Screamin' Review

Here's the Jewish Press profile of Blue Fringe and Soulfarm by Menachem Wecker.

Mirror Images

Steven I. notes a NY Times correction.

Because of a production error, a picture last Sunday showing Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, leader of the Lubavitch Hasidic movement, whose death 10 years ago was being commemorated, appeared in mirror image. The picture, made in 1992, showed him during worship with tefillin, a small leather box housing Scriptural passages, strapped to his left arm, not his right.

In his defense, the Times photo editor was probably using Shloime Dach's last album, Avinu, as a reference. The cover photo there was also printed in mirror image, resulting in the tefillin appearing to be worn on the wrong hand. (He's not a lefty.)

From the Source

MO Chassid, in a follow up post on the subject of badekin songs writes:

Shaina points out that the Taame Haminhagim says that one should be somber and, in fact, sobbing until after the Chupah. COOP is thankful that many have moved away from universally adopting that minhag. One of the points I tried to make in my original post is that those (like COOP) who are uncomfortable with the minhag of crying or shuckling under the chupah should not be so critical because, as Shaina notes, such a mehalech has a very strong basis in our mesorah.

Something about the way this was phrased irked me so I loooked it up. In Siman 955, the Taamei Haminhagim gives the reason for the minhag to cry BEFORE the chuppa with "bechiya and hissorerus" UNTIL they stand under the chuppa ("ad hisyatzvam tachas hachuppa"), and immediately after the chuppa, to break a glass and be joyful ("v'teykef achar hacuppa shovrin hakos v'naasas rina ditza v'chedva"). So, even for those who follow this minhag -- and as COOP,another commenter, pointed out, it isn't universally accepted -- the "forced" crying under the chuppa seems to be a stretch.

Incidentally, if anyone can explain the reason the Taamei Haminhagim gives... I don't get it. He quotes from "Shearis Yisroel" that it has to do with the nitzotzos from the cheit of Odom Harishon, and that the time prior to the chupa is in the "bechina" of "haloch yelech u'bacho noseh meshech hazora" while the time after the chupa (where the breaking of the glass represents "sheviras haklipos") is in the "bechina" of "bo yavo b'rina nose alumosav." I don't understand the connections between Odom Harishon's cheit and the klipos created thereby to the pesukim of Shir Hama'alos, or why they are both tied to chupa.

Speaking of Slow Chuppa Songs...

Can we all agree that the absolute worst choice is -- and this really was a request -- Meatloaf's "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad?"

The chorus is:

"I want you - I want you
I need you - I need you
But there ain't no way I'm ever gonna love you
Now don't be sad - don't be sad
'Cause two out of three ain't bad"

Not Written By Odom Harishon

Chaim Gottesman writes:

Go to www.modzitz.org. What the world calls Odom Harishon's niggun is an old modzitz chassan's niggun. So I guess the sh'or yahshuv minhag has some chassidic roots.

I hadn't known that this was a Modzitzer nigun. According to the website, the melody was composed by the Divrei Yisroel in 1899.

Anyone know where the name Odom Harishon's Nigun comes from?

The other tune they sing, Keili Ato, is a Chabad melody. I've heard that the melody has evolved/simplified over the years, but the recordings and notation I've seen of it all have the melody as it is commonly sung today. If anyone has info on this, please forward it this way. Thanks!

First Gig Stories cont...

Shmuel Klaver writes:

MY FIRST REAL CHASSIDISHE ("CHASSIDIC", FOR YOU GOYIM) CLUB DATE WAS BACK IN 1974. IT WAS IN THE CONTINENTAL IN WILLIAMSBURG. I HAD NO IDEA THAT AT SATMAR WEDDINGS THE CHOSSEN DOESN'T GO TO BADDEK THE KALLAH, HIS GRANDFATHER OR REBBE OR SOMEONE OVER AGE 90 DOES IT; SO WHEN THE GUY I THOUGHT WAS THE CHOSSEN APPROACHED THE 16 (17?) YEAR OLD KALLAH, I HAD A MASSIVE ANXIETY ATTACK. BOY WAS I CONFUSED WHEN SOME KID WALKED DOWN TO THE CHOSSEN'S SONG! SO NOW YOU KNOW WHY I'M LIKE THIS...

I remember the first time I played one of those weddings. The bandleader cued the badekin and we started to play. After about 20 seconds two older chassidic men rushed into the room. I was still looking at the door to see the chosson enter, when the leader ended the music after about 90 seconds. I assumed it was because there had been a miscommunication and they weren't yet ready for the badekin, but the chassidic bandleader explained that this is the way it is done in this comunity. That was the fastest badekin I've ever seen!

Violin/Yang

This guy is playing Van Halem's "Eruption" on the violin!

Rock on, dude!

Move Over, Chevra!

