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This recording shows a side of Woody Guthrie that most of us knew nothing about. Yes, the dust bowl troubador from Oklahoma spent some time as part of a Jewish family. The songs on "Happy Joyous Chanukah," come from, and show the influence of, his marriage to a Jewish woman, daughter of a prominent Yiddishist and social activist. The Chanukah story somehow seems to fit nicely with Woody's social justice sensibilities. This is never more evident than in the song "The Many and the Few." You may be a bit startled by this very stark description of the story of Chanukah. This is a holiday that has become reduced in the public consciousness to spinning a dreidl for candy, exchanging gifts, and eating potato pancakes, but there was a very real struggle behind the story, and this song captures that spirit as only Woody Guthrie could. Most of the other songs are far more light-hearted in tone, but even these are a revelation, showing Guthrie as the dad who loved to play with his children, for whom these songs were obviously written. The Klezmatics, masters of the klezmer genre, do a fine job of interpreting Guthrie's melodies when available, and supplying their own when they aren't. A great change of pace from the usual Chanukah recordings.Read full review
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