Concerts
“Rosalie Gerut is a major talent on the threshold of greatness. A versatile singer/songwriter (try her collection of lullabies Sleep My Child and Rosalie Gerut & Friends We Are Here album from Blue Hill Recordings) who moves easily from English and Hebrew to Yiddish and Ladino, she ought to be a household name.”
The Jewish Advocate, New England
“Rosalie Gerut’s singing and acting are most impressive… She recalls the late Martha Schlamme… She has the same knack of telling a story…that captures the heart and imagination.”
The Jewish Bulletin, California
“…I can’t stop thinking about the marvelous concert last night. I was completely transported, moved to tears, to joy, to laughter, to hope…. I felt that you brought me with you on a journey — back to my grandmother’s kitchen where Yiddish Swing music used to play, to Jewish theater, to my grandfather’s shtetl in Divin, to Vilna, to my own family’s living room where Leonard Cohen and Joan Baez were part of my own musical diet. I was moved to have my mother there, weeping and grinning along with me…. And I was moved to have my own children listen to Yiddish, to have B fall asleep on my lap with his grandmother and great grandmother’s language in his ears…. Rosalie, you are a treasure. I am so thankful to have you in my life. Sending love on this sleepy morning. Be proud of what you created last night. It was golden.”
Marcella Pixley, Author
“I never got a chance to tell you what a wonderful job you did in the concert…. You really command the stage, not in an intimidating way, but in a way that makes everyone comfortable while still communicating that this is ‘your house’, and everyone in the room is your treasured guest. Your vocal skills are all the more incredible given the fact that you’ve been using your instrument for so many years… and yet anyone would be hard pressed to hear the ‘wear and tear’ that in average humans seems to come inevitably with age. There are many people with great voices, though. What makes you special is the ‘total package’ that you bring — not just the beautiful voice, but how you are so quick-witted with your spontaneous ad libs. Your story telling (and joke telling) is engaging and you have great comedic timing…. And of course, you create original material that ranges from soothing to inspirational. All in all, you are the complete showman! (Show-woman? Show-person?) It is a pleasure to see you work, and even more so, to get the chance to be a part of your creativity.”
David Sparr (pianist, musical director, sound engineer Little Dog Studios)
Boston Jewish Music Festival
“May I just say what an incredible performer you are. The evening was an absolute delight for all involved. You may not like the spotlight but you surely come alive on stage. The only way the night could have been better was if it was a dinner theater show in the G+G! …You are a doll and I am lucky to know you.”
Joey Baron, Executive Director, Boston Jewish Music Festival
“It was a wonderful night. You were fantastic. You sang with your heart and soul. You connected with the audience. They felt welcomed into your house of music and heart. You spoke about the Holocaust and your family with respect and somehow you were able to make us all laugh all at the same time. You are amazing. Hankus, Henry and Yaeko were absolutely wonderful too.”
“Your show last night was superb. It was so touching, from your heart to our hearts. The stories of your family and your life included many of those moments where I felt, yes, that’s the way things really are. Your singing expressed the part that goes beyond what the words can say, and your acting and compelling stage presence gave the music that extra magic. Thank you for giving so much of yourself to make a memorable evening.”
“Your concert…was just marvelous—a wonder, actually.… No one needs to tell you that your voice is so very beautiful, a wide range of notes, as well as, more importantly, emotion. I think that the answer to the question “What is Jewish Music?” can be found in the variety of songs you sang Tuesday night…many, many thanks for a wonderful evening…you made me smile and laugh, AND applaud.
“You do know how to put on a show. Rosalie, what a wonderful evening that was. Thank you so much for bringing such joy, such warm feeling, such deep feeling, such entertainment to us. I give it an A+. And there was Hankus, more at home at the keyboard than many of us are in our skin, and such a mensch at the same time. Your lovely violinist, whose violin’s crying brought tears to my eyes, your able drummer and your friend Lily! What a wonderful addition she is to your team…”
“Rosalie, your performance was AWESOME last night. Hankus and the others were fabulous too. In addition to your obvious amazing musical talent I knew you were funny, but I didn’t know you were *that* funny!”
