my favourite cd at the moment: "mickey katz: simcha time – mickey katz plays music for weddings, bar mitzvahs, & brisses".

mickey katz was a great comedian and musician. his parodies of popular songs of his time are hilarious ("that's morris"). or just think of titles like "schlepping my baby back home", "borscht riders in the sky" or "don't let the schmalz get in your eyes" to already get a glimpse of his anarchistic humor.

he always gathered excellent musicians in his groups, that's why it's exciting to listen to his songs without any comical connotations, too.

almost in every piece the band switches into some very kletzmerish interlude that sometimes sounds a little bit like the fanfare groups of eastern europe (e.g. fanfare giocarlia or taraf de haïdouk).

kudos to cornelius who dared to play the record at his good-bye party. see you in enns!