Avi Fox-Rosen

Today on Radiant Others we finish off our unofficial and unintended “A” trilogy with Dan’s chat with guitarist, singer/songwriter, Avi Fox-Rosen! Avi has been doing resonant work in Yiddish music for twenty years, most notably as a central player on Adrienne Cooper’s album Enchanted, and as part of the “guitarmony” of Yiddish Princess. His new album, Di Rayze Aheym/The Journey Home sets the incredible long form poem of the same name by Irena Klepficz to wonderful new music. Its out, and worth a listen to hear Irena’s read each piece of the poem before Avi’s setting. It makes dialogue between the music and the text visceral and tactile in a very special way.

Dan and Avi dive into this album, the what, the how, and all the whys. In the telling they bop around their own stories, especially their very long history together, playing in bands like in Benjy Fox-Rosen’s in close and far flung places. They get into being parents, making choices about life and music and career as they age, and about how to face today’s world as Jewish musicians! We also talk about Avi’s work with JFREJ (Jews For Racial and Economic Justice) and the just announced JFREJ Songbook project. It’s a wide ranging and deeply timely conversation on being alive with music.

2. Poem Recitation 2

3. A Beys Oylem/A Cemetery

4. Vider Amol/Once Again

5. In Der Fremd/Among Strangers