Don Byron Plays the Music of Mickey Katz

Don Byron Plays the Music of Mickey Katz

ASIN: B000005J1Z

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
There's a strong connection between Don Byron's humor and his profound musical curiosity, two qualities that distinguish him from his more conservative contemporaries. Both are much to the fore in this faithful tribute to Mickey Katz, a witty and innovative clarinetist who brought virtuosity and a compulsive comedy to the klezmer tradition, both with Spike Jones in the '40s and later on his own. Byron's interest in klezmer was hardly faddish when he recorded this 1993 date. His involvement dated back to his student years in the early 1980s when he joined Boston's Klezmer Conservatory Band, one of the most faithful practitioners of the form. Forging links between black and Jewish outsider traditions, Byron is as attracted by Katz's love of pastiche and parody as he is by the klezmer clarinet tradition, including Katz's takes on cowboy, Russian, and Hawaiian music. The band is superb, with fine performances by trumpeter Dave Douglas, pianist Uri Caine, and violinist Mark Feldman, as well as Byron. Together they balance contemporary musical interests with an archival re-creation of some spirited Yiddish comedy. --Stuart Broomer

Don Byron Plays the Music of Mickey Katz,Don Byron,Nonesuch,Jazz,Jazz Music,Pop

Average customer rating:

not affordable

Mickey Katz must be rolling over in his grave !

Don Byron is one bad Kat-down to the Mickey Katz cd cover

Glee With History

Katzkill Kapers

Plays the Music of Mickey Katz
Don Byron
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
General | Jazz | Styles | Music
Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
Bebop & Post-Bop | Compilations | Jazz | Styles | Music
Klezmer | Folk | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000005J1Z
Release Date: 1993-06-01

Tracks:

Prologue: '...Shed No Tears Before The Rain...'
Frailach Jamboree
Haim Afen Range ('Home On The Range')
Mamaliege Dance
Sweet And Gentle
Litvak Square Dance
C'est Si Bon
Trombonik Tanz
Bar Mitzvah Special
Dreidel Song
Seder Dance
Paisach In Portuagal
Berele's Sherele
Mechaye War Chant
Kiss Of Meyer
Epilogue: Tears
Wedding Dance

Amazon.com essential recording

There's a strong connection between Don Byron's humor and his profound musical curiosity, two qualities that distinguish him from his more conservative contemporaries. Both are much to the fore in this faithful tribute to Mickey Katz, a witty and innovative clarinetist who brought virtuosity and a compulsive comedy to the klezmer tradition, both with Spike Jones in the '40s and later on his own. Byron's interest in klezmer was hardly faddish when he recorded this 1993 date. His involvement dated back to his student years in the early 1980s when he joined Boston's Klezmer Conservatory Band, one of the most faithful practitioners of the form. Forging links between black and Jewish outsider traditions, Byron is as attracted by Katz's love of pastiche and parody as he is by the klezmer clarinet tradition, including Katz's takes on cowboy, Russian, and Hawaiian music. The band is superb, with fine performances by trumpeter Dave Douglas, pianist Uri Caine, and violinist Mark Feldman, as well as Byron. Together they balance contemporary musical interests with an archival re-creation of some spirited Yiddish comedy. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

not affordable.......2007-04-20

i feel sorrrry for this band... they try but technically could not affor this music from GREAT MICKE KATZ

Mickey Katz must be rolling over in his grave !.......2006-08-04

Don Byron is no Mickey Katz...Katz,a musician as well as a superb monologist,singing little ethnic ditties in the Spike Jones style,produced joyous ethnic music..The only thing joyous about this album is that one can shut it off...better yet,one can refrain from ever putting it on..Katz understood that what his audience wanted was to dance,to sing,to laugh,to have a good time.Byron doesn't understand this at all.Try dancing to ANYTHING that can be found on this album...Katz was,of course,influenced by his heritage.a heritage that Byron does not share.
Byron's jazz has always seemed experimental,as if pushing the envelope was a necessary factor in anything that he was associated with..There is nothing traditional about Byron's version of jazz.Katz,on the other hand WAS a traditionalist,and while he played around a lot with the music he produced,he never emasculated the traditional aspects of it in order to appear"new"or "trendy"..
Alas,this generation,overall,has little use for tradition..Jazz versions of Katz classics would be a welcome thing,but only if they were offered to us by someone who understands that "New"does not mean entirely different than the original.
This album deserves no stars.Indeed,stars ought to be given in reverse.Do not waste your gelt on this mishuga drek..Better to hunt down Mickey's old LPs,and hear the originals...

Don Byron is one bad Kat-down to the Mickey Katz cd cover.......2005-10-10

Here's a case where you can tell the book by it's cover;Don Byron,holding a chicken is the best thing since Mickey Katz posed for similar photos on his albums.Byron,who was Downbeat(jazz) musician of the year in 1992-also played clarinet with The Klezmer Conservatory Orchestra and he and his group here,put together a terrific mix of serious klezmer music,along with Katz's unique parodies.

Glee With History.......2004-07-20

Who is Mickey Katz? I sure didn't know. Thank you Don Byron for sparking thought. This is an album that reminds me how little I know about music and history. Fortunately the music is so brilliant I forget my ignorance for a time. The mix of Klezmer, humor and fantastic musicianship creates one of the most enjoyable and unique sounds I've ever heard. There is so much passion in the klezmer sound. I highly recommend this album. Thank you Mickey Katz.

Katzkill Kapers.......2003-07-22

Don Byron in his liner notes says that Mickey Katz ( 1909-1985) had a "unique and quirky musical vision", and this extremely entertaining CD is a terrific tribute to Katz and his versatility.
The prologue and Epilogue are both abstract jazz pieces, with excerpts from the original "Hello Solly !", of Mickey telling jokes interspersed with the music. Track # 2, "Frailach Jamboree" is straight fabulous klezmer, but with "Haim Afen Range" ("Home on the Range"), we get the beginning of the funny stuff !
Long before there was Allan Sherman or Weird Al, Mickey Katz was making hilarious musical parodies, and of those represented here, my favorite is "Seder Dance", which is a zany take on Khatchaturian's "Saber Dance".

Like Mickey Katz, Don Byron is a brilliant clarinetist, and has brought together a group of superb musicians for this CD. I must mention Mark Feldman on violin, and Uri Caine on piano who are utterly sensational, but they are all magnificent, and in what is the highlight track for me, "Dreidel Song", come together in a joyous sound that makes my heart leap inside me. I must also make mention of Lorin Sklamberg and Avi Hoffman, who do such excellent work with the vocals.
Recorded in Astoria, N.Y., in 1991, the sound is good and the total time is 53:12
This CD might be perplexing for the casual listener, but if you love klezmer, and Yiddish humor, you are guaranteed to adore it.

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