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Ocho Kandelikas ("Eight Little Candles") - Originally released December 1, 2017
It's hard to find good Hanukkah songs beyond the classics, "Oh Hanukkah" and "Dreydl, Dreydl." When Panorama bandleader Ben Schenck needed one for Panorama's annual tribute to the Festival of Lights, he called New Orleans chanteuse Meryl Zimmerman who recommended he check out a Sephardic number, "Ocho Kandelikas." Ben took a listen, discovered a tune that is right in the Panorama wheelhouse, and they banged out an arrangement to feature her with the band.
"Ocho Kandelikas" ("Eight Little Candles") is sung in Ladino, the Jewish language of medieval Spain which is still spoken in Sephardic communities around the Balkans, Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa. The lyrics tell that "beautiful Hanukkah is here." There will be a lot of parties with joy and happiness and we'll eat little almond and honey pastries. After the horns set up the groove and accordionist Michael Ward-Bergeman lays down the red carpet, Meryl delivers the verse, refrain and second verse. Michael then returns to play a verse before alto saxophonist Tomas Majcherski rips a solo over a riff pattern from the clarinet and trombone.
lyrics
Ocho Kandelikas
Hanukah linda sta aki
Ocho kandelas para mi,
Hanukah linda sta aki
Ocho kandelas para mi, O...
Una kandelika, dos kandelikas
Tres kandelikas, kuatro kandelikas
Sintyu kandelikas, sej kandelikas
Siete kandelikas, ocho kandelas para mi
Muchas fiestas vo fazer
Kon alegria i plazer
Muchas fiestas vo fazer
Kon alegria i plazer
Los pastelikos vo kumer
Kon almendrikas i la myel
Los pastelikos vo kumer
Kon almendrikas i la myel, O...
Una kandelika, dos kandelikas
Tres kandelikas, kuatro kandelikas
Sintyu kandelikas, sej kandelikas
Siete kandelikas, ocho kandelas para mi.
English translation:
Eight Little Candles
Beautiful Hanukkah is here
Eight candles for me
Beautiful Hanukkah is here
Eight candles for me, oh...
One little candle, two little candles
Three little candles, four little candles
Five little candles, six little candles
Seven little candles, eight candles for me.
There will be a lot of parties
With joy and happiness
There will be a lot of parties
With joy and happiness.
We're going to eat little pastries
With almonds and honey
We're going to eat little pastries
With almonds and honey, oh...
One little candle, two little candles
Three little candles, four little candles
Five little candles, six little candles
Seven little candles, eight candles for me.
Panorama Jazz Band feat. Meryl Zimmerman
Meryl Zimmerman - Vocal
Ben Schenck - Clarinet
Tomas Majcherski - Alto Saxophone
Charlie Halloran - Trombone
Michael Ward-Bergeman - Accordion
Patrick Mackey - Tenor Banjo
Matt Perrine - Tuba
Doug Garrison - Drum Set
Music Traditional (PD) and arranged by Ben Schenck (Snack Daddy Music/ASCAP) and Meryl Zimmerman.
Recorded, edited, mixed and mastered by Lu Rojas at Oak Street Recording, New Orleans, LA
Cover photo by Greg Miles. Photo of Meryl Zimmerman by Julie Verlinden.
Graphic design by Ben Schenck
Panorama Jazz Band / Panorama Brass Band - New OrleansNew Orleans, Louisiana
"New Orleans' genre fluid jazz band"
The Panorama Jazz Band and the Panorama Brass Band have
been working steadily in New Orleans and beyond since 1995. Many hundreds of nightclub gigs, festivals, weddings, crawfish boils and Mardi Gras parades have added to this community of musicians' collective experience, all of which they bring to each of their recordings....more
supported by 17 fans who also own “Ocho Kandelikas ("Eight Little Candles")”
I am very disappointed by the sound of this recording, it is cavernous and confused. I prefer by far the sound of their excellent studio albums. jpmorel
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supported by 14 fans who also own “Ocho Kandelikas ("Eight Little Candles")”
Since visiting New Orleans in March 2005, I'm constantly on the lookout for recordings to bring back the sound of jazz, traditional in style but contemporary in performance. Most recordings, new and old, are somehow over-polished and lack the nerve and heat of a tight band of super-skilled musicians hitting it off together in their love of the original cross-cultural musical bullseye that is New Orleans jazz. This is the best recording I've found so far that really brings that feeling across. avadeaux