Woody Guthrie's Happy Joyous Hanukkah [2006] (CD - 2006)

The Klezmatics: Lorin Sklamberg (vocals, accordion, piano); Frank London (bass voice, trumpet, alto horn, harmonium); Lisa Gutkin (violin, background vocals); Matt Darriau (reeds, Jew's harp); David Licht (drums).

Additional personnel: Danny Blume (vocals, electric guitar); Susan McKeown (vocals, background vocals); Greg Anderson (guitar); Boo Reiners (guitars, banjo, mandolin); Erik Anjou, Tine Kindermann, Klara Zikova, Annette Ezekiel (background vocals).

Like Wilco and Billy Bragg before them, the Klezmatics ventured a collaboration with the late, great Woody Guthrie by setting a series of Guthrie's unrecorded lyrics to original music. The project resulted in two albums, WONDER WHEEL and WOODY GUTHRIE'S HAPPY JOYOUS HANUKKAH. The HANUKKAH album was originally released in 2004, but was re-released in 2006 with four additional songs. The Klezmatics make Guthrie's lyrics fully their own, incorporating his words into their rousing, Eastern European Jewish folk sound. Each song celebrates the holiday from a different angle, and Guthrie's witty, clever words honor tradition, yet are never pious or overly reverent. The result is a delightful celebration both of Guthrie's memory and of Jewish culture in general. minimize