The New Year broadcast of ARTE brought to my attention the cabaret music of Max Raabe.
Born in 1962 Raabe leads Palast Orchestra – a band continuing the tradition of German cabaret music in the 1920s and 1930s. The above video is made at the Carnegie Hall concert which is also presented in the documentary film of ARTE.
Raabe has a great scene presence, voice and humor. His repertoire covers not only German music but also many of the vocal standards of the pre-war songsbook.
Berlin in the 20s was a fascinating place – great art and entertainment was created at that time under the gathering clouds. Raabe renews some of that tradition in music, and continues it in the 21st century.
Moin, Moin from Texas!
If you like Max’ music and the Golden entertainment of the 1920s, you might like Brendan McNally’s dark comic novel “Germania” (Simon & Schuster, 2009), about the Flying Magical Loerber Brothers, four somewhat magical, Jewish vaudeville entertainers and onetime child stars who were the toast of Berlin before WWII and who reunite during the surreal, three-week “Flensburg Reich” of Admiral Doenitz, Hitler’s very unlucky successor.
Thank you for the recommendation, Brendan! Sounds interesting, I will look for the book and for more information about the entertainers.