What harmonica master Lee Oskar has produced is a noteworthy, largely instrumental disc he considers his musical memoir, one which has a lot to say about his family’s roots in the Holocaust. This isn’t a dark album per se. It has more of a hope-and-inspiration vibe…The nine-song set builds upon the theme…with a warm and gentle feeling. One song is dedicated to his mother. Another called ‘Liberty’ is an American waltz. There are songs dedicated to children and faraway dreams. The title track is about the Holocaust; another song called ‘World for Peace’ offers hope for a better planet.

Never Forget powerfully addresses the atrocities of the Holocaust while also serving as a stirring reminder that great music is a universal force for everything positive and vibrant throughout society.

The story of and tribute to Rachel (Oskar’s mom) and Judy (his aunt) and the millions of other victims of the Holocaust is the overriding theme of Oskar’s new solo record, Never Forget (out January 28 on Dreams We Share Records). It also addresses the promise of America, freedom, and the hope for world peace. Oskar calls the record his ‘ultimate statement.’…

Never Forget is a surreal musical canvas which goes beyond the sound, the artwork, and the liner notes — it’s a sonic masterpiece.

The music here is all original compositions, written or co-written by Lee Oskar, who is known for his work in the group War, of which he was a founding member. Considering the subject matter and inspiration for this recording, the music is surprisingly uplifting and warm. The tracks are mostly instrumentals, the music conveying a feeling of hope, a strong feeling of humanity, which is just what we need as we begin the new year.

Remember War’s ‘The World is a Ghetto’? Lee Oskar’s harmonica deepened the haunted desperation of that 1972 track by the R&B-rock band War…His latest solo album is an ambitious reflection on the Holocaust, Never Forget, a topic with which he has a direct connection. Born in Denmark, Oskar is the son of a Holocaust survivor. Some of the music on this largely instrumental cycle recalls past work in the African American musical tradition with its hint of front porch blues. However, many of the compositions travel back to ancestral homelands and assume a more somber tone as Oskar solos ahead of a small orchestra of strings, woodwinds and brass. Loss, hope and reflection permeate the melodies…Never Forget is handsomely packaged with original paintings by Oskar.