Swap a CD: 15 Recently Posted CDs in Israel

Paul Zim - Seder Night

Paul Zim — 2012-12-31T12:55:55-05:00

PAUL ZIM SEDER NIGHTS-CD

Michael Feinstein Israel Philharmonic Orchestra - Michael Feinstein with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

Michael Feinstein, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra — 2012-12-27T20:00:12-05:00

If there's a precious tone to Michael Feinstein's interpretations of the American songbook, it probably stems from a fervent dedication to preserving the original context of his material. This is, after all, a musician who spent many of his formative years in personal service to the late Ira Gershwin. This collection further underscores that commitment, with the lush sound of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (augmented by the piano trio of Alan Broadbent, who also provides all but one of the arrangements here) adding considerable dramatic resonance to Feinstein's performances. While singers from Sinatra and Streisand to Fitzgerald and Bennett have imbued many of these songs with considerable dollops of jazz, blues, and their own strong personas, Feinstein mines melancholy jewels like "Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year," "How Deep Is the Ocean," and "By Myself" for all their introspective emotion. "Somewhere" pays tribute to Bernstein with glorious, unabashed melodrama, while "Laura" (one of the most recorded songs of all time) gets recast in something approaching its original intent via an arrangement written for this recording by composer David Raksin. Feinstein himself penned the album's notes, paying careful tribute to each composer represented and noting that all were Jews, yet their music came to represent a richly American spectrum that included black and white and encompassed jazz, the theater, and even classics in its scope. There's a lesson herein, and one that spans more than mere history and musical archaeology. --Jerry McCulley

Jerome Kern Cy Coleman Jule Styne Arthur Schwartz Frank Loesser Harold Arlen David Raksin Burton Lane George Gershwin Irving Berlin Leonard Bernstein Jerry Herman Alan Broadbent Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Michael Feinstein - With the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

2012-09-11T20:06:43-05:00

Various Artists - All the Best From Israel

Various Artists — 2012-06-06T17:58:20-05:00

David High Spirit - Golden Anniversary to Israel

David & High Spirit — 2012-06-02T17:54:46-05:00

Lawrence Foster JeanBaptiste Accolay - Concertos From My Childhood / Perlman, Foster

Lawrence Foster, Jean-Baptiste Accolay — 2011-10-23T16:41:19-05:00

Here is one of the greatest violinists of this or any other time playing student pieces ranging from elementary to virtuosic, so that budding violinists can hear what they sound like in a master player's hands. Let it be said at once that Perlman lavishes on them as much loving care and heartfelt expressiveness as on the staples of the literature, playing with his inimitably beautiful, golden tone, easy brilliance, stylistic flair, and captivating charm. He's clearly having a grand time. His fans will not be disappointed. The orchestrations, by unidentified arrangers, greatly enhance the music's effects; the student orchestra sounds thoroughly professional. The disc's educational value, however, is open to question, because the technical resources of students learning these pieces are worlds removed from Perlman's. For example, he uses full vibrato and dazzling speeds; he plays in first position, as written, only in the Rieding concerto; in the Seitz, he succumbs to his flair for virtuoso slides. The BÉriot is stunning; the Viotti, the only "real" piece that turns up in concerts, including Perlman's own, sounds beautiful, but strangely uninvolved. Experienced teachers may well fear that listening to this disc could intimidate, frustrate, and discourage students rather than inspire them. So, enjoy it, but keep it away from the kids! --Edith Eisler

Noa - Noa

Noa — 2011-05-22T16:13:23-05:00

With keyboardist Lyle Mays as chief accompanist, Noa comes off as a bubbling female counterpart to Marc Cohn. Oddly off-kilter, but intriguing nonetheless. --Jeff Bateman

Ofra Haza - Desert Wind

Ofra Haza — 2011-03-23T21:58:41-05:00

She's been dubbed "the Madonna of the Desert," and this record is the reason why. Haza came out of her '80s folk-fan circuit and returned to her beloved Israeli disco-pop with this highly produced set of songs that were clearly designed for the mainstream. She's got an incredible set of pipes, and they are readily in evidence here. Haza is a charmer when she sings, soaring above even the most trivial studio dubs and musical overloads that exemplify the backing tracks. There are more traditional recordings available from Haza, both predating and following this one, that accent her Israeli and Yemenite heritage. Desert Wind is for those looking for a heavier beat, a harder pop edge, and exotic samples rather than deeper roots. --Louis Gibson

Childrens Choir - Christmas in Europe

Children's Choir — 2009-11-16T18:38:17-05:00

Various Artists - Israel Unleashed: B.O. Rock & Metal From

Various Artists — 2008-08-26T22:54:54-05:00