Album Notes

"I defy anyone to listen to Millie and the Mentshn's new CD and try to write an objective review. The amazing Bellingham klezmer band could stir passions in a stone statue, so I won't pretend to be anything other than a fan, in the truest sense of that word."

"There doesn't seem to be any limits to what this talented aggregation can do. In 'Another di Mentshn,' they boldly go...well, you know."

Christopher Key, Whatcom Indy, June, 2008


Hints of classical music pervade Millie and the Mentshns’ arrangements, leading to an abundance of intricate harmonies and counterpoint. Amidst the Yiddish Theater, Ladino, Israeli, and Yiddish folk songs and traditional Klezmer music, listen for strains of Prokofiev, Rodrigo, Piazzolla, Strauss, and Lecuona. The distinct sounds of country western and Tin Pan Alley jazz even appear. The Mentshn (plural for mentsh which is Yiddish for “a person of good character”) are dedicated, yet playful musicians who love to explore the history behind the music—the cultures, the composers, and the events occurring when the music was popular. We always are excited to share the stories and music with audiences.

The Band:

Ken Bronstein, Oboe
Phil Heaven, 5-String Violin
Millie Johnson, Vocals and Arrangements
Lou Lippman, Piano
Warren Palken, Drums and Percussion

Special Guest: David Weiss, Guitar