Lenka Lichtenberg

*Folk Roots/Folk Branches -* Review of Songs for the Breathing Walls by Mike Regenstreif March 13, 2013 "...deeply moving...The album is a very special achievement..." frfb.blogspot.ca/2013/03/lenka-lichtenberg-songs-for-breathing.html Penguin Eggs - Review of the Songs for the Breathing Walls and Bridges by Nicholas Jennings Spring 2013 Passionate and prolific, Lenka Lichtenberg is a force of nature within Canada’s world music scene. Born in Prague of East European heritage, she is a composer, vocalist, producer, ethnomusicologist and bandleader with five solo CDs and several collaborative projects to her credit. Although she works in six languages, Lichtenberg has made Yiddish her main medium out of a deep belief in keeping that tradition alive (her mother is a Holocaust child survivor). She has recorded what she calls “Yiddish ethno-jazz” with members of Tasa, and partnered with oud and violin virtuoso Yair Dalal in a unique Yiddish-Iraqi work-in-progress. Now Lichtenberg has released two boundary-pushing CDs. Bridges, recorded live at Toronto’s Lula Lounge, pairs her with Middle Eastern musician-dancer Roula Said in a Yiddish-Arabic musical dialogue. Backed by superb musicians like Ravi Naimpally, Ernie Tollar, John Gzowski and Alan Hetherington, Lichtenberg and Said trade vocals on songs like Nujum and Open My Eyes. Although the English lyrics are sometimes a little too on the nose, the music is often thrilling and the album’s cross-cultural message, best expressed in the opener Peace is the Only Way, admirable. Lichtenberg’s Songs for the Breathing Walls took her into 12 Czech and Moravian synagogues where she recorded songs based on biblical texts once recited and chanted within those walls. Set to ouds, sitars, clarinets and violins, the Jewish liturgical poems and prayers take on a powerful, haunting quality. Like Loreena McKennitt with Celtic sounds, Lichtenberg is pushing Yiddish music beyond its klezmer stereotype into a truly inspired form of world music. *Toronto Moon Magazine* - by Gary Webb-Proctor January 2013 "Arguably Toronto's most innovative ethnic folk/world folk-jazz singer and composer with five solo CD's already released, Lenka Lichtenberg is noi stranger to teaming up with artists from Europe, the Middle East and South America to create unique collaborative compositions that combine diverse cultural influences."... http://www.torontomoon.ca/lenka-teaming-up-with-iraqui-folk-jazz-artist-for-unique-show-at-musideum-tues-2/ *New Canadian Music* - Songs for the Breathing Walls review by David Farrell: "... ethereal, sometimes hypnotic....Obviously this has a niche audience, but a niche that stretches from here to eternity. Buy." http://www.newcanadianmusic.ca/releases/s/songs-for-the-breathing-walls/lenka-lichtenberg/2012-11-14 *Times of Israel* feature article by Renee Ghert-Zand, November 2012 http://www.timesofisrael.com/musical-tour-creates-poignant-historical-echo-in-czech-republics-synagogues/ =================================================================================================
Lenka talks candidly about her work in 2012, in The WholeNote's Summer News "On the Road" bit.ly/RI3e8Q ===========================================================
Review FEBRUARY 2012 "Lenka Lichtenberg presented a truly Canadian blend of music combining all sorts of styles. I got goose bumps when I listened to an Auschwitz lullaby performed in Roma, Yiddish, Russian and English. (In other songs, ...) ...the combination of typical klezmer clarinet played with a backing of Middle Eastern percussion and electric cello took listeners on an incredible musical journey." February 20, 2012 www.gazetagazeta.com/2012/02/winterfolk-2012/ "Singer of new Yiddish music reaps rewards". Feature article by Dorothy Lichtblau in the Canadian Jewish News, February 2, 2012, page 46: http://bit.ly/Feb0212FT =========================================== CJN MONTREAL January 2011 "It takes a few moments of listening to get past the pleasure and feel amazed at what you're hearing. It's