Search - David Krakauer :: New Hot One

David Krakauer is hands-down one of the most exciting clarinetists performing today, a guy as comfortable playing the trad-inspired tunes of the Klezmatics as he is interpreting New Music maverick Luciano Berio. Consider A New Hot One to be somewhere in between those two sonic poles. Klezmer warhorses such as "The Russian Shers" and "Sirba" are infused with all the nervous energy Krakauer and his red-hot ensemble can muster. Mark Stewart's electric guitar and Ted Reichman's accordion seem to fit perfectly into these wild jazz arrangements, while Kevin Norton's light-and-fast attack on the drums holds the group together. This isn't music for the faint of heart. The title track doesn't just swing, it erupts into a mind-boggling frenzy of clarinet, guitar, and drums. Other tunes simmer with equal power; rootsy intros segue into swirling clarinet solos that snowball with intensity. Somehow, these New Yorkers have done the impossible, creating one of the most inventive, soulful, and powerful Klezmer discs since the days of Naftule Brandwein. It's Krakauer's best work yet and, quite simply, a masterpiece. --Jason Verlinde