If you like Kurt Weill or Tom Waits, you will probably enjoy Ghetto Tango, an immaculately packaged collection of World War II Yiddish theater songs intelligently interpreted by two contemporary musicians.

Adrienne Cooper’s vocals can crack you up with laughter or wring your guts with heartbreak, and Zalmen Mlotek’s piano accompaniment is brilliant. The anger, irony and danger of the lyrics stand out starkly on tales of greed, hunger, homelessness and death camps. And Cooper’s liner notes and translations are comprehensive and detailed.

Songs:

1. Moyshe Halt Zikh
2. Coolies
3. Mues
4. Mazl/ On A Heym
5. Makh Tsu Di Eygelekh
6. Peshe Fun Reshe
7. Yisrolik
8. Moorsoldaten
9. Vayl Ikh Bin A Yidele
10. Fun Der Arbet
11. Nit Keyn Rozhinkes
12. Ver Klapt Es
13. Friling
14. Song Of The Nazi Soldier’s Wife
15. Amerike Hot Erklert
16. Yid Du Partizaner
17. Minutn Fun Bitokhn
18. The Bar Mitzve Speech

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