Jerusalem-based Yosef Gutman Levitt is back with the fifth album of his that we’ve covered here, a collaboration with the singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Peter Broderick for this blend of jazz and classical on River of Eden. To Levitt’s credit, each of his releases is distinctly different even though the past three have been with guitar masters Lionel Loueke, Gilad Hekelsman, and Itay Sher, the latter who returns here on nylon string guitar along with Levitt’s regular pianist, Yonathan Avishai, and cellist Yoed Nir. Joining NIr on strings is Broderick who sticks to violin and effects. Levitt plays the upright bass and his custom (and customary) acoustic five-string bass. Note there are no percussion elements present. Both Levitt and Broderick composed, as well as collaborated on the material in this all acoustic endeavor buffeted in places with Broderick’s loops and unobtrusive effects.
Some of the melodies here, rather simple as they are, feel as if you’ve heard them before. As it turns out, three of the pieces called nigunim that Levitt arranged are traditional Jewish folk songs put to music without words. The album is soothing and meditative, yet there’s a subtle underlying spiritual component. When Levitt speaks about his label’s mission, he says, “To make music that’s intimate , improvisational, with a profound honesty, stripping away anything that’s not needed. What’s important is that the music is inspired from something higher. I want to work with artists who are interested in getting to that place.” Broderick expressed a somewhat similar sentiment – “I have a belief in music as this ultra powerful thing with the potential to transcend the biggest crises and conflicts we have as humans.”
The booklet speaks to how these pieces relate to Jewish tradition as the title refers to the ‘’inner notes of Torah,” essentially transporting the delights of that mythical garden into the world. Single piano notes and Broderick’s ethereal effects welcome us into the first piece “The Open Door,” one of three culled from longer improvisations, the others are “Resilience” and the album closer “Wave of Forgiveness.” As the piece evolves you’ll hear Levitt’s five string and the commingling of the violin and cello to create an airy, mystical soundscape. The folkloric “Nigun Al Alchat,” as the other two titled “Nigun,” are primarily driven by Broderick’s violin while the melody and arrangements of “Gratitude,” like “Revolution” and the utterly uplifting “Renewal” as well as the three nigunim were crafted by Levitt and his longtime producer Gilad Ronen. “Revolution” has an interesting sequence where Broderick’s pizzicato approach blends nicely with Levitt’s five string bass. All pieces are relatively short, running in the two to five minute range with the closer, “Wave of Forgiveness,” arguably the most distinctly spiritual piece, approaching six minutes is anything but an emphatic finale. Instead, the music just seems to seep into the ether.
The two pieces composed by Broderick appear consecutively. “Cinnamon Swirl’ came to him in a dream and is based on a Danish folk song that Broderick must have recalled from his days living in Denmark. He composed the stirring “Old City” after a solo excursion through Jerusalem during a break in the recording sessions. As you listen to the quintet’s reverent approach, it’s easy to envision the history in those ancient walls breathing through the music. Broderick can also take credit for the outlier, “Reflection,” a short duet of fiddle and piano that was captured on cassette during the photo shoot for the album. Outlier refers to the fact that it is not a full quintet piece but musically it fits well in this context.
This is one of those albums you need to prepare for, a meditative, transportive journey that becomes more interesting upon each listen.
– Jim Hynes
Jim Hynes is a respected music reviewer and journalist celebrated for his thoughtful analysis and unwavering passion for a broad spectrum of music genres, particularly jazz, blues, and Americana. With a career spanning decades, Hynes has built a reputation for his articulate and insightful reviews that delve deep into the artistry, emotion, and cultural impact of the music he covers.
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Yosef Gutman Levitt / Peter Broderick
