Reviewed by Tony May

This CD represents a "history of the Jews in song and dance". The idea originated with a Christian Jew living in Germany in 1970, Lutz Cassel. He started to discover the culture of his ancestors and as a musician was profoundly moved by the soul of traditional Jewish music. He was soon performing this material, solo for 15 years, then with another guitarist, then with the addition of several other musicians forming Massel Klezmorim. The songs cover Bible stories through to the holocaust, communicating the whole range of the emotions of the Jewish history from exuberance to despair. Though sung in German, English lyrics are printed and the absorbing booklets include interesting insights sprinkled with hilarious Jewish anecdotes.'Is Gewejn A Folk' kicks off with a lively instrumental "Hora" and is full of glorious sounds of which my personal highlight is the gloriously mournful fiddle solo "Prayer From The Kol Nidgei", deeply moving and profound - it just says it all. Some songs tackle the painful subject of persecution by the Christian Church, a matter of historical fact, sadly. Lutz Cassel has one of those immensely expressive, rich, warm voices, reminiscent of Topol's "Fiddler On The Roof" style.

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