Brother Moses Smote the Water
Brother Moses Smote the Water is a live album by the American klezmer group the Klezmatics, with Joshua Nelson and Kathryn Farmer.[2][3] It was released in 2005 by Piranha Records. The album mixes together traditional Yiddish songs and gospel.[4]
Brother Moses Smote the Water | ||||
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Live album by | ||||
Released | 2005 | |||
Genre | Klezmer, gospel | |||
Label | Piranha Records[1] | |||
The Klezmatics chronology | ||||
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The Klezmatics and Nelson supported the album by touring together in 2005.[5]
Production
Recorded live in Potsdamer Platz, the songs on the album are about the Jewish exodus from Egypt, and the commonality of Jewish and African American historical experience.[6][7]
Critical reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [8] |
Robert Christgau | [1] |
Philadelphia Daily News | A−[9] |
The Plain Dealer | A[10] |
The Times thought that "it's not so much a world music fusion as a spiritual transformation, and the result is as soulful as it is uplifting."[11] The Philadelphia Daily News deemed the album "an intriguing collaboration" concerning "the struggle against repression common to the histories of Jewish and African-American people."[9]
The Plain Dealer determined that "while some musical fusion sounds forced, the Jewish kosher music updated by the Klezmatics blends naturally with the black gospel songs newly interpreted by vocalists/keyboardists Joshua Nelson and Kathryn Farmer."[10] The Virginian-Pilot called the album's performances "stirring, joyful, reverent and triumphant."[12]
AllMusic wrote that "the styles are crunched together nearly seamlessly, the languages used (alternately Hebrew, Yiddish, and English) being the only differential in some parts."[8]
Track listing
- Eyliyohu Hanovi
- Elijah Rock
- Ki Loy Nue
- Shnirele Perele
- Walk in Jerusalem
- Go Down Moses
- Moses Smote the Water
- Oh Mary Don't You Weep
- Didn't It Rain
- Ale Brider
References
- "Robert Christgau: CG: The Klezmatics". www.robertchristgau.com.
- Gorce, Tammy La (January 15, 2006). "IN PERSON; He's Getting Over" – via NYTimes.com.
- Partridge, Christopher; Moberg, Marcus (April 6, 2017). "The Bloomsbury Handbook of Religion and Popular Music". Bloomsbury Publishing – via Google Books.
- Engelberg, Karen (April 1, 2005). "African American Jewish singer Joshua Nelson joins The Klezmatics...". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Calendar.
- "BULLETIN BOARD". Amherst Bulletin. Briefs. April 15, 2005. p. 20.
- Honigmann, David (5 Mar 2005). "CDs & DVDs". Financial Times. FT WEEKEND MAGAZINE. p. 39.
- Regenstreif, Mike (4 Mar 2005). "Guthrie's Jewish legacy". The Gazette. p. D9.
- "Brother Moses Smote the Water - The Klezmatics | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- Takiff, Jonathan (8 Mar 2005). "THAT'S WHAT I CALL KOSHER". Philadelphia Daily News. Features. p. 36.
- Salisbury, Wilma (March 6, 2005). "The Klezmatics with Joshua Nelson & Kathryn Farmer". The Plain Dealer. p. J4.
- Williamson, Nigel (5 Feb 2005). "The Klezmatics with Joshua Nelson & Kathryn Farmer". The Times. Features. p. 18.
- Feber, Eric (March 11, 2005). "CD REVIEWS". The Virginian-Pilot. p. E6.