Guest Review Coming Soon

Soon, I will have a review of Miami's Soloist album "Hissorerus". The review will be done by a very special reviewer which will be revealed at the time of the review's release. :)

Duty or Intrusion?

I was at the local Judaica store the other day and as always, I headed to the music section of the store. I browsed all the new titles and all the old ones. Looked at sales. Played the "guess which covers were designed by Sruly Meyer" game (it's usually the good ones). And just zoned out in that section for a while. It was like, my section of the store. My sacred place.

Anyway, another customer was browsing at the albums with the store counterperson and was asking for a good album to buy, being that they are just starting to listen to Jewish music. I think the customer wanted a good "fast" album. The counterperson admitted that they didn't know which was the best per say, but they pointed them in the direction of two albums, which, if I were a newcomer to Jewish music, would turn me off. The customer then proceeded to buy the albums and walked off with some terrible music.

Here's the question. As a Jewish music reviewer and someone who has some taste when it comes to knowing what to buy and what to avoid, should I have interfered and suggested a different, better album? Think about it, if you have a question about taxes, you go to your accountant, so if you have a question about Jewish music, wouldn't you like to here advice from an avid Jewish music fan and writer?

So here's what I came up with. Let's do this gemara (talmud) style.

If I were to intrude on the conversation, yes, I would be saving that customer money and the frustration of a bad album. However, by telling them that one album is better than the other, and then they go and buy the "better" album, aren't I taking possible earnings away from the original album the customer picked up?

What do I do? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Ever Wonder What A Kid Would Sound Like Singing That?

Have you ever wondered what a kid would sound like singing a Shwekey or Fried song? Well, thanks to Yerachmiel Begun, you no longer have to wonder. Begun has been working on this album for five years. I must say, the arrangements are fantastic and beyond my expectations.

Begun uses Miami soloists, Shaul Elson, Yair Kenig, Binyamin Ravina Abramowitz & David Herskovitz for these inspiring songs. I'm not sure about the soloists selections or about how many times each soloists sings, but I am sure that a lot of effort went into matching the voices with each particular song.

Miami Solo Album is a great addition to my musical connection and would be a great one to yours and your friends, so buy one for them! After all, Chanukah is coming up.

Shlock Rock Chanukah Concert

Torah Academy of Buffalo Grove presents Jewish Unity 2010 Hanukah Concert on Sunday November 21, 2010 at 3:30 PM. Starring Lenny Solomon of Shlock Rock and the Moshe Skier Band.

Shlock Rock is a Jewish Rock Band that teaches Jewish ideas through music using song parodies, original music in both English and Hebrew and children's songs. Lenny Solomon started the ball rolling in 1986 and since then the band has released more than 30 amazing albums! Shlock Rock has gone where no Jewish bands have gone before: Trivial Pursuit, Imus in the Morning, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, and Entertainment Tonite. Most important of all, Shlock Rock has gone straight to the hearts of Jewish families everywhere.

Lenny Solomon now resides with his family in Israel. Dr. Moshe Skier, one of the original members of Shlock Rock, has his own successful band. He lives and practices in Milwaukee, WI. The concert will take place on Torah Academy's campus located at Congregation Beth Am at 225 McHenry Rd in Buffalo Grove, Illinois (45 mins outside of West Rogers Park). This concert will be enjoyed by all - children, teenagers and adults. To purchase tickets please call 224-353-7791, visit the school's website at www.torahacademybg.com

We Await Thee O' Jewish Music

There's been a lot of downtime in the Jewish music industry. This time of year appears to be the great depression for Jewish music artists. Chanukah is usually the birth of new albums, just in time for people to make a new purchase as a chanukah gift to themselves or to an other. Regardless, there's some new music on the horizon, which we all pray will be refreshing and uplifting.

However, I don't want to focus on the new albums, let's recap on the recent releases.

Benny Friedman - Berachamim Single. The beautiful voice of Benny Friedman, a composition by the multi-talented Ari Goldwag and the gorgeous background vocals of Yitzy spinner. Yet, the best part is that buy purchasing this single, you are giving tzedakah to help the family of Ilan Tocker, a Cedarhurst, NY man who has a serious brain injury.

