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Mickey Katz: Live at Katz's Deli
ByRecently unearthed in an abandoned public storage facility in Queens, the album features a baker's dozen of Katz's material. The singer/clarinetist was a fixture on the Catskills scene in the 1950s and 1960s.
Introduced by legendary Birdland announcer, Pee Wee Marquette (who had coincidentally stopped by the bistro for a little tongue sandwich), Katz and his Kids leaped into one of their biggest hits, "In Walked Bud's Buddy, Bubbie." The klezmer bossa, "Girl from Cracownema" had the crowd devouring Katz with their Derma. And, the exotic 5/4 "Take Five Slices" was a hash-slinger's swinger.
Katz, whose son is entertainer, Joel Grey of Cabaret fame and whose granddaughter is Dirty Dancing's Jennifer Grey, was on fire throughout the gig. The group do a swinging cover of Lawrence Welk's "Take a Train" (not to be confused with Duke Ellington's classic version) and a burning "Giant Schleps." It's apparent from the raucous reaction of the diners that Katz's small group enthralled and invigorated so much that the liners state the place ran out of Kosher pickles.
Ballad work is non-existent on this album. There's a moderately paced version of "Body and Salami" and an upbeat "One Meatball," in which can be heard (on headphones only) a yenta near the mic emitting a not so quietand perhaps intentionalburp. The last two cuts ("Matzohs Too Hard" and "When the Red, Red, Reuben") are played in a Dixie-klezmer-Sun Ra style.
Live at Katz's Deli is a terrific album that hopefully will egg on other archivists to locate more of Katz's oeuvre. Grab a Dr. Brown's and dig in.
Track Listing
In Walked Bud's Buddy, Bubbie, The Girl from Cracownema, Take Five Slices, Take a Train, Giant Schleps, Coletrane's Slaw, Body and Sol, One Meatball, Matzohs Too Hard, When the Red, Red Reuben (Comes Boppin' Along).
Personnel
Mickey Katz: clarinet, soprano saxophone; Lonnie "Tater" Latke: keyboards; Two-Fyvush Shprinkle: bass; Moishe Moyel: drums, spatula and Joya Halvah harp.
Album information
Title: Live at Katz's Deli | Year Released: 2019 | Record Label: Self Produced
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