Blog in Dm's ace reporting team is pleased to present Rochelle Maruch Miller's latesest inside interview with the newest Jewish Music star, Michoel Pruzansky, which is slated to be published in the upcoming edition"Country Yossi" Magazine.
OK, so it's really a paid ad... it claims to be an "exclusive interview" and we've got it here first!
Of special note is the fact that his new album (which of course is already a hit despite the fact that it hasn't been released yet) contains "disco horas." I kid you not!
Update:
Notice that this article is posted in the "Reviews" section rather than the "about Michoel." Section. This is to continue the deception that it's an actual review instead of a paid ad. Michoel isn't unique in this respect; he's simply doing what many of the successful (and not as successful) Jewish Music artists have done. This is unfortunately the standard "PR program" for new Jewish music.
For example, The Chevra, Shloime Dachs, Ira Heller, the Spice Boys, Eli Gerstner, Shimon Kugel, and Mendy Wald, all present these kinds of paid advertisements as "press" on their websites.
A few quick comments on the content of the ad… er… excuse me, exclusive interview,
The text of the article is in quotes with my comments immediately below
"Having studied voice with two distinguished Italian masters, he is presently studying with Cantor Nosson Glick, who has coached some of the world's most acclaimed vocalists."
So, who are these mysterious "distinguished Italian masters? I'd be more likely to buy the album if there was something that distinguished this vocalist from all of the other Nosson Glick/Hersh Einhorn students. Am I supposed to be impressed by the fact that they're Italian? Why not identify them… unless they are not particularly noteworthy. (Sorry, bad pun!)
"As a producer par excellence, Yochi is constantly inundated with myriad tapes from aspiring artists who hope to be "discovered." But there was something about this demo that clearly impressed him. Here was a young vocalist who had the makings of a star, possessed of a voice and a style that made the producer sit up and take notice. No doubt, he was very pleasantly surprised by what he heard. And you can well imagine how delighted Michoel was when later that day he received a phone call from Yochi Briskman himself, informing him that he would, indeed, be interested in working together with him on an album. "It was the culmination of a dream come true!" Michoel recalls." I wasn't sure whether Yochi would be interested at all, let alone get back to me that very same day."
Because Yochi isn't in this for the money, he won't produce an album unless he really believes there is talent there. Right! So how can we explain "Coby," the "Williger/Dachs Wedding Album," that really awful Purim album from a few years ago (the one with a trombone player continually blowing jazzy licks that don't match the songs and a butchered version of Ata Sakum on it), the Project X album with a wrong note in T'hei, Mostly Horas two… ???
"'The album appeals to all ages and all tastes,' Michoel tells us"
Wow, an album that appeals equally to people who love Alternative Rock, Big Band, Bluegrass, Blues, Celtic, Choral, Classical, Indian, Country, Dance, Disco, Early Music, Easy Listening, Electronica, Experimental, Folk, Gamelan, Gospel, Heavy Metal, Hip Hop, Holiday, Jazz, Latin, Lounge, Marching Bands, Military Bands and Music, Native American, New Age, Opera, Polka, Pop, Progressive Rock, Punk, Rap, Reggae, Rhythm and Blues, Rock, Swing, Vocal, and Zydeco music. Gonna have to get this one!!!
