A Jumpin' Night in Garden of Eden

Straight out of Massachusetts comes this album from the Klezmer Conservatory Band. It's a lively piece of work, with all of the vigor common to klezmer in general. The songs are somewhat more traditional than one would likely find on, say, the Klezmatics albums, but still thoroughly enjoyable. The bits that make klezmer stand out are all present: the thumping piano accompaniment, the occasional wailing horns, the slithery clarinet work. The style, in some ways represents the midpoint between German music and Middle Eastern music, with both backgrounds represented by the Jews. This album does well to show off both sides of it all. Pick it up if you're a fan of klezmer; if not already a fan, it wouldn't be a bad choice to test the waters, though something slightly more contemporary like the Klezmatics may be more appropriate.