Lenka Lichtenberg's crystalline voice singing to a Middle Eastern beat in Mizrachi style. But the words are in Yiddish. The splicing of two Jewish spheres into a world music fusion sound is astounding and makes you feel as though you have stepped onto a new planet." Feature article "Singer fuses two Jewish spheres with her music" by Heather Solomon, CJN Montreal, January 27, 2011 http://www.cjnews.com/sites/default/files/files/eCJN/2011/01%2027%2011%20MTL.pdf ================================================= PORCUPINE AWARDS December 2011 "This is an excellent album of Yiddish poems set to original music composed by Lichtenberg. Fray utilizes the services of Tasa: Ravi Naimpally, John Gzowski, Ernie Tollar, Alan Hetherington and Chris Gartner. I mean, Yiddish music with tablas!..." Steve Fruitman, 2011 Porcupine Awards - "MUSIQUE DE LA MONDE - brought here to enrich us all" backtothesugarcamp.com/2011.html =========================================== The FORWARD April 2011 "From Prague to Masada and Back Again" , The Forward, Renee Ghert-Zand, New York, April 18, 2011 Monday Music: From Prague to Masada and Back Again – The Arty ...blogs.forward.com/the-arty-semite/137127/Cached– On her first visit to Israel in 1987, Czech-born Canadian singer Lenka Lichtenberg looked out from the top of Masada and never looked back. ============================================ January/March 2011 Petr Doružka - World Music " Lenka Lichtenberg a Yair Dalal: Klezmer, jiddiš a hudba Babylonu" world.freemusic.cz:80/index.php/lenka-lichtenberg-a-yair-dalal-klezmer-jiddis-a-hudba-babylonu/ ============================================ Review March 2011 RECENZE: "Lenka Lichtenberg je exotická jen na první poslech" - iDNES.cz 7. března 2011 kultura.idnes.cz/recenze-lenka-lichtenberg-je-exoticka-jen-na-prvni-poslech-pni-/hudba.aspx ============================================ "Singer Marries Yiddish, Middle Eastern Influences" Jordana Divon - feature article 2011 jordanadivon.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/lenka.pdf ============================================ "Beautiful, haunting, inspiring and mesmerizing are but a few of the adjectives that describe this aural delight. Soothing, enticing, and full of vibrancy, Lenka has one of the sweetest voices in the world.” ~ Rankin, HBN Radio, Harrisburg, Penn., U.S.A. ============================================ “The singer belongs to the most interesting, and courageous, personalities of contemporary Yiddish music scene. Her work, a cultivated, highly personal take on traditional styles… belongs to present day.” ~ Katerina Kolcova-Tlusta, Harrmonie (Czech national music industry magazine) “Lichtenberg has a lovely, confectionary, gamin-like quality. Her soprano voice sails above and around the notes with perfect control, weaving a luminous mystical web.” ~ Lesley Mitchell-Clarke, The Wholenote Magazine (Canada) “Lichtenberg's powerful voice takes us on a tour of a mystical land of joys and sorrows....” ~ Spin The Globe: World Music News “A wonderfully variagated collection... Lichtenberg is moving towards the head of the class quickly.” ~ George Robinson, The New York Jewish Week Great musicianship and hot passionate vocals."ZING" is a song of joy!! Thanks." ~ Mitchell Mendys, WKNH KEENE, New Hampshire "...an astounding talent." ~ Jowi Taylor, CBC Radio, Global Village "..spirited performance... unusual topics." ~ George Robinson, The New York Jewish Week "...impressively crosses many different genres and pulls each of beautifully ...reinvents traditional tunes and invents new ones" ~ Lisa Cooperman, The National Post "An important contribution to modern Jewish culture." ~ Nomi Kaston, The Canadian Folk Music Bulletin "...multitalented singer." ~ Cynthia Gassner, Canadian Jewish News "...addresses many of the issues that face us." ~ Ari Davidow, Klezmershack "...passionate album from the versatile Czech-born singer-songwriter." ~ Geoff Chapman, Toronto Star "Your music ...is a wonderful gift to my listeners in Philadelphia." ~ Barry Reisman, WNWR