The band 'Shevet Achim' is currently releasing their fifth and new album 'Bagan Eden Makedem'.
The album is good news for lovers of the world of klezmer and classical Jewish music. Instrumental like its predecessors, it contains happy, gentle and moving wedding melodies.
The tunes on the album are ones that have been played from generations to the present day - thanks in large part to Chilik Frank, the clarinet player who plays most of the tunes on the album, which have returned to being played at weddings today. For example, the album contains Chabad's 'Arba Bevut', Simcha tunes from various Hasidic sects, Yisham Chatani, and ancient Klezmer tunes, played on violins, flutes, clarinets, harps, and other instruments. The old is renewed.
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Shevet Achim began as a family band in honor of the family's parents' 50th wedding anniversary. The album, Gan Eden Mekdem, is dedicated to their 64th wedding anniversary, and has been played by two generations: Rabbi Daniel Cohen (Rabbi of Bat-Ayin) on clarinet, his sisters Deborah Bilinki (bass flute, piccolo), and Rachel (violin), as well as Deborah's two married children, Miriam (violin) and Moshe (second voice on clarinet).
Beyond the musical abilities of the band members, their ambition is to create Jewish music that connects to sounds that date back to the days of King David and the singing of the Levites. Indeed, the rest of the band's musicians, all of whom come from professional musical backgrounds, are observant and recognize the sanctity of melodies and marriage.
The playing is at a very high musical level and contains elements of Jewish, classical, and Spanish music, to a level that would not put any symphony or klezmer ensemble in the world, from any period. There is a lot of emotion, joy, and even a bit of humor.
The album was born as a result of a performance the band put on for the 'Binian Shalem' conference. "We rehearsed the performance to the theme of the conference, and prepared moving melodies on the subject of marriage - peace of mind, wedding, love, joy and happiness. We talked (and played) there about the connection between marriage and the son of Eden, and about King Solomon's parable, the Song of Songs. From this performance, the album was born," describes Deborah.
