Sorry for the late post, but this link just came to my attention.
When my buds the Klezmatics came to town to perform at SXSW, they drug me down to KUT Radio to help them play a set of tunes from thier new as-yet-unreleased CD project of Woody Guthrie tunes, with Irish vocalist Susan McKuean and Demolition String band's guitarist/banjo man Boo R. (I ain't seen him since they opened up for Bad Livers last NYC gig in 1999!) I played electric bass on a few tunes, where you hear Paul Morisett on tsimbl, and guitar on the last number.
Frank and Lorin tell the story of the material and we play through quite a few numbers. You can listen using RealPlayer here.(Scroll down to March 17 "Klezmatics.") Host John Ailei usualllly only has musical guest on for 30 minutes, but he kept them on for nearly 45, heaping effusive praise on the music. "I predict you all have an incredible win on your hands.." he exclaimed.
After the radio gig and copious plates of enchiladas, we all headed down to the SXSW job site and played an inspired set featuring guest vocals from Billy Bragg. People were flipping out, it was just so good a show.
Man, I gotta tell ya. I am REALLY excited about this new CD. Frank played me quite a few rough tracks from it and I predict it's a real winner. The klezmer police are not going to "get" it I'll wager, but I'm here to tell you neighbors, it's a great, great CD and portends great things for the band. They've gone from being the best jewish music band in the business to simply being one of the best bands period out there working today. Dare I say they could be a "Jewish" Los Lobos in that respect; a band that studied, mastered and then expanded a traditional music form who after 20 years of playing together then turn a corner and go on to make just great music. This material and the new CD seems to point in that direction.
Now, I ain't in the band or anything. But I'd drop everything to go play these tunes. No foolin'
