Janet Klein & Her Parlor Boys • Yiddisha Follies

Janet Klein & Her Parlor Boys have always had a few Jewish novelty numbers in their book. They use them to bring levity to their hot jazz concerts, while at the same time honoring some of the great Jewish American songwriters. In 2005 Klein had a year long residence at the Steve Allen theater doing a show titled Janet Klein and the Borscht Belt Babies. It received rave reviews. The accompanying variety acts featured the actual grandchildren of Jewish vaudeville and Hollywood stars. Janet Klein's own grandfather, Marty Klein, was a performer in the '30s and '40s Their new album combines 16 "Yiddish flavored" titles with Klezmer, vaudeville, Borscht Belt, or Jewish theater origins and infuses them with Klein’s own hot jazz sensibility. Ten of the tracks were previously released on other albums, she's had nine before this one, and six are new to this collection. It's a rollicking good time. The opening track features Janet singing in Yiddish. Most songs are in English but are delivered with her accented stage persona. The witty lyrics, and even the two traditional instrumental dances, breathe with the rich life of the immigrant experience, the inside jokes and secret longings. The songwriting is excellent. Some of the proactively self deprecating humor, particularly Irving Berlin's "Cohen Owes Me $97", may be offensive to modern ears but the tale it tells still brings down th