On Vacation

I'm taking a break for a week. Keep viewing my favorite blogs listed on the left hand side of the page for great JM info!

What's next:

Menucha 2 Audio Review

Oorah 2010 Review

What's out now:

Menucha 2: Sh'ma Yisrael

Shabbos with the Werdygers 2

Bridge of Generations

Yehuda Green: Yearning

Menucha 2!!!! Buy it now!

Click HERE to buy and to hear samples!

Menucha 2 - Shema Yisrael Preview

Sounds like Menucha to me! Nothing like Shlomo Schwed going crazy with his ridiculously high voice of his.

Here's the write up from JMR:

Not since The 8th Note has an album been “in the works” this long. Just like by 8th Note the anticipation has been huge and Menucha fans long wait will finally be over this week. Menucha’s follow up album Shema Yisroel will be out this week. The album features 10 brand new songs, composed and arranged by Eli Gerstner. The album also features guest appearances from Yaakov Mordechai Gerstner, The Yeshiva Boys Choir, Dovid Stein, and of course Eli Gerstner. You can the first audio now below and this CD will be available for purchase or download very shortly.

Menucha 2 - Shema Yisrael

Here's the sad part - After 5 years since it was announced, we get 10 songs with a "unplugged" version of Shma as a "bonus". I'm still going to get this cd just because they are Menucha. I guess they figure they are going to sell anyway, why put more into it? Beats me! All I know is that I'm looking forward to seeing if this album is a hit or miss.

Menucha 2 is about to hit stores! Word is that the brand new CD will arrive in stores next week. Here is a sneak peek at the CD cover.

Track names and guest stars!! Check out all the amazing guest stars this CD will have! (Via JewishJukebox.com)

1 Sh’ma Yisroel
2 Shiru Lashem
3 Racheim Al Tzion (featuring Yaakov Mordechai Gerstner & The Yeshiva Boys Choir) 4 Kodosh (featuring Dovid Stein)
5 T’chias Hameisim
6 V’yizku
7 V’zakeinu (featurng Eli Gerstner)
8 Y’hi Hachodesh
9 Loolay
10 V’hagisa
11 Sh’ma Unplugged (Bonus Track)
Via JMR

New albums in the works...

My sources are telling me many albums are in the works.

After winning the 2008 Oorah auditions, Yisroel Werdyger's second album is in the making.

Teem Productions, headed by Yossi Tyberg and Gershy Moskowitz, who propelled Yisroel to stardom with Bayis Ne’eman Beyisroel, will be producing this project as well, with musical arrangements by Shua Fried.

Much thought and research went into the selection of songs, with several compositions by the talented Yossi Green, and several by Yitzy Waldner. Motty Ilowitz, composer of the title track on Yisroel’s last album, which has become as staple at chasunos everywhere, also lends his talents to this project. Other contributors include Pinky Weber, Meshulem Greenberger, Chaim Elya Hartman, and even some new composers who hope to make their mark on the Jewish music scene.

Stay tuned for Yisroel Werdyger’s new album, coming after the summer Iy”H! (via JMR)

Dovid Gabay's 3rd album song selection process is close to completion. No estimate on when it's going to be released has been given yet. Gabay's professional recording career started with his first album "Legabay", produced by Avi Newmark. That same year he was featured on R' Shmuel Brazil's "Ki Atah Imadi". He then made guest appearances on Oorah's annual CD's & "Harei Yehuda". Up next was Gabay's next hit album entitled "Omar Dovid", which hit the Jewish music scene by storm, featuring the hit song "Hagomel", sung by Jewish weddings everywhere. Another guest appearance followed on Shloime Kaufman's "Avodas Tzedaka" album and finally he was the focal point of the "Kumzing" concert. By no means is Gabay's career slowing down. He's constantly featured in concerts such as HASC and his new album, produced on his own, promises to be another smashing hit.

Yoni Zigelbaum is a new singer whose been in the spotlight recently. He has a tremendously powerful voice and producers have been chasing him. He's youthful and has a tremendous amount of energy. He's sung at some recent concerts and an interesting interview with JMR's Mendel "The Sheichet" Markel can be seen here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue0SSzuFQ9E). He's collecting songs for his albums as of now and they can be emailed to him at yonismusic@gmail.com.

Menucha 2... When is it coming out? Everyone wants to know. Menucha started out with the first album way back in 2003. That's 7 years and their first album is still a hit. On YBC Live 3, a new Menucha song entitled "Shiru Lashem" was featured. It sounded great, like the old Menucha we know and love.

The group features 3 men by the names of Danny Berkowitz, Avi Shachter and Shlomo Schwed. The first album had Doniel Waldman on it, but he has since left the group. It's amazing to see that the remaining 3 guys have stuck together for so long without putting out an album. Eli Gerstner told me that Menucha 2 is due out Purim. That's less than a month away. Let's just wait and see :).

Aryeh Kunstler, everyone's favorite Jewish rocker is expected to release his new album any day now and it's promised to be a hit like his first album "From the Depths". Aryeh started out with V'havienu, a group with his brother Dani. He then proceeded to join Yaakov Chesed and released two albums with them as a guitarist and vocalist. Finally he released a single entitled "Yisrael B'tach Bashem" with Yossi Piamenta and was featured on Gershon Veroba's latest album "Second Impressions".

Aryeh has been seen everywhere, from opening for Moshav Band and singing with the Yeshiva Boys Choir. He know can be seen on a constant basis playing for the Neshoma Orchestra as a lead guitarist/vocalist.


Yacov Young is known for his sweet yet powerful voice. Very underrated and a bliss to the ears. His debut album "Yogati Motzasi" was not well known, but it had some spectacular songs on it.

Yacov has his own orchestra and can be seen singing frequently in the Jewish wedding scene. To hear a taste of his sweet voice, check out this YouTube video of him singing Shloime Daskal's "Anim Z'miros" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYKcz1sNAbU).

He is currently collecting songs for his album and they can be mailed to him at yacovyoung@gmail.com


Michoel "Pruz" Pruzansky is a big hit. His powerful "MBD-like" voice is a thing of beauty. He released his debut album "Ashrecha" back in 2003 and since then, he has only gotten bigger. He released his second album "Pruzbul" in 2007, which led to a huge change in his style making him the "Pruz" we all know and love. He rocks a concert with the best of them and even has his own orchestra. Since his last album release he has sung on last years Oorah's "The Shmorg" album (a free download) and Shloime Kaufman's "Avodas Tzedaka".

Pruz is still looking for a couple more songs for his album and he can be reached through the contact form on his website.


If you know of any more albums that are due to be released soon and have information that you would like displayed, contact me at jmderech@gmail.com

YBC 4 to be released after the summer

Nuts! I was hoping for YBC 4 to arrive in stores sometime during June as it was previously announced... :(

Eli Gerstner - just got off the phone with Benny of Sameach Music. The official date for the release of YBC 4 is iy"H August 20, 2009 (Rosh Chodosh Ellul) & Menucha 2 shortly after (& YBC Live 3 shortly after that!!) BH! - (via Facebook)

Menucha - Shiru Lashem (Full HD Clip)

(via YouTube user Bukin86)

YBC Concert (3 New songs)

Here are some video clips of three new songs from the YBC Live 3 Concert on Chol Hamoed Pesach.
- Video clips from YouTube user thejmfreak.

Menucha singing Shiru Lashem


Menucha singing Shema


YBC singing Hamalach