Shura Lipovsky is undoubtedly one of the most important performers of Yiddish and Jewish music in Europe. In the rest of the world her reputation as a singer, storyteller and teacher is growing rapidly. She recently started to write her own songs, presented here on her new album Vaytinke.

Shura is a singer with a mission. She tirelessly keeps working on her vocal techniques, but she also works on her spiritual development and strives for a interreligious dialogue. All this lends a deeply moving intensity and warmth to her songs. Although she never wanted to write her own songs (‘Never! The vast body of Jewish repertoire will remain a source of inspiration forever’) she started doing so in 2012. Her songs are short, with a clear view on one’s soul and her music is always melodious, often dreamlike.

The central theme of this cd is ‘distance and proximity’. Vayt is yiddish for ‘far’ or ‘far away’, Vaytinke is a diminutive invented by Shura. The cd aims to connect past and present, old and new Yiddish poetry by sharing this with friends, far and close.

Shura works with her ensemble Novaya Shira. This is Russian/Hebrew for ‘new song’ and the band consists of virtuoso musicians, who successfully combine klezmer music with classical arrangements and improvisations. The ensemble is specialised in new Yiddish songs and repertoire from the former Soviet-Union. Shura and her band perform seventeen songs and instrumentals in surprising and attractive arrangements.

The cd is released as a digipack with a booklet in English, French and Dutch and beautiful drawings by Shura’s mother, Coby Lipovsky-De Konink. Novaya Shira is: Bert Vos (violin), Maaike Roelofs (cello), Marjolijn van Roon (recorder), Paul Prenen (piano) and Peter van Os (accordion). Guest musiciens are Laura van der Stoep (viola) en Tijmen Huisingh (violin).