Jeremy Schonfeld –Iron & Coal
2011, Jeremy Schonfeld Music
2011, Jeremy Schonfeld Music
Growing up in a family of Holocaust survivors, JeremySchonfeld has a different perspective on life than many Gen-Xers. His understanding of the world around him isshaped by the tales of suffering of an entire generation of European Jews atthe hands of Nazi Germany. This darknesshas occasionally entered into his songwriting over the years, but Schonfeld hasshown a remarkably bright side as well. His musical Drift (writtenwith Craig Pospisil) had a two-year run at the New York Musical Theater Festival. He is also a founding composter and lyricistsfor A-Train Musicals. Schonfeld’sperformance style is enigmatic and powerful, as audiences at such venerated NewYork venues as Joe’s Pub, Birdland, B.B. King’s, CBGB’s and Lincoln Center havecome to know. Schonfeld’s must recentwork, Iron & Coal, is his mostpersonal to date, however. It is arecast of his father’s memoirs of Auschwitz; a highly personal and powerfulstory born of his father’s experiences, his own emotions, and that fine linebetween fact and art that breeds the best of stories.
Schonfeld himself is an enigma. If Gordon Lightfoot had gone into musicaltheater instead of folk/rock they’d sound quite similar. Whatever imperfection you might perceive in Schonfeld’svoice become a part of his larger persona, i.e. Randy Newman or Bob Dylan. The theatrical flair in his songwriting isalso never far from the surface. Schonfeld knows how to create moments in song. Opening with “I Gotta Song”, Schonfeld offersup an exultant and beautiful prayer of thanksgiving for “borrowed time”. The song is in movements like a classicalpiece, but is a folk/pop/Broadway blend than runs nine minutes without everfeeling tired. “Story Of Love” is aninspired tune that thrums with Schonfeld’s persona. This is a true performer’s moment that makesyou wish you could take in the song from the third row of a concert hall withthe lights low and just Schonfeld and a piano on stage. “The Mourner’s Kaddish” opens in Hebrew butturns into story-song full of the oft-complicated love of a song for hisfather. Love and the drive todifferentiate are at war here, but it’s not the sort of battle that does harmto anyone other, perhaps, than the one writing it. It’s a powerful tune that will cut deep forthe male listeners in the audience.
“Dead Beat Heart” finds Schonfeld moving more into a 1980’srock sound. Big guitars and even biggermelody are built around a mellow groove for a very enjoyable listeningexperience. “Good Stuff” is a rock androll party song, pure and simple. Verycatchy and danceable, this one is likely to become a guilty pleasure for fansof Kim Mitchell of Cheap Trick. “SaveMe” is an angry and argumentative number that asks for succor but seems tofight it with every note and every word. Schonfeld uses the percussion here to give the song a deeply unsettledfeel – a theatrical contrivance that’s quite effective. “Yedid Netesh – Good Man” fades quickly intothe glam, funk and soul of “Bad Man”. While the song itself is catchy and entertaining, Schonfeld’s backupsingers provide the perfect counterpoint that makes the song fly.
Schonfeld is emotionally lost on “Piece Of Me”, a solidpiece of pop/rock songwriting that is sonically pleasing: a high quality albumtrack that holds its place by advancing the story and very quietly holding moreof your attention than you might at first expect. “Nothing Really Matters – Stop, Stop” begins asa musical soliloquy and turns into a frenetic rockers. This one will get stuck in your head with itsmanic feel. “If Ever” opens with anintriguing pizzicato string arrangement and turns into one of the bestnon-traditional ballads to come out of 2011. Don’t be surprised if this song gets covered many times over down theroad. “Time”, the penultimate track onthe album, advances the story, but feels like its simply holding place. This isn’t inappropriate in the story line,but it is something of a pause musically that’s simultaneously distracting andpossibly necessary to the story line. Schonfeld brings down the curtain with “Yet”, a song of self-convictionabout moving forward and remember that things will somehow be okay. It’s a quietly powerful moment that exploresthe resilience of human heart in the wake of inescapable tragedy, wrapped up ina stunning arrangement that’s perfect for the Broadway stage, but easilytransmutable to the pop/rock/folk world.
Jeremy Schonfeld lives on the edge of death for much of Iron & Coal, but like hisprotagonist he truly lives. The factthat the lines at times become blurred between protagonist and story-telleronly makes the story more powerful. Schonfeld’s compositions are golden – everything flows as if time itselfwere the driver. You could easilyimagine this cycle being reworked into a show, although it perhaps flows bestas it is. A successful musicalpresentation would force too many changes, but as a single work of art, Iron & Coal is a thing of beauty.
Rating: 4.5 Stars(Out of 5)
Learn more about www.jeremyschonfeld.com or www.facebook.com/jeremyschonfeldmusic.