This is a limited seating show, tickets are moving very fast. You don't want to wait till the last minute! Purchase your tickets at JewishTickets.com or at Judaica World in Crown Heights or via PayPal by clicking here.
A Dove & Company Presents Benny Friedman!
With Special Guest 8th Day! Part of the new “Chelsea Unplugged Series”, at an exciting new venue!
The Chelsea Shul | 236 WEST 23rd St | NYC | January 9th | 8:30 PM – Tickets: $36 Students: $25 – general admission
HELLO SID band was established in 2006 while the guys were touring Israel on Machach B’aretz. Since that time, the band has been writing and performing up and down the east coast with sell out performances at venues such as The Knitting Factory and Triad Theater. The band is comprised of Yakov Rozmaryn- Vocals, Jesse Strulowtiz- Guitar, Moshe Teitz- Guitar, Jake Berman- Bass, and Daniel Gross- Drums.
Hello Sid has won numerous Battle of the Bands and has received high praise in several media outlets including Israel National Radio, Washington Jewish Radio, New York’s Jewish Press, and the Washington Jewish Week.
The singles “Jerusalem Stone” and “It’s About You” have been featured on numerous radio stations both in America and Israel. The long anticipated debut album, Soul Dividing (2009), is scheduled to be on iTunes in the coming weeks and shortly thereafter the distribution process. For more information please visit www.myspace.com/HelloSid
The album makes shabbos, even on a weekday Yitzhak Meir & friends - New Souls
Shabbos songs have always been special and moving to me. From Mir to the Second Lebanon War" – says Yitzhak Meir now about to release his debut album "New Souls – Yitzhak Meir & friends meet on Shabbos night"
The classic hassidic niggunim are sun here for the first time in Hebrew (not "ivrit") with authentic hassidic arrangements. Come introduce your soul to "New Souls".
Winter starts with a splash and a new single Shoham Simchi - Rains of Light - Gishmei Orah
Shoham Simchi, 39 year old father of eight, lives in Kochav Yaakov in the Binyamin region. Aside from his music, he makes silver judaica in a style which blends Yemenite and modern motifs "just like my music which is a blend of old and new, joining two worlds", Simchi explains.
His debut single "Rains of Light" was written by Aviyah Simchi, produced and arranged by Nadav Biton. The complete album is set to be released by the spring.
On the brink of a new album and getting drafted Amit Trabulski – Bikashti
Nineteen year old Amit Trabulski from Petah Tikva is a young artist who in a few months intends to swap his guitar and harmonica for army fatigues for active service in the IDF. "I began playing guitar when I was about 13, I was drawn to the simple music from Bnei Akiva camps, to the breathtaking views in our tiny country, and its music… music and simplicity reached me…", his friends agree that for him the two go together "like guitar and harmonica…".
Amit's style is youthful and pure, the words he writes are his own or traditional verses, the music is exciting and rhythmic. Stay tuned for the complete album with amazing new versions of Jewish songs
After listening again and again through all of the entries. A winner has been decided.
The winner of the Window in Heaven contest & a brand new iPod touch is...
SIMCHA LEINER
Listen to his version below!
One behalf of myself and Shea Rubenstein, we'd like to thank all of the people who contributed their own version of Window in Heaven. Stay tuned in to JMDerech for more contests in the future!
ONEG SHEMESH is an original member of the MOSHAV BAND. He produces music with an edge, combining contemporary hip concepts with classic Jewish midrashic kabbalistic and scriptural sensibility. Among his musical mentors is the Father of modern Jewish music, Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach.
He grew up in Israel on Moshav Mevo Modiim founded by the late Rebbe Shlomo Carlebach, Z"L. He had the great privilege of spending much of my time with the Rebbe, accompanying him on guitar and drawing from his wealth of knowledge.
After finishing his army career, he joined The Moshav Band and toured with them throughout Israel, the United States and Canada. He is presently living in New York, where he has been performing concerts wherever Jews are found. In addition, he has been leading Shabbatonim and Holiday Davening using the chazanut nusach of Rebbe Shlomo Carlebach, bringing joy and happiness to communities around the world while trying to live up to his name ONEG, which means utmost joy.
