Vol. 2 - Festival of Light
Price 8.19 - 19.05 USD
While the first Festival of Light compilation focused on putting an eclectic and young spin on music for Hanukkah, this follow-up is slightly more mellow (but no less diverse). Danny Heines"s "Singing Flames" gives his mesmerizing guitar work a hint of Middle Eastern rhythms; Dave Koz"s "Memories of a Winter"s Night" features the musician"s smooth saxophone work; and the Klezmatics--joined by Israeli vocalist Chava Alberstein--perform the soulful klezmer number "I"m Going to Take Off My Shoes." There"s a ton of great, genre-blurring music here, but the real gems come from jazz trumpeter Frank London. His big band composition "Oh Hanukkah Groove" is spiritual yet swinging, while his atmospheric "Song of Praise"--featuring London, keyboardist Wayne Horvitz, and oud player Michael Kashou--is simply mesmerizing. --Jason Verlinde