JENNY SCHEINMAN — The Rabbi's Lover (review)

JENNY SCHEINMAN — The Rabbi's Lover album cover Album · 2002 · World Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
snobb
"The Rabbi's Lover" is violinist Jenny Scheinman's debut as a leader. It contains seven Jenny originals and two Jewish traditional songs. Just like many other John Zorn Tzadik label's releases from the "Radical Jewish Culture" series, this album contains music deeply rooted in Jewish traditional music, but it lays miles away from "fiddle klezmer" some could expect.

Jenny has taken classical training at the prestigious Oberlin College conservatory and she skillfully mixes epochs and genres here. Her violin is very precise and very lyrical. The quintet produces sounds like a bigger combo and it sounds as if playing the overture to Bolero more often than a band playing at Jewish weddings. Two Jewish traditional songs ("Seating Of The Bribe" and "Firn De Mekhutonim Aheym") are the closest to klezmer, the latter is full of the melancholy so specific to the genre.

Scheinman's own compositions are quite a different thing - besides of the Jewish tradition, there are Middle East, Latin, Irish and some other influences that can be heard. The skilled team of Tzadik regulars including bassist Greg Cohen and drummer Kenny Wollesen among others, build a very intimate atmosphere. Trumpeter Russ Johnson's work should be especially mentioned.

While being strongly influenced by Jewish traditional culture, "The Rabbi's Lover" is very much the music of today. Perfectly played and very atmospheric, it is the best bridge between the past and the future one can imagine. Being originally released more than two decades ago and just re-issued by Tzadik in the form of a digital download, "The Rabbi's Lover" is one among the label's better works and an excellent introduction to Zorn's "Radical Jewish Culture" world.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Jason Stein, Marilyn Crispell, Damon Smith, Adam Shead : Spi​-​raling Horn Avant-Garde Jazz
JASON STEIN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Utopia Jazz Related Improv/Composition
OLIVER LUTZ
Buy this album from MMA partners
Charlie Pyne Quartet : Nature Is A Mother Vocal Jazz
CHARLIE PYNE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Norma Winstone & Kit Downes : Outpost of Dreams Vocal Jazz
NORMA WINSTONE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Djabe & Steve Hackett : When the Sound Turns Sweet Fusion
DJABE
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Lift
DAVE WILSON (US/NZ)
js· 2 days ago
Nature is a Mother
CHARLIE PYNE
js· 2 days ago
Marta Warelis solo @ FourOneOne 5-11-23
MARTA WARELIS
js· 2 days ago
The Chapparrals - Shake Your Head (US, 1978) [Full LP] {Funk, Disco, Soul} ??ULTRA RARE KILLER LP??
THE CHAPPARRALS
js· 3 days ago
Argyle - Art Installation (Full Album)
ARGYLE
js· 3 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed