Search - Theodore Bikel, Hankus Netsky :: A Taste of Passover

A Joyous Celebration of Pesach!

Jacqueline Lichtenberg | 04/03/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the CD that accompanies the PBS-TV concert special "A Taste of Passover." It includes some excellent traditional songs, and some new versions of old favorites. There are lots of wonderful numbers, but let me make special note of three: "Dayenu" sung to Paul Anka's "Diana"---what fun!; a haunting and captivating "Adir Hu" performed with flute and tympani; and a showstopping "Chad Gadya." We brought the CD with us to a Seder this year and everyone loved it. We closed the evening by playing the incredible "Chad Gadya" and had everyone dancing the hora and clapping. The CD is lots of fun---and has a couple of very moving cuts, too. What really impresses you is the joyousness of the artists---there is high energy, and the music is ALIVE, not stuffy. There are songs in Hebrew, English, Yiddish, and Ladino---and the music is so good, I think you may conclude (as have we) that this album need not be restricted to Passover. You'll also learn how to make the perfect matzoh ball!"

OK so I'm a fan!

Jacqueline Lichtenberg | Arizona | 03/06/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I became a Theodore Bikel fan when I was in college during the International Folk era. I didn't know anything about music. I didn't know anything about acting. I didn't know anything about writing. I could barely understand 3 languages, and two of them were dead. Theo's folk albums lead me to study languages, linguistics, folklore, psychology, stagecraft, anthropology, writing, art -- everything -- and I made a career out of worldbuilding and writing. But I'm more of a fan now than I was then because I've learned over the decades to appreciate the exquisite craftsmanship Theo brings to every tiny nuance of his stage-work. This album contains some truly fine songs done with warmth, depth, delight, -- the pure sound of what family life would be like if every family were "functional." It's not just the words of the songs -- and not just the fine singing -- it's the acting behind the singing that makes every Theodore Bikel album so very special. And this one is a great example of that distinctive Bikel style. First and foremost, Theo is an actor. He acts each song, he becomes the character who is singing and invites you into the character. He takes you for a walking mile in that character's moccasins or prayer-shawl. For those few moments, you know what it is to be that person who sings that special emotion. "A Taste of Passover" makes a music-video in my head of the month of Nisan, the harbinger of spring. You really can't live without music like this in your house. Live Long and Prosper, Jacqueline Lichtenberg"

Dayenu--Diana--Michael S. McCown, soloist

Jacqueline Lichtenberg | 01/01/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A Taste of Passover provides a wonderful look at Jewish beliefs and music, and it gave me a new insight into a group of people and a religion that have fascinated me for years.Theodore Bikel's telling of "The Carp in the Bathtub" was touching, and the Matzoh Ball Demonstration by Chasia Segal was charming. Hankus Netsky and the Klezmer Conservatory Band played music with which I was unfamiliar and made me feel as though I were listening to pieces that I had known all my life and which had become my favorites.But the highlight was hearing Michael McCown sing "Dayenu" to the tune of Paul Anka's "Diana." He sings it with such energy and delight that it became an interactive experience for the audience, and they seemed to enjoy listening to the song as much as he enjoyed performing it."