His music is not just a melody with words, his music is prayer. Our sages teach us that singing the words is like praying twice; the first time for the words themselves, and the second time for the song. This is the highest form of prayer. He hopes that his music finds you wherever you are and reminds you how beautiful is our Judaism, how beautiful is our tradition, and how beautiful is our love for Hashem
For more of Oneg's music or to download "Shine it Forward", visit him at onegshemesh.com
Last year, YK of jmusicforum.blogspot.com organized a Jewish Music Bloggers Awards where he gave both his readers and several Jewish music bloggers an opportunity to vote on their favorites in a number of categories. It was an exciting process to be able to vote for your favorites, read the opinions of some of Jewish music’s best known bloggers and finally see the winners when they were announced. YK was hoping that the Jewish Music Bloggers Awards would become an annual event and has asked us to host this year’s awards. We are so honored to be a part of this exciting event! We have come up with a list of categories and are giving you, the readers, until Sunday night to nominated your favorites in each category.
Once we have firmed up the list, we will post it on our website and you will have ten days to vote for your favorites. During this period, we will be posting picks from a number of Jewish music bloggers who have graciously volunteered to share their opinions. After that, we will narrow the poll down to three finalists in each category, before we finally tally up the votes and proclaim the winners.
Below are the categories for this year's awards. Who would you like to see nominated in each category? Let us know at awards@jewishmusicreport.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
The Yeshiva University book sale is coming up. They have great deals on all things Judaica, including music. Six 13 and Aryeh Kunstler were there last year, who know who will be there this year! I found out about it by reading The Jewish Book World blog. Here's an excerpt from the blog. Some videos from the past book sales below.
The date for the annual YU SOY Seforim sale has been announced:
January 24, 2010 - February 15, 2010
The S.O.Y. Seforim Sale, the largest Jewish book sale in North America, is operated by the students of Yeshiva University. The sale provides discounted prices on the widest selection of rabbinic and academic literature, cookbooks, children's books, music and lecture CDs, and educational software.
This is the best sale of the year! G-d willing we'll try to keep you up to date on further happenings regarding the seforim sale.
Top Talents in Jewish Music Donate New Song for RCCS!“I Believe in Miracles”; A Song to Help Cancer Patients
Avrohom Fried, Yossi Green, Yisroel Lamm, and other stars in the world of Jewish music have combined their unique talents to produce a theme song to benefit the many hundreds of cancer patients being assisted by RCCS, the Rofeh Cholim Cancer Society.
The theme, “I Believe in Miracles”, came as a result of so many former cancer patients expressing themselves as recipients of a miracle, funded and facilitated by RCCS. The recurrent theme of the song is a song of hope and a song of strength.
In fact, many of the great Rishonim have written how one’s acts of kindness can result in the creation of a “miracle”. We are taught time and time again never to give up hope, even if a “sharp sword is resting upon one’s throat”. And that is the story of the song, and that is the story of RCCS.
Yossi Green, one of the leading composers in contemporary Jewish music was inspired to compose the song as a result of his first-hand knowledge of the accomplishments of RCCS. When Avrohom Fried (arguably the leading singer in the Chassidic music field, today) heard the song, he readily agreed to take part in this Chessed undertaking. And for those who know Yisroel Lamm, it is easy to guess that he immediately agreed to arrange and conduct the music.
The result is obvious to anyone with a discerning ear. According to Yossi Green, this song may go down as one of the greatest in Avrohom Fried’s longstanding history of great hits.
Simcha Leiner has a cantorial voice and to see his power and what I mean, look at the video below and listen to the clip above. His website is simchaleiner.com, which was created by LevTec Media.
The singer of this album is Ben Epstein, the same singer as the band Aspaklaria. He's a s'gan mashgiach in Yeshiva University. Take a listen; perhaps you will enjoy it.
A gentle organ, swirling and building. Crisp guitar, added on in layers. And finally a gentle poet voice calls out "L'David Mizmor." In his debut album, Jewish indie-pop musician Ben Epstein has done something rather magical. He's taken Tehillim (Psalms) written millennia ago by David Ha-Melech (King Davd) and, once again, given them life as intensely personal and intimate songs. Because this is how they started, right? David, warrior and king, conflicted and embattled, pouring out his fear, hope, love and longing in the best way he knew...song. Epstein's flawlessly crafted pop flows effortlessly, one memorable melody tumbling out after another. This is an album to be sung along with, jumped up and down with, and, on a clear starry night like tonight, cried along with. In releasing this album, Epstein has joined the ranks of Orthodox Jewish musicians like Matisyahu, Y-Love, Blue Fringe, and Stereo Sinai, who are both devout in practice and able to translate their religious experience into music that is approachable and meaningful to a wide audience. Seriously folks. This is a fantastic album that's been in heavy rotation lately. I have every expectation that given some time and promotion, that Epstein will take the Orthodox pop world by storm in the same way that Blue Fringe did. I have every hope that the wider Jewish community embraces him, too. This is some seriously good music. Here are some clips of a couple of my favorite tracks, and you can hop over to CD Baby to hear the rest. - Teruah Jewish Music
For questions or to send all entries, email jmderech@gmail.com Entries due by the last night of Chanukah - December 19th.
