Fun Yener Zayt Lid 2002, Ashkenazim Quartet, Kazan, Russia

Listen to the CD on Soundcloud 

 Jewish features are always present in the creative work of the Ashkenazim as much as the Universal Truth is part of everyone of us: it bursts forth as a musical image from composer P. Achkinazi–Shepherd, it breathes with improvisations and laughter of musicians and cries with the tears of the audience… read more

Jamda. 2000. Kazan, Russia.

Listen to some tracks on SoundCloud

This CD was recorded in Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia in 2000 and was the first step of the vocal quartet into Yiddish music. With very little access and almost now knowledge of Ashkenazi culture, the singers were discovering their heritage and just getting into the repertoire. Nevertheless, as one of the first emerging FSU “Klezmer Revival” projects, this recording already has something to say and was complimented by Frank London (New York) as “A remarkable group that is at the forefront of Jewish a capella singing.” Only in a couple of years time, the vocal quartet Ashkenazim, having gone through intense learning and changes in personnel, was touring Europe and the US with their new Yiddish music, mostly composed by the leader, now composer and performer in the UK, Polina Shepherd. Some tracks are accompanied by Klezmer Ensemble Simkha, Kazan, Tatarstan (leader – Leonid Sontz).