 The Comedian Harmonists This is music like nothing else you've ever heard. The only comparable thing I can think of is the disc by Los Zafiros, and it's not in style so much as pure parallel universe vibe. The Comedian Harmonists were a vocal group from Germany during the Weimar years, who ended up being blacklisted by the Nazis for its "Jewish melodies" and its membership (three of the six vocalists were Jews). This disc was released in 1999 to coincide with a documentary film on the group that I haven't seen but which must be just amazing if it's as good as the music. The Harmonists were something like the Ink Spots, and maybe a bit like the Coasters, but with much more complex harmonies – the lead arranger apparently was never satisfied with obvious harmonic structures, and hated repetition, so each song features constantly morphing harmony lines, and when a new verse rolls around, it usually has a different arrangement from the previous (melodically identical) verse. The vocalists were incredibly tight, pulling these songs off like they're just the most natural thing, whether they're doing a ballad reasonably straightforwardly, or whether they're gargling water while still harmonizing, or singing in funny voices. From the name, you'd expect the songs to be simple novelty songs, but it's the kind of comedy you'd expect from cabaret, as opposed to, say, Spike Jones. Most of the songs are in German, the others are in heavily-German-accented English, and generally feature a piano and the six voices. Since the vocalists are by and large hitting different notes all the way through each song, the amount of musical ground they cover is bewildering, and you think you're listening to full-band arrangements. There are tons of moments, like on "Schöne Lisa, süée Lisa" ("Beautiful Lisa") where I swear I'm hearing saxophones, it's spooky. For anyone who enjoys vocal harmony, and I am not referring to fans of The Nylons, this disc is a real treasure to behold. It's programmed wonderfully, with recognizable standards peppered among the German cabaret tunes. "Wochenend und Sonnenschein" ("Happy Days Are Here Again") is great; the arrangement of Ellington's "Creole Love Call" is astounding. Even "Night and Day," which I just wish people would stop recording, is welcome here because the group is so inventive, and it's additionally humorous to laugh at people who cain't pronounce English! Er …yes. At 41 minutes the disc is ample, although I'd bet there are people who could sit through 74 minutes of the Comedian Harmonists, but for me 41 minutes is about where I'd be reaching for the eject button anyway. This is probably not everyone's cup of "Tea For Two," but the more musically open-minded sort will really dig it. The remastering is pristine, so these don't sound like old hissy recordings, though they probably should. Putting it on, you're transported not only to another time, but to another planet as well, one where it's always Sunday morning. The story is fascinating, but the warmth of the music is really what makes this disc endure. Check your Joel Grey Tolerance Quotient before tackling this, but if you find it's surprisingly high, take the plunge, this is in a class by itself.
Review by Paulie Pooperant |