Review | Songlines

Music is the Most Beautiful Language in the World: Yiddisher Jazz in London's East End 1920s-1950s

Rating: ★★★★★

View album and artist details

Album and Artist Details

Artist/band:

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Label:

JWM Records

May/2019

Compiled by historian Alan Dein, Music is the Most Beautiful Language in the World is both a historic document, chronicling the popular singers and bands that arose from and entertained East London's Jewish community in the first half of the 20th century, and a hugely enjoyable album. Accompanying the 17 songs (and one flexi disc broadcast to raise funds for Jews' Temporary Shelter) is a beautifully illustrated booklet where Dein discusses both the community and the musicians. He notes that while there are songs here celebrating Petticoat Lane and bagels, the Jewish community was already shifting to the suburbs of North London during the decades this music was made. Hence some of the songs offer affectionate nostalgia for a community moving away from its roots, as Yiddish faded as the language of choice and people got more Anglicised.

Some of the names here will be known to fans of British dance and jazz bands – Lew Stone, Max Bacon, Bert Ambrose – while the likes of Johnny Franks and His Kosher Ragtimers are long forgotten. Polish singer Stanley Laudan (a post-World War II refugee to London) is here with ‘Yiddisher Samba’, a lovely fusion that predates what contemporary London bands like Oi Va Voi and She'Koyokh have attempted to do more recently.

Subscribe from only £7.50

Start your journey and discover the very best music from around the world.

Subscribe

View the Current
Issue

Take a peek inside the latest issue of Songlines magazine.

Find out more