Andy Statman - Old Brooklyn
2011, Shefa Records
Andy Statman is the sort of talentthat only comes along once or twice a generation. The Flatbush Brooklyn resident grew up in afamily full of cantors and professional musicians, and seemingly was born withan insatiable love of music. Klezmermusic was an early love, but once Statman discovered the work of Flatt &Scruggs he was forever hooked on bluegrass. An artist in the traditional sense, Statman can play anything, but heseems to come just a bit more alive when he digs into the roots of Americanculture, while never forgetting the Klezmer music from his own culturalroots. Andy Statman recently releasedthe double album Old Brooklyn. It’s a revelation.
Statman opens with "OldBrooklyn", alternating between traditional bluegrass forms and bouts ofmessy, improvisational noise. Some Celtic flavoring gets added into the mix.The picking is incredible, but the manic-aggressive tendencies of the breakdownsmay put off some listeners. "Pretty Little Gal" is a hot littleinstrumental that burns bright, and sets stage for the deeply nuanced andintriguing "The World Will Provide". Ricky Skaggs sits on as guestvocalist, offering a fluid guide to offset Statman's edgy and unusualinstrumentation. The result is a gorgeous and haunting piece with asurprisingly crisp backbone.
Statman explores the delta wherejazz and Middle Eastern styles meet on "Totally Steaming", aninteresting musical backwater that allows his ensemble to show off theirtalents. "Zhok Mahoney" keeps the Mediterranean flavor but is morefree-form in nature. Statman's progressive tendencies get the better of himhere, however, as he tries to do too much at times to fill up space. "EitanAnd Zaidy" blends 1970's rock, bluegrass, funk and jazz into an intriguingmusical hybrid. The musicianship is excellent throughout, and music theoryfanatics will have fun pulling this one apart.
Statman kicks back with a blend ofback porch jazz and R&B perfect for a lazy summer afternoon in "SinceI Met You Baby". There's an unrefined sound here that's not quite as messyas it might first sound. Brooklyn goes country on "A Brighter Day", amischievous little waltz that's easy going and fun. "Life Cycles" isan introspective and pretty solo piece for clarinet that is a must-hear.Sometimes just a solo voice or instrumental can tell the whole story, with apanache that the largest orchestra just can't touch. This is one of thoseperformances.
The slow country waltz comes aroundagain on "Bourbon In Jackson Hole", but Statman is ready to shake offthe mood and get down to some good, old-fashioned rock and roll. This happenson the wonderful "A Boppin' Crib", which finds Statman and his bandweaving together a mix of R&B, jazz and early rock in subtle measure. Thesong is fun and danceable, and will refuse to get itself out of your brain.Things get tricky on "Waltz For Mom". Guest Bruce Molsky and Statmanare true to the title, facing off two fiddles on the bifurcated melody line,but there's an Irish jig dancing around inside screaming to come out.
Bela Fleck makes an appearance,lending his prodigious banjo to "Shabbos Nigun". "Mah Yedidus(How Beloved Is Your Rest)", however, features some of the finest instrumentalwork of the album. That lazy afternoon feel returns on "Blues In 3",a song with great sound and little ambition; and a great listen. Molsky returnsfor another fiddle faceoff on "Uncle Mo", a catchy and danceable reelyou simply cannot ignore. Statman closes with "Long Journey Home", anamped up acoustic instrumental that blows the roof off and leaves no doubtersbehind.
Andy Statman is consistentlyinconsistent on Old Brooklyn, refusing to be hemmed in by considerationsof genre or style. The result is an eminently pleasing and entertain gin listenthat should garner some real attention from critics and on year-end lists.Statman's sound is varied enough to work against him from a commercialperspective, but placement on a soundtrack or popular compilation would explodeStatman into much wider recognition. Statman certainly deserves the exposure.Even with a few bumps, Old Brooklyn still stands to be one of the finestefforts in Americana and World music of the year.
Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)
Learn more about Andy Statman at www.andystatman.org.
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