*** THE JEWISH ALTERNATIVE MOVEMENT: A GUIDE FOR THE PERPLEXED

(Knitting Factory/J.A.M.)

The concept of "radical Jewish culture," conceived by groups like John Zorn's Masada as a subset of the larger avant-garde scene, has now blossomed into a "Jewish alternative movement" big enough to warrant its own label. To kick off the Knitting Factory's J.A.M. imprint, tracks by 15 acts representing the wide spectrum of modern Jewish music -- including better-knowns like the Klezmatics (doing psychedelic klezmer) and Hasidic New Wave (with a skronky Yiddish drinking song), as well as relative outsiders like Wally Brill and Neshama Carlebach -- have been compiled on A Guide for the Perplexed. JAM pioneers like Zorn and guitarist Marc Ribot are noticeably absent, though their influence is felt in the likes of Paradox Trio and Naftule's Dream. This "guide" forgoes cohesion in the interests of maximum breadth as it lumps together bebop "Hava Nagila," cantorial ambient, Jewish-themed spoken word, wanky Middle Eastern jazz fusion, and drony prayer adaptations. You'd be right to brand the concept of Jewish alternative music as something of a gimmick, but the music itself rarely sounds forced.

-- Roni Sarig