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    Our physical "Yiddish Silver Screen" CD comes in a beautiful six-panel illustrated gate-fold case, with cover art by Anya Ulinich and disc design by Lisa M. Kelsey. The eminently legible twenty-page booklet fits smoothly into notched tube insert, complete with detailed descriptions as well as full lyrics for all vocal tracks including original Yiddish plus both transliteration and complete English translations. Booklet and artwork layouts by Yiddish publications expert Yankl Salant, graphic designer for "Yiddish Silver Screen" (aka "zilberner kino" / זילבערנער קינאָ ). Illustrations include band photos as well as archival frame stills from numerous Yiddish cinematic works.

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about

Professor Dov-Ber (Boris) Kerler, son of Yiddish writer Yosl Kerler, writes: “The song’s text is included as a poem in my father’s longer cycle entitled ‘Mayn zeyde Yosele badkhn’ (My Grandpa Yosl the Wedding Jester), which was dated by him in his 1972 edition: Vorkuta, 1953. This means that it was originally written as a poem, albeit in the style (or genre)
of Drinking Songs, by a person who was at the time a political prisoner in the Vorkuta labor camp. He was imprisoned in early 1950, then in Vorkuta he first worked in the coal mines and was later (around 1953) reassigned to another physically less demanding work just ten years after he courageously fought and was nearly fatally wounded in battle—in February 1943 (for the latter he was awarded the ‘For Bravery’ medal, a Soviet version of the Purple Heart, I guess).” Yosl Kerler’s poem was later set to music by Vladimir Shainskiy, who became one of the best-loved Soviet composers for his many popular Russian songs. “Yash” was originally recorded in 1961 by Nechama Lifshitsaite, during Krushchev’s post-Stalin “thaw.”

Recorded live onstage in Eureka CA, July 2018.

lyrics

Ven ikh nem a bisele yash, oy-oy,
Finklt alts un glantst.
Kh’gib a varf di puste flash, oy-oy,
Un ikh gey a tants!

Oy-oy, tsuker-zis,
Halt mir bay di hent.
Flekhtn beygelekh di fis,
Di neshome brent!

Vos mir shviger, ver mir vayb, oy-oy,
Veys ikh zey di shlek!
Mitn ershtn kelishik vayn, oy-oy,
Shvimen zey avek.

Oy-oy, tsuker-zis,
Brider, kumt in kon.
Lomir vayzn vind un vist
Vos a kaptsn kon.

Vos mir dayges, ver mir zorg, oy-oy,
Shtrof nit far di reyd.
Gib mir, gotenyu, af borg, oy-oy,
Khotsh a tropn freyd!

Oy, tate, tsuker-zis,
S’redele zikh dreyt.
S’kostn tsores halb umzist,
Shpring tsezetsterheyt!

Ven ikh nem a bisele yash, oy-oy,
Bin ikh gor nit der.
Kh’gib a varf di puste flash, oy-oy,
Un ikh gey a sher!

TRANSLATION:
When I drink a little wine,
Everything sparkles and shines.
I throw away the empty flask,
and I do a dance!

Oh, sugar-sweet,
Hold me by the hand.
Feet braiding bagels,
The soul’s on fire!

Mother-in-law? Wife?
Who cares!
With my first glass of wine,
They just swim away.

Oh, sugar-sweet, brothers:
Come into the circle.
For whatever it’s worth,
Let’s show what a poor man can do.

What worry! What trouble!
May my words not be punished.
Lord, lend me
Just a drop of joy!

Oy, tate [father], sugar-sweet,
The circle is spinning.
Troubles half-price for free,
Jump until you burst!

When I take a little drink,
I’m not the same.
I throw away the empty flask,
And I dance a sher [scissor step]!

credits

from Yiddish Silver Screen, track released November 24, 2023
music by Vladimir Shainskiy, lyrics by Yoysef Kerler; arranged by Isle of Klezbos

Vocals: Melissa Fogarty
Clarinet: Debra Kreisberg
Trumpet: Pam Fleming
Piano: Shoko Nagai
Drums: Eve Sicular

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Isle of Klezbos New York, New York

NYC-based ISLE of KLEZBOS approaches tradition with irreverence and respect. The soulful, fun-loving powerhouse all-women’s klezmer sextet has toured from Vienna to Vancouver since 1998. Repertoire ranges from rambunctious to entrancing: neo-traditional folk dance, mystical melodies,Yiddish swing & retro tango, late Soviet-era Jewish drinking song, re-grooved standards, & genre-defying originals. ... more

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