Search - Naftule Brandwein :: King of the Klezmer Clarinet

Nothing like this in the world

Ernesto | 10/05/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Naftule Brandwein is the greatest clarinettist I've heard in my life. Klezmer music is obviously not for everyone, but I believe any musician, and certainly any clarinettist, ought to hear the unbelievable sounds and effects that Brandwein elicited from his instrument--much more varied and inspired, in my view, than what you hear from Dave Tarras, the Klezmer clarinettist to whom Brandwein is most often compared. Just listen to some of the excerpts that Amazon lets you hear on this page, and see if you're not tempted to buy this CD. Tarras sounds like a human being playing a clarinet; Brandwein sounds like he's from another world.Unfortunately, like most mainstream music lovers, I had not even heard of Brandwein until recently, and the liner notes explain that his unpleasant temperament, combined with his inability to read music, had a lot to do with the frustrations of his career. That makes this CD especially valuable: it's not easy to find this music anywhere else. (Two recordings on this CD can also be found in the collection called Music from the Yiddish Radio Project, ASIN: B000060P7J.)"

This is THE collection if you're seriously studying Klezmer

Stephen Saxon | Northern California | 10/04/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ok, not everyone is actually "studying" klezmer music. If you want the clearest recordings, buy a modern CD from the San Francisco Klezmer Experience, Budowitz, Brave Old World, the Klezmer Conservatory Band, Joel Rubin, etc. If you want to learn from a master (kind of like all jazz players should be listening to Charlie Parker, Miles and Coltrane), then you must have this collection. It has the greatest hits (or maybe every recording) of Brandwein, who was absolutely far and away the most inspired klezmer clarinet player who recorded. Some love Tarras, some love others, but if you don't know "Nifty," then you don't know jack!If you simply enjoy klezmer music, this is still a great album, as Brandwein is such a hot player the mono-78 sound quality is worth listening through. Actually, compared to the 78's from which we used to have to transcribe in the 80's and 90's, this is a really super clean sound. But there is still some static, so don't be surprised.Oh, it's also nice to have some recordings at the end from the end of his life (when he wasn't afraid to use the lower register that Dave Tarras used to dominate in the old days). Those are at the end of the CD."

Naftule Brandwein -- Troubled genius

E. Beraru | Lynchburg, VA USA | 02/22/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Naftule Brandwein was one of the pioneers of American klezmer music. A brilliant clarinetist but so paranoid of being copied that he often played with his back to the audience. Even so, his musical genius is brilliantly presented in this compilation disc remastered from cleaned-up 78's. Don't miss this collection."