‫אשת חיל - פרשנות למוזיקה יהודית - אחיה אשר כהן אלורו‬‎

Ḥazōn - Take Me Back

Tzey Ulemad

Over at the Lehrhaus... How Halakhah Changes: From Nahem to the “Tisha be-Av Kumzitz” 

‫קילי הלפרין- האור מציון | Kaley Halperin- Haor Mitzion‬‎

From the mailbag...

Nikki Haley Fan Song

It's been a while since we've posted one of Dovid Kerner's songs. He's a fan of US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley.



Her support for Israel --and her non-apologetic public expression of it too -- is quite a refreshing change.

Great Band Name

Meet the Bar Pappas: 

Low Down On Jerusalem

Over at ToI... A mellow new Jerusalem life for Dylan's bassist

Well Said!

Over at Rolling Stone... Thom Yorke Breaks Silence on Israel Controversy

Bot Dylan: The Jig Is Up

Researchers create a computer that writes own folk music

The Poper Rebbe

Over at the aptly named Cross-Currents... Jammin' with the Pope

What's The Catholic Version of a Carlebach Minyan?

So these guys met with the Pope and brought along Pumpedisa to sing/dance along with. They played Carlebach's Orech Yamim. Some are very upset about this.



Me? I see the humor in it. They also missed the opportunity for much better song selection like perhaps "Yoshke Fort Avek".

“Shokhein Ad” (2017) by Joey Weisenberg and the Hadar Ensemble, featuring R. Yosef Goldman - YouTube

YouTube:

Korean or Hasidic?

Too funny! Korean or Hasidic– Can You Guess Which Song Is Which?

Mah Nishtana: You're All Singing It Wrong!

Nice article. Four Melodies for Four Questions  The comparison between the composer's version of Mah Nishtana avoiding the minor (mostly) vs. the way we all sing it is fascinating.



Chag sameach!

Spinal Tap Goes to Eleven, I Mean, Court

In Rolling Stone... Harry Shearer: Why My 'Spinal Tap' Lawsuit Affects All Creators

That's Some Black Hattitude!

Over at the J-Post.... Dropping beats from Jerusalem to New York

From the mailbag...

From Simple Man... "Simple Man is a new Jewish multi-genre band from Highland Park, New Jersey with innovative sound fusion including hip-hop, rock, funk, reggae and more. Lead singer/songwriter Yaakov Kafka was just featured as the rap lyricist on Beri Weber's new hit, One Heart.

Simple Man's unique flow is bolstered by Kafka's empathetic lyrical style. Band guitarists Tamir Tusia, Eli Weiss and bassist Clayton McIntyre blend rock, blues, classical guitar, and other styles together.

Simple Man's first video, "Hydroplane", from their debut EP is now available. You can check out links to their entire EP at simplemansound.com/ and upcoming shows will be announced in New Jersey and New York City.

Please let us know the best way we can support your blog and be a partner in music."

Here's the link: Simple Man

From Chillent... "I'm from Chillent, a Pittsburgh based Jewish funk/blues/jazz band (chillentband.com). We just released an alternate mix of a song from our upcoming album "Jewish Soul Stew" which will be out around Shavuot. Single available for free streaming here: Universe in Miniature (Brian Fitzy Mix) | Chillent

That moment when....

... the Ba'al Tefilah chooses a melody for Birkas Hacjodesh that no one in shul knows, and then sings "chayim she'ein bahem busha uchlimah" badly off-key.

Original Purim Song

‫ניגון ברסלב עתיק - "ויבוא עמלק". אברהם בלטי ואחיה אשר כהן אלורו ‬‎

‫

A Yiddisher Rastaman - Ehud Banai in Yiddish!

‫א יידישע

Oy, S'Iz Git!

‫לוי פולקוביץ ותזמורתו של יוחי בריסקמן "ס'גוט פאר מיר" | Levy Falkowitz - Yochi Briskman Orchestra‬‎ - YouTube:

Strumz - Yoimum - יומם (Meilech Kohn Cover מיילך קאהן)

Nicely done!

The Making of Universal Favorite: The Noam Pikelny Story

Now that's a promo video!

Hamiltaschen - A Shushanian Musical

Video Premiere: Zeke Finn “Plight ft. Matisyahu”

Over at Relix... a Video Premiere: Zeke Finn “Plight ft. Matisyahu” 

Chizuk from Peter Himmelman

For Musicians, Singers, and the People Who Love Them

The Mashpia's Blog

להפוך מוזיקת עולם למוזיקה יהודית מהנשמה - הבלוג של המשפיע 

BD'E - Eli Lipsker Z"L

COL reports on the passing of Eli Lipsker, 76, OBM.



