Jewish-Jazz fusion band fronted by Greg Wall and Frank London recorded live this CD at the Bagatela Theatre, Cracow on June 30th, 1998 during the 8th Jewish Culture Festival in Cracow.
Hasidic New Wave
Live in Cracow
Label: NotTwo, 1998
Catalogue No: MW 706
Format: CD
Tracks:
- Al-Osfour Al-Majnoun (Frank London) - 8'57"
- Hebe Bop (Frank London) - 9'36"
- Blues in Exile (Greg Wall) - 8'01"
- Satmer Hakofos Nign (trad./ Hasidic New Wave) - 12'35"
- A.K.S. (Aaron Alexander) - 6'32"
Line-up:
Frank London - trumpet
Greg Wall - sax
David Fiuczynski - guitar
Fima Ephron - bass
Aaron Alexander - drums
Recorded:
live at the Bagatela Theatre, Cracow on June 30th, 1998 during The 8th Jewish Culture Festival in Cracow
Reviews:
I'd bet that if you asked them, the members of Hasidic New Wave would cite
the concert preserved on Live In Cracow CD to be one of the strangest shows they
ever played. The idea of a Jewish Culture Festival in Cracow, Poland, in the
nineties is unusual enough, but to have an outré Jewish band from New York
perform there makes for a unique combination of historical and musical forces.
Trumpeter Frank London and saxophonist Greg Wall co-lead the group, which blends
Semitic malodies, funky backbeats, electric guitar, progressive jazz sensibility
and more into a heady stew of vigorous noise. The highly appreciative and
responsive audience clearly energizes the band, and they deliver a powerful
performance on this 1998 release, beginning with the totally wild onslaught of
Frank London's "Al-Osfour Al-Manjoun" which gets things off to a jumping start
as London and Wall nail the unison like a revved-up reflection of the Don
Cherry_Ornette Coleman front line. Fima Ephron's bouncy electric bass and Aaron
Alexander's understated drumming provide a firm foundation for the band's sound.
Guitarist Fiuczynski proves infinitely adaptable and critical to the music's
success with a sound that ranges from low-key propulsive chording to a lonesome
slide on the atmospheric "Transcendence" to a full-bore and fully electric
soloist. Wall and London provide most of the material, joined here by a pair of
arrangements of traditional tunes ("Satmer Hakofos Nign" and "V'Smakhta") and
drummer Alexander's Zappa-esque "A.K.S". It's Jewish jazz-rock, exemplified by
London's "Hebe Bop" and Wall's "Blues In Exile", smart stuff that you can dance
to. This disc might be hard to find, but it's worth looking for.
(review courtesy of Stuart Kremsky, Cadence)
*****
As part of the Jewish Culture Festival Cracow hosted an exceptional group
from the US – The Hasidic NewWave. The concert of the quintet, which fuses jazz
and funk with elements of Jewish and Arabic music, was truly a special event.
Co-leaders trumpeter Frank London and saxophonist Greg Wall, guitarist David ,,Fuze”
Fiuczynski, bassist Fima Ephron, and drummer Aaron Alexander displayed not only
inventiveness, finesse, and unbelievable technique, but created what could only
be called a musical spectacle. They were able to draw the audience into the
music as virtually active participants, creating a sort of collective
celebration of it in spite of the fact that what they played is by no means
..accessible” music.
With their Cracow appearance, The Hasidic New Wave fully confirmed the qualities
displayed on their CD ,,The Jews and the Abstract Truth”. Wall played
incredibly; his improvisations, though rather far out, were well–constructed and
convincing. His playing bore not a trace of calculated-ness, just honest,
expressive, and highly personal creativity. London displayed equal
sound-sculpting prowess, invention and enthusiasm while also connecting with the
audience well. The rhythm section also deserves high praise: Fiuczynski amazed
listeners with his Frank Zappa-esque guitar stylings, showing great musicality,
sound, and feel; Ephron not only accompanied well, but tastefully integrated a
variety of electronic effects into the music; Alexander played in a relaxed but
at the same time extremely precise manner, with a perfect command of dynamics.
His drums had a unique, soft, subtle, and warm sound.
The audience had a great time, the atmosphere in the room more reminiscent of
that at a regular dance-band gig that an avant-garde jazz concert. Lack of space
was the only reason people didn’t start to dance.
(Robert Buczek, Jazz Forum, translated by Kami White)
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