NOTE for Beginners: Download the Audacity program here and import the Window In Heaven music into audacity and start recording your voice over it!
Lyrics: Early days of younger years, Full of childrens' joys and fears, Whether school or home, always felt alone, In a way, what's a child to do?
Days and months went rushing by, Bar Mitzvah in a suit and tie, And my loss still there, much too deep to share, In a way, what's a child to do?
But I know, you were there the whole time, Looking down, from a window in heaven, And your touch, like the gentlest breeze, Saying, I will remember you son
Even though you could not shake my hand, You looked down from a window in heaven, And your touch, like the whisper of wings, Saying, I will be there for you son, in a way
Milestones of life flew by, Couldn't help but wonder why, You had to go away, I never heard you say, "oh my son", What's a child to do?
At the Chupa we stood as one, Being watched by everyone, And the tears that flow, both joy and sorrow, For the One, who's not here with me now
But I know, you were there the whole time, Through each step you were guiding me forward, And your touch, like a breath of fresh air, Saying, I'll always love you my son
Even though you could not walk me down, I could tell you were standing beside me, And your touch, like the wisdom of old, Saying, I am so proud of you son, in a way
Now I hold him tenderly, My baby son, for all to see, I am overcome, by my actions done, today What's a child to do?
My son will bear your name with pride, Holding Zeide's torch inside, And the part of me, which was so empty, Is now full, as I reach out to you
And I know you were there the whole time, Looking down, from your place in Shomayim, And your touch, like a magical spell, Is embracing me tightly right now
Even though he was not on your knees, You were here, on a visit from heaven, And your touch, like the sweetest of wine; saying There'll always be, a part of me, in you my son
This album features Israeli superstars Avi Nakash who is a huge talent in Israel and who’s fame is slowly spreading throughout the world of Jewish Music . Special guest star appearance by Mega star Gad Elbaz. The album is the ULTIMATE wedding collection. You have Yeshivishe, Chassidishe, Sfardit, Morroccan, Arabic and many more flavors. Distributed by MRM Music. (via JewishInsights)
After a long wait Shimon Kugel has finally released his Brand new Album titled Forever Sung and composed by Shimon Kugel. Arranged and conducted by Chaim Yitzchok Goldman. Full symphonic orchestra accompaniment with adult and children choir. the album will be in stores this week for more info go to http://www.ShimonKugel.com
This album continues where Sheves Achim left off. Ari Goldwag compositions and harmonies with talented child vocalists singing them. It doesn’t need much introduction – Therefore, lets get down to Tachlis!
(Review) + HOT – MILD – COLD Meter
Im Hashem (MILD) – A Yeedle “Bizos Ani Boteach” intro. Like the rest of the album, the sound isn’t so clear on this song; it’s still good, just not amazing. Good beat in the background and classic “Sheves Achim” styled harmonies in the background throughout the song. The second time around you can hear the aged Moshe Bell. His beautiful voice is gone, but he’s still good for low harmonies. The stars of this album are the Sheff brothers (Zev and Baruch). I hope they are the picks for Sheves Achim 2.
Ki Ailecha (HOT) – My favorite song on the album is this song. It’s got “Sheves Achim” style screaming from it. Fun to sing and even more fun to listen too. You can hear the opening solo by Baruch Sheff – a beautiful voice. Moshe Dov Goldwag, Ari’s son, enters the second time around and he has a really cute voice. You can tell how young he is from the way he pronounces the words. He has amazing control for his age (4-5?), watch out YM Gerstner! Shlomo Lipman is after him and in my opinion has a fantastic voice that will only get better. Yair Frohlich is after him and is the star of the album with the most lead solos. He sounds like Goldwag did when he was a kid. The best part of this song isn’t the kids, it’s Goldwag when he takes over at the end. Gorgeous harmonies behind him add to the climactic ending.
Mi She’ana (HOT) – The first slow song is beautiful, bringing me back memories of the menucha filled sounds of “Mi Ha’ish” from Sheves Achim. Frohlich leads the song and sounds amazing. Moshe Dov Goldwag is so controlled with his solo, it’s amazing. B. Sheff and Lipman share a beautiful alternating duet.
Hashem Loves You (MILD) – Welcome to the islands! That’s the feeling you’ll get from this song after you hear it. It happens to be a great tune and the refrain is terrific. The chorus can get kind of annoying but this song is great for little kids. The “ooo Hashem Loves You” ending is very cute.