I remember attending weddings as a kid that Eli played at with his band. Very spirited Chassidic music with feeling. (Andy Statman was playing with his band those times). Yehei zichro baruch!

‫רינת בר - באמונה שלמה - קליפ (מארחת את ד"ר צ'אן)‬‎

Rak b'Yisrael! Women dancing in revealing clothing while singing about God.

Hem Chazru Betshuva

In Tablet: How Musician Meir Banai Reflected Israeli Culture's Recent Return to Jewish Tradition

Yanky Lemmer - Hamalach Hagoel

Avraham and Sarah Siri

Gershon Veroba - Ani Yisrael

Eitan Katz Gets Down To Business

Over at the Frum Entrepreneur... Interview with Renowned Singer & Producer Eitan Katz.

MBD Makes International Kiddish Hashem

In Newsweek... "Popular Jewish Singer Makes Racial Slur Against Obama at Jerusalem Concert."

‫שיר ‏כניסה לחופה - דודי קנפלר - מקהלת שירה‬‎

‫שיר ‏כניסה לחופה - דודי קנפלר - מקהלת שירה - ברכת כהנים | Dudi Knopfler ft. Shira Choir‬‎ - YouTube:

SHTAR - Ma'oz Tzur

Djangle Belz

IN the Jewish Standard... "North Jersey Jewish sounds."

JMR Benny Friedman Review

This Guest Review of Benny – Fill The World With Light gets a link for this line: "This is the one that teenage girls and middle aged men trying too hard will [be] pumping loudly through open car windows."

Crisis-mukkah Is Coming!

The Devil's in the Details

Over at Lilith... Two Women Team Up to Revitalize Music from a Polish Shtetl.

He Sure Would (and Did)

In Jewish Action... Fifty Years of Neshama: Cantor Sherwood Goffin.

Leonard Cohen Z"L Remembered

Leonard Cohen remembered, by his Cantor: ‘Home was where Eliezer’s heart was pulled’

Kol Hakavod, Air Supply!

Air Supply Gives Away 200 Free Concert Tickets to Firemen’s Wives.

Kicking It Old-School

Heimish, I mean Heimatdamisch Musik.

Echo Yochi

It's one loon with a YouTube channel, not all Chabad.

That said, even one is troubling. Not representative, but still troubling...

Chabad Messianist who Preaches Killing Gays Raps Funky Praise for the Rebbe.

Rare Recordings of R' Ben Zion Shenker Z"L

Over at Circus Tent.

BDE - R' Ben Zion Shenker

I'm sad to report the passing of the influential chassidic composer/singer R' Ben Zion Shenker Z"L. R' Shenker composed many songs that are widely sung in the Jewish world, including melodies for Mizmor LeDavid and Yosis Alayich. He also carried the Modzits musical tradition, documenting, singing, and recording the melodies of the Modzitser rebbes. Yehei Zichro Baruch!

On Tails of Lions

At the Independent... an Alex Clare interview: ‘The world is a crazy place’

HaCohen Hagadol Me'echav

Over at the Leherhaus... Wrestling With God: Leonard Cohen’s "You Want it Darker".

לענאַרד כּהנס „הללויה‟ — אויף ייִדיש

Dan Kahn sings Leonard Cohen's Haleluya in Yiddish. Well done, but with some, erm, immodest lyrics.

Mostly Kosher - Ain't No Sunshine

The best klezmer version of a Bill Wither's tune I've ever heard!

Six13 - That Shabbos Feeling!

Accordion Players!

Russian Man Dismembers Friend for Insulting His Accordion Skills

It's Gonna Be The Little Kinderlach Who Irritate People

A Brief History of the Inane Kars 4 Kids Jingle You Can't Get Out of Your Head

Rogers Park - Harninu

Yiddish Trump Jingle from April

Not an endorsement, but came across this and thought it'd be of interest to my readers.

Sinai Tor Arrested for Wedding Performance

I've written about this story and the song Zochreini Na. Recently Israel arrested thirteen Israelis who celebrated the murder of a Palestenian baby by Jewish terrorists last winter. The Forward has some details: Israeli ‘Wedding of Hate’ Groom and 12 Guests Charged for Celebrating Murders of Palestinians.

Why Kohanim Shouldn't Go To The Met

Man scattering friend's ashes halts Metropolitan Opera performance

Diaspora Yeshiva Band - Hasidisco Pioneers

The original version of Malchutcha recorded by the Diaspora Yeshiva Band for the 1978 Chasidic Song Festival. The producers overdubbed a mixed chorus after the band had recorded their tracks. It was not the band's choice.


