East-West Ensemble

The Kabbalah has been in the news since Madonna became interested in it, but this isn't a disc aimed at celebrity. Instead it's a very serious work of music composed by Jewish Kabbalists and Hassidim, where the mystery isn't in the melodies, but in the arrangement of the notes and their significance (although what that is would take a trained expert to interpret). This live disc, beautifully recorded, pulls music from many corners of the Jewish diaspora -- Turkey, Tunisia, Ethiopia, the Ukraine, even a melody from Ravel with some lyrical words. The idea that binds them all is Kabbalah, forming a tie with the classical Arab music of Turkey, played with a serious, stately grace, or the more rhythmic Horn of Africa, where a looser tune still seems important, or a drone underlying the voices after an ornate, dense arrangement. The singers, who carry so much of the weight here, are outstanding throughout, crystal clear and committed. You won't put this on as background -- it demands too much concentration for that -- but attentive listening will give plenty of satisfaction. ~ Chris Nickson, All Music Guide