“Thanks a million… Your voice is incredible, and you worked seamlessly with Hankus… Your presence is so joyous and relaxed on stage…it’s a pleasure to be in your aura.”
“You are truly an inspiration! You carry such soulfulness in your music and in your presentation. Thank you so much.”
“You were wonderful…! What a performer! What a performance! It was a pleasure! The audience adored you! …Bravissimo!”
“Rosalie! We enjoyed the concert so much!! You were terrific! You were the personification of Ease and Wellbeing. And your voice is as wonderful as ever, and full of personality.”
“Thank you for a wonderful evening last night. You are so amazing. My spirit soars when I hear you sing. …Your singing and range of music and languages are spectacular!”
We Are Here
Rosalie Gerut & Friends
“…I stayed for…weeks in Zenica, Bosnia, to help raped women and their children. One evening we had one hour of electric power and heard your music. During listening, women wept and spoke about their hope and the hope of your music… Often I listen to your songs, finding and feeling my soul. ‘We Are Here’ is a very important song…”
Dr. Michaela A.C. Schumacher, Medical-Therapeutic Project, Bosnia
“I was very moved by [We Are Here]. I think it’s wonderful.”
Dr. Michael Berenbaum, Director of Research Institute, U.S. Holocaust Museum, Washington, D.C.
“One of the most poignant, beautiful and memorable recordings I have ever listened to. Rosalie Gerut’s magnificent voice and music make you cry for the past, smile at the future, and renew the promise never to forget.”
Professor Alan Dershowitz, Harvard Law School
“Producing a television video of the recording of ‘Zog Nit Keyn Mol’ in the studio was the most emotionally stirring experience I have had in my 15 years as a television producer. The synergy between survivor Allan Fine and the group of sons and daughters of Holocaust survivors brought forth love and emotion. The deniers of the Holocaust would be hard pressed to come up with any plausible refutation after experiencing this moving ballad. The message of the song lives on in a most beautiful way.”
Andrew Reikes, Producer/Director, WHDH-TV, Boston, MA
“The sound lingers in your memory…a bittersweet mandolin, the cello’s soulful baritone, the fluid notes of the flute…all of them cling to the mind, recalling worlds drowned in the mists of by-gone days, worlds brought to life through the magical performance of Rosalie Gerut and Friends.”
The Corporation for Jewish Broadcasting
Sleep My Child
Rosalie Gerut & Friends
“A marvelous collection… just extraordinary and beautiful.”
Ron Della Chiesa, WGBH-FM
“Rosalie’s lullabies are so beautiful, they don’t just put you to sleep.”
Professor Alan Dershowitz, Harvard Law School
“I loved it!”
Rabbi Harold Kushner, Author
“A new disk from Blue Hill Recordings, comes with no guarantee to send your child off to dreamland. On the other hand, it won’t put you to sleep either… ‘Sarah’s Lullaby and Hagar’s Lament‘, by Rosalie Gerut, with lyrics by famed Yiddish poet Itsik Manger (with Miriam Hoffman), is nothing short of gorgeous, thought-provoking and beautifully performed… ‘Ba’a M’nucha‘ (Rest Comes) is the kind of Israeli melody you might recall singing around a campfire when you were a kid… Performers include three female vocalists: Gerut; Bay Area singer Judy Frankel, who sings the Ladino songs; the hugely talented Lilly Kinas, who steals the show; and two men, Solomon and tenor Norman Janis, with members of the Klezmer Conservatory Band… Most of the songs are accompanied simply, by guitar, piano or violin. One, sung by Frankel, has no accompaniment at all… Production values are high and all the songs are translated and transliterated in a companion booklet, artfully decorated with an Israeli painting of a mother, and child that could be mistaken for a Persian miniature… The CD itself, white with green lettering and a border of flowers, is pleasant to look at as well as to hear and forgoes the usual shiny metal look… Sleep My Child may make a nice baby present, designed to lull a wakeful child to sleep with songs in a variety of languages. But don’t be surprised if the parents stay up and listen to it instead.”
Northern California Jewish Bulletin
“A great selection! Children might want to stay awake and listen.”