‫להקת יש

This Week's Leining

Pretty sure it won't sound like this in my shul...

BaKikar

Over at Kikar Shabbat, some great (Hebrew) music journalism...


"אני מודה להקב"ה שיש אינטרנט. בשלטון יתד הייתי גמור"


ראיון מיוחד: הסודות של יואלי דיקמן נחשפים

The Chazzan Is A Goses

At the Canadian Jewish News... The slow death of the cantor

Kohein Should Get The First Aliyah, Er Nobel...

Over at Matter of Facts... "Leonard Cohen should have got Bob Dylan’s nobel prize."

A Suckeleh

Over at Cross Currents... The Sukkah Still Stands

Jew2 ft. Roy Edri: "Machnisei Rachamim"

Thanks to YidWise for posting this: Jew2 ft. Roy Edri - "Machnisei Rachamim"

Kurds and Way!

Randy Newman’s first new song in years is about bare-chested Vladimir Putin. Listen to it exclusively here. 

Messianism Women Dance to the Maccabeats' Deror Yikra

Who Needs Jewish Pop Music Composers?

Amper Media: Startup makes machine generated music - Tech Insider



Sounds much like many JM composers...

Carlebach's Piano

Carlebach Piano Sold At Auction For $25K To Brooklyn Songwriter

David D'Or performs 'Avinu Malkeinu' at Shimon Peres' Funeral

WATCH: David D'Or performs 'Avinu Malkeinu' at Peres funeral



Shimon had requested the song be sung at his funeral. D'or sings it an octave higher than usual.

Gershon Veroba - "Rabi Nachman"

Gershon was an early influence. He still sings very nicely here, but this tune doesn't speak to me. In general, I like the songs he writes more than the tunes he's bought from contemporary frum-pop writers.

Leonard Cohen w/Cantor Gideon Zelermyer & the Shaar Hashomayim Choir

More details at the Montreal Gazette: "Montreal Cantor Collaborates On Leonard Cohen’s New Album."

Nachum Segal Says Good-bye To Radio

HISTORIC JM IN THE AM ANNOUNCEMENT MADE THIS MORNING



... and there goes a large chunk of WFMU's fundraising income too... Interesting to see if/how they will hold on... developing...

I Totally Relate

A few years old, but well worth seeing. The lack of understanding of artists in the frum community, musicians, dancers, writers, is soul-breaking. The high-school I attended viewed the creative impulse as a yetzer hara to be stifled, rather than a gift to be cultivated.



A Little Girl Was Kicked Out Of Class Because Of What Her Mom Does. But Her Mom Will Never Stop.

"אוי א בראך!"

Yoseph Nigun - Achiya Asher Cohen Alloro‬‎

An incredible tribute to Yossi Piamenta Z"L.







I've been thinking about why this resonates so much, and I think that it's because it works on multiple levels....As an homage to Yossi's style...  as a creative song in its own right... with an inspired arrangement with multiple modulations... and because, unlike much of the contemporary Jewish music, it not only requires "chops" to play, but also has soul, which to much of the contemporary material lacks. It's hard to ID it, but like indecency, you know it when you see/hear it. Oh, and of course, klezmer clarinet! Check it out!

Concerts Matter!

NY Times: Black Lives Matter Benefit Is Canceled Over Stand on Israel

It's That Time of Year - אדון הסליחות

Brian Eno; Anti-Semite

British producer Brian Eno orders Israeli dance troupe to stop using his music

R' Baruch Chait Is Not Happy

Over at Ynet... הרב נגד המשלחת היפנית לריו: השתמשו בשיר שלי בלי רשות - יהדות

The Klezmer Academy Is In Session

Go thee forth and learn! TUNE OF THE MONTH: Taniec Rabina/Der Chosid Tantzt/Flaskadriga/Dem Rebens Tanz

New J-Music Blogger Yidwise Reflects

Retrospective: Moshiach Oi!, or When Nostalgia Fails You

The Middle East Groove All Stars Got Game

Over at Tablet... Shai Tsabari Storms the Heavens, from Bat Yam to New York

I Am Woman, Hear Me...

