nayer Sher .
Singer Sarah Mandie delivers a fine vocal mix of traditional and innovative interpretations in four languages.
She is superbly accompanied by the sweet clarinet playing of Martin Mackerras and the heart-warming piano accordion of Dave Evans. While the pulsing drum beat of Ben Hendry and resonating hum of double bassist Mark Shepherd never lets you down.
Perhaps not all the pieces will please the purists, but Shpilkes is easy on the ear and those with “pins and needles” in their soul will no doubt be up dancing after the first refrain.

"Shtetl" 2001

The Age/Larry Schwartz Sun 8th August
**** (4 stars)

Taking their album title from a Yiddish word meaning small town and with the name of their group meaning "Play like this" , this Melbourne sextet has created a welcome addition to the revival of pre-war Jewish folk music. "The Klezmorim (instruments of song) were welcomed in every town in which they arrived," says a sleeve note. "They were central to the communities' wedding celebrations. The folk singers roamed the streets telling stories with social messages. Those communities are long gone but their legacy remains in 16 tracks including Yiddish favorites Papirossen (Cigarettes) and Rozhinkes Mit Mandlen (Almonds and Raisins). "He wrote it before '39, before the ghettoes and Auschwitz. He knew that it's coming. " says a woman on Undzer Shtetl Brent. (Our Shtetl Burns), among brief reminiscences that punctuate songs performed by voaclaist Sarah Mandie, violinsit Michelle Lewit. Ben Hendry(Drums and percussion), Ben Winkelman on piano accordion and piano, double bassist Mark She[ard and Chris Tanner on clarinet. There are neo-Klezmer albums aplenty, some faithful to the music of the past, others more experimental. This one is a joy.

Other CD review see : www.klezmershack.com ( under albums I have reviewed) Can lift text from there.

Shtetl Memories:
Klezmer group Spiel Azoi played a smorgasbord of Klezmer and Yiddish music as it celebrated the launch of its debut CD at The Continental café in Prahran last week. Vocalist Sarah Mandie has a powerful melodic voice and was most entertaining with her animated and often humorous descriptions of the songs. Spiel Azoi is a talented group of musicians, both Jewish and non-Jewish. The songs conjured up life in eastern Europe as well as memories of Yiddish film and theatre. There were upbeat light romantic musical numbers such as Yosel, Yosel and toetapping Oy Mamme Bin Ich Farliebt to dramatic soulful songs such as Papirossen, about an orphan boy selling cigarettes on cold foggy nights and the haunting Undzer Shtetl Brent.

CD launch May 2nd 2001/Australian Jewish News

Spiel Azoi / Shtetl (spiel 001, 2001).
From down under comes yet another excellent traditional klezmer album. Spiel Azoi's debut album, "Shtetl" is quite traditional, performed traditionally, such that the surprise is not in the choice of songs, but in how absolutely fresh and lively and current they sound. The band focuses more on traditional Yiddish songs, rather than the American Yiddish Theatre or the instrumental repertoire, although both are represented, from the album's concluding "Hopkele", or even the very American "Di Grine Kuzine" (but, was it so different, one wonders, for new Jewish immigrants to Australia?) to an excellent "Araber Tantz" and opening "Rumeinisher Doyna". Rather, the focus here is on songs that Jewish emigrants to Australia brought with them: "Di
Sapozhkelelk," "Tumbalalaika," "Offn Pripitchick...." The lead singer, Sarah Mandie sings a treat, and the band behind her is every bit as good. Taking a page from Klezical Tradition's wonderful "Family Portrait" of a couple years ago, the band also weaves in clips from their parents or grandparents remembering, although here it is clearly intended more to establish a general context for the music, rather than for the specific memories. In any event, any American or European reviewer who hasn't glommed on to the fact that some of the best klezmer comes from Australia can start right here

Ari Davidov
www.klezmershack.com

To purchase CD's

http://www.cdbaby.com/spielazoi