Yehi Chevod (MILD) – This song doesn’t do it for me. It’s a beyond beautiful tune, however it’s a bit different for me. The low and high part are very similar and it’s kind of like the tune that never ends. When this song comes off I alternate skipping it and listening to it.
Tisgadal (COLD) – Freilach! It’s a cute tune and can be fun to dance in a circle with, but that’s it. It has no feeling of “Sheves Achim” style in it.
Borei (HOT) – Major “Sheves Achim” flashback time. This song sounds like a mix of “Ogil” and “Yehi Shalom” from “Sheves Achim”. This song is filled with “WOOOHOO!!!!” I’m actually going to have to take a break from this review to start dancing. Be right back! :)
Al Tira (HOT) – This song bring back memories of “Avraham Yagel” from “Sheves Achim”. It’s a soothing medley that I can sing and play over and over again. The harmonies are eloquent and the medley is splendid. This is my favorite slow song on the album.
Sha’arei Shamayim(HOT) - Techno time! This songs brings back memories of Vehu from Sheves Achim. This should have been the first song on the album. It’s not going to be as memorable because it’s so late in the album. If you’re looking for some fast paced techno action, look no further – place this song on repeat.
Shema Hashem (COLD) – No, sorry, skipping. I don’t need to hear Carlebach’s Ailecha with different words for the refrain. It was a nice idea to add it, but there’s 11 other songs, this one could have been left out.
Finally Here(HOT) – Ladies and gentleman this song is a close favorite of this album. It would have been if it weren’t debuted originally by Ari Goldwag. It’s way better than before, the kids are the perfect fit for this song. Their voices soar, and the arrangements are top notch. Why is it track 11? This is the equivalent of Superman from “Sheves Achim”. I happen to like better but I’m sure every girl will disagree with me.
Sof Davar (MILD)- This is one somber, ominous tune. It makes sense, the songs translation is – The end of matter is all that is heard. Fear Hashem and keep his mitzvos, for this is all of Man’s purpose (Ecclesiastes 11:13) – It’s a beautiful song, but way too kill the mood from the last song. The arrangements are angelic and this song would be a great kumzits song for the tisha b’av time of year.
Ki Ailecha Chaser (????) – This song isn’t listed in the booklet. I guess the attention was to leave the album with a happy note instead of leaving you with the last song. It features Ari Goldwag and I believe Baruch Sheiff singing “Na na’s” to the tune of Ki Ailecha (Track 2).
HOT – 6
MILD – 4
COLD - 2
???? - 1
Final Verdict
The sound quality on this album is not terrific but it happens to be a quality album. Some people may think it’s a cheapy, but that’s simply not the case. It’s definitely no Sheves Achim, however it’s a nice debut album. As hard as it is, you can’t compare this album to Sheves Achim. Let’s wait for Sheves Achim 2 for that!
What do you get when you take a world renowned author and multi talented singer/composer? Touched by a Niggun. Baruch Levine teamed up with Rabbi Yechiel Spero author of Touched by a Story, Prayer etc. to create a very unique type of album. The album, which is entitled “Touched by a Niggun” will features the compositions and vocals of Baruch Levine to lyrics based on the stories from Rabbi Spero’s. The album produced by Yochi Briskman features background vocals from Eli Schwebel and Gadi Fuchs of Lev Tahor. (Text written by TheJewishInsights.com)
The Country Yossi magazine will hit stores this Friday with an excellent article written by Sandy Eller (article to be put online Friday)
Universal Studios CityWalk Saturday Evening, December 12th, 7:30-11:30 PM
Starring Benny Friedman The Moshav Band
Also featuring: DeScribe, Y-Love & Diwon and LevYatan
Fun for the whole family! Giant Menorah Kindling, Kosher Pizza, Popcorn and more!
For more information please call 818-758-1818 www.ChabadOfTheValley.org
Free of charge!
Produced by Chabad of Studio City in conjunction with, Chabad of Tarzana, Encino, North Hollywood, Northridge, Porter Ranch, Sherman Oaks and Toluca Lake.
After a long wait Shimon Kugel has finally released his Brand new Album titled Forever Sung and composed by Shimon Kugel. Arranged and conducted by Chaim Yitzchok Goldman. Full symphonic orchestra accompaniment with adult and children choir. the album will be in stores this week for more info go to http://www.ShimonKugel.com
Hassidic Music Superstar Avraham Fried launches a DVD of his live performance, and in a separate pack with a double CD. The performance has been shown over the past two years in a number of venues, to over 30,000 people. The elaborate performance was filmed here in Israel and includes over 25 years of music. Fried holds a special place in Jewish culture of today, dozens of his songs are sung around the shabbos table, at simchas and important musical events.