In the Forward... Jewish Orthodox Women Singers Can’t Sing for Men but They Sing Anyway

אין עוד מלבדו | שלומי שבת | דודי קנפלר | מקהלת שירה

אין עוד מלבדו | שלומי שבת | דודי קנפלר | מקהלת שירה



Not sure what to make of this. It's a beautiful rendition in Yiddish of a Shlomi Shabbat song. One the one hand, it's neat that there's a Chassidish version. On the other, the Hebrew original is so beautiful and stands on its own. It didn't *need* a Yiddish translation to kosher it, as it were. Thre's something about that genre of Israeli pop spiritual -- Sarit Hadad's K'shehalev Boche, Eyal Golan's Malchei Hamlachim etc. -- that stands on its own. These songs don't need to be "frummed up". That said, this is quite well done for what it is.

Underdos: The Mizrochnik

Over at Life in Israel...  Underdos: The Mizrochnik

Sikh Hasadeh: "Through Fire and Water"

Siach Hasadeh "Through Fire and Water" - YouTube:

A Headbanging Violinist

From Headbanger To Hasid: One Man's Journey Since Heavy Metal Parking Lot

Now That's A Chumash Play

At my school, for our Chumash party we had Morah Breindy teaching us a few songs. (I know, I know, but I couldn't resist.) Stevie Wonder rocks the Chumash casino resort

Oh Say Can You C Minor?

In the NY Times... At Rio Olympics, the National Anthem Sounds … Sad?

The Renaissance Is Over

Child Care Center To Take Over Site Of Well Known BP Catering Hall



I played some memorable gigs there, including one chassidish wedding, where the chosson requested REO Speedwagon's "Can't Fight This Feeling" for the mitzvah tantz because "it's our song." Other then that one request, it was a typical Chassidish event, with no secular music whatsoever. I'll never forget the stares I got while playing that one, before segueing into the traditional tune.

Venue Rachum Yechaper...

Kitchens are not just for cooking. They are for female chazzonus too!

Musicians' Reference

Rav Eitam Henkin HY'D is quoted in the the Seforim blog post "Torah Under Wraps":

“The definitive assignment of each person into specifically this community or that one is often artificial. It is absurd that the public considers many comedians, musicians, and low-brow entertainers (for purposes of this example) as “Haredi” because they attended heder and wear a hat in the synagogue, while thousands of families who give their all for Torah and are punctilious about every jot and tittle (not to mention that for them television, secular newspapers, and the like are not even up for discussion) are “not Haredi" because they wear a colored shirt and also rejoice on Yom Ha-‘Atzma’ut. Although people can only see externals, they can ascertain what they will have to account for in the Heavenly court, whether they will be asked about Torah study, honesty in business, and hoping for the redemption,[5] or whom they cast their vote for in national elections.”

Peeps in the mailbag...

A. writes: Got a few peeps of my own all from one chasunah. "The loud key-changer" Violinist leads the guests who are singing the Alter Rebbe's Nigun (at a Chabad wedding) to the badekenish. Until one very large and very very loud singer becomes the leader, moving the entire crowd from D to D# and eventually to E. Poor violinist tries to override him, then tries to play along, then gives up. "The faster faster guy" Beginning of the 2nd set, band is about 2 minutes into an upbeat funky hora medley, crowd is having a great time. One younger brother/cousin/nephew/friend starts yelling at me to play faster. When ignored, starts gesticulating wildly. Still ignored, actually gets up on stage to yell right next to me about which fast songs I should play right now and everyone will go wild. I resist the urge to go punk rocker on him; anyway I'm wearing earplugs so his ranting is barely detectable. Eventually he gives up and disappears. "The interminable tribute/parody singers" Two family members play instruments, so we've agreed to let them take over on guitar & drums, and sing a tribute song they've written TTTO "Just One Shabbos." Except it turns out it's the 2 musicians plus 3 singers and the monitor mix is totally wrong for them, so it's a complete trainwreck, at about 80% speed, with even more verses than the original. Oh well, at least the band got 15 minutes to get dessert and drinks.

Not Clueless

How Alicia Svigals Helped Me Go Public With My Klezmer Obsession

דזשאָסטין ביבער אויף ייִדיש

In the Forvitz... דזשאָסטין ביבער אויף ייִדיש



Hat tip, E.

I'd Heard of 'em

Five Jewish Musical Artists You've Likely Never Heard, But Should – Tablet Magazine

Some Links

A completely over the top review of Eleanor Riessa's new collab with Frank London's Klezmer Brass Allstars, The Glorious Debut of Yiddish Songbird Eleanor Reissa as the Jewish Beyonce, that contains both factual inaccuracies -- Delilah wasn't Jewish -- and super schmaltzy writing. But schmaltz is appropriate, no? There's a great clip at the link.



Meanwhile, WNYC is Remembering Elie Wiesel, and you can hear him singing in two short snippets.