1 post tagged “music”
Life of the Worlds: Journeys in Jewish Sacred Music
© 2003 Five Souls Music.
Next to the beautiful Yemenite music of the late Ofra Haza, I would have to say that Richard Kaplan is a very close second. But actually, there is no comparison – both stand out as amazingly gifted beings. Mr. Kaplan, cantor, songwriter, and Ethnomusicologist, has created a very moving masterwork that comprises an immense collection of Sacred Jewish Music from the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia, to name a few. Note: an Ethnomusicologist is someone who studies primitive and folk music of world cultures, and particularly the relationship between the music and the cultures from which it derives.
Mr. Kaplan's love for this music is very evident, and it is traditional and modern at the same time. Exotic instruments such as the dombek, kanun, oud, and Egyptian accordion are present. Musicians embodying Jews of the Diaspora (Moroccan, Algerian, Afghani, Egyptian, Sephardic, and American) are also well-represented.
If you have an interest in sacred music, or if you are looking for new Shabbat Zemirot, I highly recommend this CD. It would not only make an amazing gift, it would also serve as the perfect family heirloom to pass on.
You can purchase this CD from here.
