Festival of Light, Vol. 2

1	Haneros Halallu / Le'eyla 5:44
2	Singing Flames / Danny Heines 3:11
3	Memories of a Winter's Night / Dave Koz 3:32
4	A Love Transcending / Neshama Carlebach 4:07
5	I'm Going to Take off My Shoes (KH-Vel Oyston Di Shikh) / The Klezmatics 4:10
6	La Mujer de Terah / Continuo 5:15
7	Mah l'Kha Ha-Yam Variation / Wayne Horvitz 3:35
8	Feast of Lights / They Might Be Giants 2:38
9	Winter Lights / Ira Stein 6:54
10	Oh Hanukkah Groove / The Frank London Big Band 5:26
11	In the Embryo of Silence / Peter Himmelman 6:38
12	Song of Praise / Frank London 5:40

Barnes & Noble

Celebrate Hanukkah with the sounds of a provocative mix of contemporary Jewish music. The light-in-the-darkness of Dave Koz's "Memories of a Winter Night" is inspiring, while the passionate voice of Neshama Cablebach on "A Love Transcending" seems to emanate from the candles themselves. There's laughter, too, as in the inevitable holiday relationship tangle in "Feast of Lights" by They Might Be Giants. More traditional sounds are offered by The Klezmatics in "I'm Going to Take My Shoes Off," and vocalist Chava Albertstein's heartrending supplication. Sephardic music is embellished with an ambient groove on Victor E. Friedberg's "Continuo -- La Mujer de Terah," featuring historic samples of the voice of Berta Aguado. Angelic chanting gives an ethereal atmosphere to Wayne Horvitz and Robin Holcomb's "Mah L'kha Ha-Yam Variation." Jazz saxophone, big band, and a Dylan-like folk song (sung by Peter Himmelman) are just a few of the other styles to savor. And last, but certainly not least, is Frank London's evocative "Song of Praise," a swirling mixture of muted trumpets, plucked lute, keyboard drones, and Middle Eastern percussion. FESTIVAL OF LIGHT 2 is sure to fire up your Hannukah festivities. Carol Wright

All Music Guide

Festival of Light, Vol. 2 is an equally satisfying follow-up to the groundbreaking Hanukkah holiday compilation, capturing traditional and non-traditional musical takes on the season ranging from humorous and celebratory to ethereal, solemn, and spiritual. The generally subdued musical feel is broken at times by more boisterous offerings from the Klezmatics, the Frank London Big Band, and They Might Be Giants, for example; differing styles abound, including world music, rock, new age/contemporary instrumental, folk, klezmer, smooth jazz, electronic dance music, and traditional hymns, which gives the disc an amazing variety. Steve Huey