''At the Rebbe's Table'' is the third recording by guitarist
Tim Sparks
Tim Sparks (born October 31, 1954) is an American acoustic guitar player, singer, arranger and composer.
Life
Raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, he was given his first guitar when a bout of encephalitis kept him out of school for a year. T ...
on the
Tzadik Records label.
History
Producer
John Zorn
John Zorn (born September 2, 1953) is an American composer, conductor, saxophonist, arranger and producer who "deliberately resists category". Zorn's avant-garde and experimental approaches to composition and improvisation are inclusive of jaz ...
combined Sparks with
Masada alumni
Greg Cohen and Brazilian percussionist
Cyro Baptista on Sparks' previous release ''
Tanz'', and this time adds guitarist
Marc Ribot on nylon-string guitar and
Erik Friedlander on cello.
Reception
''At the Rebbe's Table'' received favorable reviews.
Allmusic music critic Steven Loewy stated "Sparks treats the melodies respectfully as serious guides to a people's past, and in the process explores the life-affirming nature of the music."
''
JazzTimes'' critic Josef Woodard wrote "Whatever the heritage or cultural pedigree, it's simply touching music."
Music critic Kirk Albrecht wrote ''At the Rebbe's Table'' "...may be Sparks' best yet in capturing the life and cross-pollination richly textured in these 11 selections from the diaspora Jewish communities around the world."
Track listing
#"Returning from the River" (Fun Tashlach) (
Naftule Brandwein
Naftule Brandwein, or Naftuli Brandwine, ( yi, נפתלי בראַנדװײַן, 1884–1963) was an Austrian-born Jewish American Klezmer musician, clarinetist, bandleader and recording artist active from the 1910s to the 1940s. Along with ...
) – 4:54
#"The Keys from Spain" (La Jave Espana) (
Flory Jagoda
Flory Jagoda (born Flora Papo; December 21, 1923January 29, 2021) was a Bosnian Jewishborn American guitarist, composer and singer-songwriter. She was known for her composition and interpretation of Sephardic songs, Judeo-Espanyol (Ladino) song ...
) – 4:30
#"At the Rebbe's Table" (Baym Rebns Sude) (Klezmer traditional) – 4:09
#"Beautiful City" (Kirya Yefiefiya) (Yeminite trad.) – 5:13
#"Tartar Dance" (Der Heisser) (Naftule Brandwein) – 5:13
#"Mahshav" (
John Zorn
John Zorn (born September 2, 1953) is an American composer, conductor, saxophonist, arranger and producer who "deliberately resists category". Zorn's avant-garde and experimental approaches to composition and improvisation are inclusive of jaz ...
) – 3:48
#"Abu's Courtyard" (Hasidic trad.) – 5:24
#"Walking the In-laws Home" (Fim Di Mekhutonim Aheym) (Naftule Brandwein) – 3:38
#"La Serena" (The Siren) (Sephardic trad., Greece) – 4:38
#"Todos Si Hueron" (They Have All Gone) (Flory Jagoda) – 7:03
#"Sadagora Dance" (Sadagora Chusidl) (Klezmer trad.) – 3:06
Personnel
*Tim Sparks – steel-string acoustic guitar
*
Marc Ribot – nylon-string acoustic guitar
*
Erik Friedlander – cello
*
Greg Cohen – bass
*
Cyro Baptista – percussion
Production notes
*Produced by Tim Sparks
*Executive producer:
John Zorn
John Zorn (born September 2, 1953) is an American composer, conductor, saxophonist, arranger and producer who "deliberately resists category". Zorn's avant-garde and experimental approaches to composition and improvisation are inclusive of jaz ...
*Recorded by Jim Anderson at Avatar, NJ
*Mastered by
Scott Hull at Classic Sound, NTC
*Design by Hueng-Hueng Chin
References
{{Authority control
2002 albums
Tim Sparks albums
Tzadik Records albums