Well this makes a change. It might even make a first as I didn’t know there even was such a thing as a Jewish cultural revival band but it would seem there is in California and they are named Mostly Kosher.
To their credit, the cultural revivalism has not led this group of obviously talented musicians into simple recreation of the past and all sorts of other influences jump right in to suit their mood. “Dodi Li”, for example, starts and finishes outside the synagogue but still finds the time for both a visit to the function suite of the Ramada Inn in Seattle and an uptown jazz club. Those jazzy inflections also enliven this cabaret styled rendition of “Ikh Hob Dikh Tsufil Lib” to such an extent that I felt the urge to order another of bottle of champagne. A band with class always makes me thirsty.
Perhaps my favourite song, however, was “Rozhinkes Mit Mandlen”. Driven onwards and upwards by an organ of near religious intent and a gloriously intense female voice, this song took this traditional Jewish lullaby all the way from reverential to inspirational.
Whilst I suspect that it will be that spirit of cabaret running through the collective veins of Mostly Kosher that will make them the most friends, it is equally true that the cognoscenti amongst us will be similarly impressed by standard of musicianship on show here.