Jake Marmer

POEM: Medievaluation Rag

POEM: ‘Like Water Off the Goose ‘

POEM: ‘One Year Plan’

Best Experimental Jewish Music of 2013

This year, we ventured to create a set of five memorable 2013 releases that are not easily defined either as “Jewish music,” jazz, or klezmer, but represent alternative, thought-provoking musical experiments, rooted in yet transgressing Jewish musical traditions. Please note that the works below are listed in alphabetical order — there’s no ranking here. “Pillar…

Best Jewish Poetry of 2013

It has become the Forward’s tradition to highlight five memorable poetry releases of the year (see the 2010, 2011 and 2012 selections). And while some names may look familiar to our readers, others are appearing here for the first time. Please consider this list a conversation starter, and let us know who you would like…

Music and the Laws of Poetry

If, as Shelley had it, poets are the legislators of the world, then at this past year’s KlezKanada Poetry Retreat their law was music. Hosted at the large, week-long klezmer festival, the poetry was surrounded by accordionists, tsimbelists, people tapping out rhythms or tuning their violins. I was privileged to be co-teaching the retreat along…