Description
Di Khupe Heybners – Songs of the Vulgar Boatwomen
CD review by Tony Smith – TN1067-56 – $15
In their album of 17 tracks, this female quartet, whose members later joined ensembles such as Chaika, has great fun while taking creative liberties with some well known Klezmer tunes from Eastern Europe.
The band’s name means ‘the roof raisers’ and these head-scarfed young women certainly whip up a musical storm.
The players are Sarah Myerson (bass clarinet, vocals, darrabukka), Emily-Rose Blanchard (piano accordion, vocals, recording, mixing), Phillippa Murphy-Haste (clarinet, vocals) and Susie Bishop (fiddle, vocals).
Adam Wasiel also contributes fiddle.
The opening track, ‘Song of the Volga Boatmen’, has unaccompanied vocal harmony, but for the sound of some nautical rigging clicking.
‘Doina Saposhkelekh (Boots)/ Sirba’ is a slow starting klezmer tune that gathers pace in that typical fashion heard also in the well known ‘Hava Nagila’.
Many tracks are natural tunes for dancing, often at wedding celebrations.
Other tracks include ‘Travelling Down the Volga/ Firn di Mekhutonim Aheym’, ‘Travelling Down the Volga/ Khosn, Kale, Mazl Tov’, ‘Dodi Li Medley’, ‘Jovano Jovanke’, ‘Erev Shel Shoshanim’, ‘Travelling Down the Volga’, ‘Anicka, Dusicka, Kde Si Bola’, ‘Glick’ and the theme ‘Travelling Down the Volga’ (again).
The sleeve notes are brief but perfectly adequate.
Importantly, they give English translations of the words from such scattered areas as Russia, Romania, Slovakia and Macedonia.
So for example, they show that the Russian folk song, ‘Ochi Chornye’ translates as ‘Dark Eyes’.
They show that Sarah and Emily-Rose had hands in the arrangements.
A couple, including ‘Araber Tanz’, are attributed to Naftule Brandwein, Jewish-American king of the clarinet.
Most pieces however, are ‘traditional Klezmer’ tunes.
The term ‘Chassidic’ arises in connection with a couple.
This refers to the Jewish revival begun in the Ukraine in the nineteenth century.
It is likely that when these accomplished musicians look back on this first album, they might well think that Songs of the Vulgar Boatwomen was somewhat basic, but only by their own high later standards.
It got them started on their careers and they obviously enjoyed the experience.
Tracks such as ‘7.40’ and ‘Harry Potterstein’ show the group’s sense of humour and ‘Canberra Khosidl’ is evidence of their cross-cultural skills.
The album makes for joyful listening.
Mazl tov!
