Although their roots are firmly in the klezmer tradition, Klezmer Juice are anything but a traditional band. Yes, there's clarinet as a lead instrument, superbly played by Gustavo Bulgach, but there's also guitar and electric bass, both of which bring strong contributions to the sounds (guitarist Ken Rosser even pulls out the electric sitar on one track to bring a touch of Eastern promise). Overall, it's Jewish music more than straight klezmer, bringing in tango ("Librescu Tango," written in memory of a victim of the Virginia Tech shootings) and even a Jewish tinged "Miserlu." But at the same time there's plenty of old material, including a very spirited "Hava Nagila." As well played and thoughtfully arranged as you'd expect from a bunch of Grammy nominees, it's energetic and played with plenty of heart, a disc that can bear -- even demands -- repeated listenings.
© Chris Nickson /TiVo