Here come The George W Bush Singers.

Unfair, but funny nonetheless.

Printing Music

When engineers have too much free time!

Who?

Have you been wondering what Roger Daltrey's new project is?

Dancin' To The Huppah!

MOChassid writes:

Finally, a word about the badekin. The badekin is a time of incredible hissorurus. It is said that the neshamas of the departed relatives and ancestors of the chassan and kallah come down from shamayim to join them for this holy moment. That is why it is actually more appropriate to play a slow niggun of hissorurus during the badekin rather than the more common upbeat 'Od Yishamah'. I'm not sure how the custom of playing upbeat music at this time evolved. If anyone knows I'd be interesed in hearing it.

According to "Bach" (Rav Yoel Sirkis), the badekin constutes chupa. By this logic, the badekin and chupa should have the same tone.

I'm not convinced that the music needs to be slow. Different communities have their own customs with regard to the music sung/played at a badekin. Lubavitcher Chassidim sing the “Alter Rebbe’s Nigun”. Many other Chassidim use the spirited “Vayehi Vishurun Melech” which is also frequently played when the kalla enters the kabbolas panim. The Sheor Yashuv crowd sings “Adam Harishon’s Nigun” on the way in to the badekin and “Keili Ato” on the way out. And, of course, as MO Chassid notes, many people use “Od Yishoma.”

I’ve also seen a variation wherein the walk into the badekin is to a slow melody while the chassan’s exit is accompanied by a fast, upbeat tune. Sometimes, instead of following a set minhag, some people choose a favorite tune. I played one badekin where the crowd sang Carlebach’s “Hashem Oz.”

People are different and find inspiration in different ways. Some people may be feeling more introspective and want the music to amplify that aspect of the badekin while other may be bursting with simcha and wish the music to emphasize that part of it. I can’t agree with MO Chassid’s assertion that a slower nigun is neccesarily more appropriate. People can either follow the minhag of their own community, or else choose the approach that best works for them.

I've actually found that, in many cases, the families and/or guests (and sometimes the kallah too) find the Sheor Yashuv approach underwhelming, to say the least. The guys may be into it... but they should bear in mind that it takes two to marry and that Kibud Av v'Em is a D'Oraysa.

Incidentally, I've played an out-of-town wedding or two where the guests escorted the chassan to the chuppa while singing the traditional Od Yishoma. The simcha was palpable and the moment was every bit as spiritually charged, albeit differently, as the slow walk to the chuppa we are accustomed to here.

Crown Heights Rocks!

While we're on the subject of Lubavitch rock... here's David Lazzar. His album cover includes the disclaimer "Warning: Not for Chassidish Bucherim."

eBay item

Dinosaur!

Fender Bender

Forbes reports that Fender is attempting to trademark the guitar body shapes for the Stratocaster, Telecaster, and P-Bass.

Interesting 'graph:

At Sam Ash, the second-biggest guitar retailer in the U.S. and a major Fender dealer, Chief Operating Officer David Ash said he doubted small shops would fold without use of the designs in question. "I find that hard to believe," he said. "It's not like there aren't plenty of shapes."

...demonstrating yet another reason why Sam Ash isn't taken seriously by musicans.

A Dag Is A Fish!

Imshin has a couple of interesting posts. (scroll down) One is on Naomi Shemer and a few are on "Shir L'Shalom" composer Yankele Rotblit's new song "Eretz Yisrael.

So much –
Jews hating Jews
I’m throwing away my yarmulka, I’m no longer a ‘doss’
Fire up the bulldozer Arik
Let’s start demolishing

An audio clip of Rotblit's song can be found here!

Imshin doesn't like the music, but I think it has charm.

Tanya!

Naomi Chana on Kol Isha.

Farbreng All Night, Sleep All Day

Here's Goin' Chassidish. The website notes:

The music on this album is completely original and no tunes or lyrics have been “stolen” from secular musical sources.

Sample lyric: "Do The Mikvah Dip"

Update: Here's the band's response to people who find their music troubling.

Baruch Dayan Emet

Naomi Shemer Z"L

I Write The Songs That Make The Whole World Cringe

MOChassid on chupa music:

Finally, if done properly and with thought and preparation, the music at the chupah can be the deepest and can change the whole nature of the wedding. Caveats: A. If you are having a friend or relative sing under the chupah, make sure he can hold a tune and that the band is playing the same key as he is singing, and B. Don't write your own music. Sorry to break it to you but you're not as good as Reb Shlomo.

Klezmatics of London

Rachel Lasserson, kleznerds, and A Weekend with the Klezmatics!

A. C. Jobimsky:
This is just a simple klez piece, built upon a single tune.
Other tunes are bound to follow, but the source is still that tune.
Now this new one is the consequence, of the one we've just been through.
Don't find yourself with no show, play the klez you know!