American, New York-Downtown-based trumpeter-composer Frank London has played with almost anyone you can think of – John Zorn and John Cale, LaMonte Young and Itzhak Perlman, Gal Costa, David Byrne and Iggi Pop, Allen Ginsberg and Lester Bowie. He is a key figure in the Klezmer music revival and led bands like The Klezmatics, Hasidic New Wave and Hazanos, a Grammy Award-winner and was knighted by the Hungarian government for his contributions to multicultural music and culture. Recently London was diagnosed with myelofibrosis, an extremely rare and fatal blood cancer, and just before he was hospitalized for a bone marrow transplant he recorded six albums that stress his diverse musical interests and continue to push boundaries.
The upbeat, brass-heavy Brass Conspiracy (released on Zorn’s Tzadik label) features a front line of London, trombonist Josh Roseman and tubaist Marcus Rojas (who played in The Klezmatics’ debut album, 25 years ago) and the rhythm section of Javier Díaz, congas player Onel Matos and drummer-vibes player Kenny Wollesen (another close collaborator of Zorn who has played in London’s Ghetto Songs, Flemay, 2021, and guested in The Klezmatics Grammy Award-winning album Wonder Wheel, with lyrics by Woody Guthrie, 2006).
In this album, London offers a soulful and knowledgeable yet irreverent and often ironic perspective on the role of brass, particularly trumpet, trombone & tuba, in the history of jazz music, informed and fed by Latin music, New Orleans, soundtrack, ragtime, and avant-garde. London leads this ensemble with a beautiful, warm voice, commanding authority and a natural sense of discovery and invention and he lets the ensemble create its clever but organic, captivating playful dynamics. The mournful, lyrical «Dedication», with the sparse playing of the rhythm section, captures beautifully the original, loving and life-affirming perspective of London on jazz brass legacy.
Chronika originated from an inebriated plan between London and Bulgarian DJ Joro-Boro during a night at one of New York’s renowned dance clubs. It was recorded in 2008 in a two-day musical marathon with London’s Klezmer Brass Allstars and many special guests during the peak of that hybrid scene of Balkan beat music (from which the Gogol Bordello band was formed), Jewish joyous holiday songs, Yiddish and Klezmer melodies, psychedelia, dub and electronic sounds. During the slowdown in post-pandemic touring, London revisited and mixed the recordings and recognized the opportune moment to complete and share this unique musical adventure.
This is the fourth album of London’s Klezmer Brass Allstars and the most radical and experimental album in the 25-year history of this ensemble. It suggests an ecstatic, reimagining of a tradition of acid, an irresistible and highly addictive celebration of joy, unity, and cross-cultural harmony that demands a full surrender to its uplifting, dance moves. It is also a statement of resilience in the face of persecution and destruction. The ensemble features Downtown’s guitarist Brandon Seabrook (who leads his trio and Seabrook Power Plant) and drummer Aaron Alexander (of Satoko Fujii New York Orchestra, The Klezmatics and Hasidic New Wave), the late guitarist Yossi Piamenta («The Jewish Hendrix») and many other leading figures in the Klezmer world.
Eyal Hareuveni
Frank London (trumpet), Josh Roseman (trombone), Marcus Rojas (tuba), Javier Díaz (drums), Onel Matos (congas), Kenny Wollesen (drums, vibraphone), Susan Hoffman Watts (trumpet), Michael Winograd (clarinet), Brian Drye (trombone), Dan Blacksberg (trombone), Ron Caswell (tuba), Brandon Seabrook (guitar), Aaron Alexander (drums), Michael Alpert (vocals), Benny Amar (vocals), Sarah Gordon (vocals), Meshach (vocals), Eva Salina (vocals), Yossi Piamenta (guitar), DJ Joro-Boro (beats), Willie Martinez (percussion), Sam Day Harmet (production), Benjamin Shwartz (organ), Carlos Metta (percussion), Curha (remix)
