" data-original-title="" title="">Seth Kibel is far more virtuoso than court jester, especially on his main axe, the clarinet (sometimes referred to as a liquorice stick), as he proves time and again on this inclusive and thoroughly delightful album.

Okay, so the music is for the most part more swing/klezmer/folk than jazz; that hardly matters when Kibel is in charge. While he may not improvise often, he is no slouch when he chooses to, and has much of interest to say. And while Kibel elects now and again to honor his Yiddish heritage, he does so always within an aura of credibility and respect.

Kibel wrote four of the album's eleven numbers ("Waltz of the Rejected," "Stealing from the Past," "12-Bar Schmooze" and the laid-back closer, "Clown with a Stick"), and they are among its many highlights, as is a fascinating version (in two tempos) of the