Steve Netsky, Rounder Records
“Outstanding! This delightful recording of heartfelt renditions of classic songs is peaceful, captivating and entertaining. The sound is beautiful and relaxing. Totally professional.”
Randee Freidman, Sounds Write Productions
“This collection of beautiful lullabies will calm parent as well as child. Apart from the joy of hearing songs like ‘Oyfn Pripetshik’ and ‘Erev Ba’, it teaches about the Jewish experience. Ladino sounds romantic themes of the Spanish Renaissance, while Yiddish incorporates a passion for helping the poor and Hebrew praises the virtue of the land.
D.S., Hadassah Magazine
“Der Bay doesn’t accept paid ads, but if something of note comes along it is mentioned. One of the top klezmer groups and a top female voice came out with a mixture of songs in Yiddish and three other languages. Only the ten Yiddish songs were evaluated. They alone are worth the purchase of Sleep My Child: A Collection of Jewish Lullabies… Rosalie Gerut is one of the premiere female Yiddish vocalists in the U.S. When you combine her voice with the Klezmer Conservatory Band, one has the makings of a potentially great combination. This CD more than lives up to expectations… Mordechai Gebirtig’s ‘Yankele’ and Mark Warchawsly’s ‘Oyfn Pripenshik’ are two favorites. One can easily compare them to other renditions. They’re winners.”
Der Bay
“A collection of Jewish lullabies from some of Boston’s finest musicians including Rosalie Gerut of the Joseph Papp Yiddish Theater, Robert Solomon of Safam, and Ladino songstress Judy Frankel. Songs are in English, Yiddish, Hebrew and Ladino. Easily the best album of this kind on the market, the songs appeal much to adults as they will to the kids.”
Planet Music
“An elderly folksinger once told me that to understand history you should listen to a mother sing a lullaby. You’ll hear not just love, but also hope and a touch of sadness. Those first sweet tunes are a parent’s mix of prayer and reality, the chance for a new start and a fear of old troubles. This disc is a collections of songs that spring from different Jewish experiences — Ashkenzazic and Sephardic, Israeli and American, ancient and contemporary. Sung by some of today’s most evocative Jewish singers, such as Judy Frankel and Robert Solomon, they connect the centuries and the continents where Jews wandered, but also sought a better future for their children. Standards include a trio of Yiddish favorites: ‘Sleep My Child’ and ‘Raisins and Almonds.’ There’s the Ladino gem, ‘Sleep My Little Angel,’ and a popular Hebrew tune, ‘Erev Ba (Evening Is Coming).’ And there’s ‘Wings of Love,’ an instant classic when it debuted in 1982.”
Dirty Linen
“This is a collection of 20 Jewish lullabies sung in simple, vocal renditions in Yiddish, Hebrew, Ladino and English accompanied by guitar, mandolin, bass, accordion, violin, dumbek, cello and piano. The voices are beautiful and often exquisitely haunting. The backup music is played by experienced, accomplished musicians who have worked with the Klezmer Conservatory Band, Rosalie Gerut & Friends, among others… While the songs are lullabies, they are fascinating for adults as well. Some of the songs in Yiddish and Ladino date from the Renaissance era or earlier. With the detailed liner notes, this is a good album to use to learn these ancient traditional songs. The album give a good feel for the voice of a scattered people as they travel through the ages. Children will be captivated and soothed by this lavish collection.”
Sequoia, Heartsong Review
“At first glance, a CD of lullabies might seem to be a bit hard to take. On the contrary, these songs sung in Yiddish, Hebrew, Ladino and English are all well worth listening to. Besides, you do not HAVE to hear them all at one sitting! The (booklet) with the disc…is informative, giving, original text, translation as well as the transliteration of all the songs. The performers, vocal as well as instrumental, are all well schooled and are a joy to hear.… The performers and arrangements are all first rate! (This) CD ought to be made available for listening and also purchase by every Jewish temple and synagogue gift shop. They not only promote Jewish cultural literacy, but are all wonderfully performed and gave this listener much joy.”
Morton Gold, Jewish Post and Opinion