Shauli - Ahavta Otanu (click the flash player on the bottom of the screen). I previously wrote about the talents of Shauli. A composer, singer, arranger who put together his own album on a low budget, and still managed to sound great. He has some great compositions on his debut album, Simcha Bilibi. Well now, he's come out with a new single which uplifts the soul and warms the heart.

Everyone - Unity Single. What do you get when you take major voices in Jewish music and combine them together to sing a classic MBD song with a twist? You get the Unity single, like Benny Friedman's single, is only a dollar and benefits the fund to liberate Sholom Rubashkin.

Omek Hadavar - Mekor Chaim. We seem to have an addition to the alternative Jewish music scene. I haven't had the chance to listen to this album in its entirety, only the sample. If I would be blessed with a copy of the cd, I can give a review on what sounds like a great album.

Avraham Fried - Hu Yivneh. Nothing like the sweet and powerful voice of Benny Friedman's uncle, Avraham Fried. "In this song he comforts the sole survivor, Dotzi Gottstein, of the horrific car-train crash which killed his entire family".

Shmuel Mashiach - Shema Koleinu. Never heard of Mr. Mashiach before, but he kind of sounds like a cross between Gertner and Dovid Stein. He has a single available for $1.50. Listen and see if you like it.

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That sort of puts an end to the recent releases. Obviously, Shalsheles 5 and Dovid Gabay's new album were covered by the bigger sites and need no mini recap. On the horizon is Yisroel Werdyger's new album "Ashirah Vazamrah", which happens to be the only upcoming cd with a projected release date (11.22.10). I know that Pruzansky should be releasing an album soon as well. Rumor has it, it's entitled MP3 (michoel pruzansky 3). Nothing else to report really. Let's hope a lot more information is released on upcoming albums, and soon...

Shalsheles V Review

Yitzchak Rosenthal is back with his expert compositions for Shalsheles V. Although the group remains intact, Simcha Sussman is now recording from Israel, his new home.

Shalsheles has always been known to be "bed time music." It's relaxing, refreshing and not in your face. Last album, they changed that style with Yufyafisa and Kel Hakavod and fans were eating it up. A.K.A. Pella made a remix of Yufyafisa not once, but twice (with the help of Shalsheles Jr). In this album, you'll find songs like Ashrei Ish, Mi Chamocha and Me She'asah, which add a fresh, modern day feel that's constantly missing in Jewish music.

As Jews, we live by our heritage. We keep it intact and pass the mesorah down from generation to generation. However, the style that is Jewish music is not a mesorah, it is music from 30 years ago. It's just outdated music. Slowly, musicians are starting to realize that in order to appeal to the younger crowds, they need to change their music. By doing so, they are not breaking a mesorah, they are just breaking a bad habit of staying with outdated music. I'm glad to see that Shalsheles clearly notices that Jewish music is evolving and needs to. They have shown this by bringing in Aryeh Kunstler's musical talents to the third song, Ashrei Ish. I hope more of the Jewish musicians follow in those footsteps and update their music as well. Shalsheles has managed to change the style of music to sound better, but not secular and electrified, like much of today's contemporary secular music.

I heard a great line the other week. When I asked about the chol hamoed concerts in New York this year (not the boys choirs), and what the crowd was like there, I was told the following. "All the concerts on Chol Hamoed were empty, I think people are starting to realize that it's (concerts) not much more than a wedding without the shmorg!" It's true. With the abuse of outdated music and horn instruments, which rightfully belong at a wedding to give it that special "wedding feel", the concerts are just wedding that you have to pay to go to and you don't get any food! As Jewish music evolves and the fan base grows, I think we will find that concerts will be a lot more exciting!

Once again, kudos to Shasheles for keeping Jewish music refreshing!

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(Instead of giving you long, boring, detailed recaps of each song, I'll give, what I thought were the positives and negatives of each song. I'll let you decide the rest! :D)

Positives = "+" signs. Negatives = "-" Signs.

Baruch Habah

+ Great music on the intro, especially the keyboard behind the opening lyrics

+ Simcha Sussman sounds amazing, despite being in Israel

+ Good length for intro

- Would have liked some more high harmonies instead of choir harmonies

Poseach

+ Classic Shalsheles intro and arrangement

+ Great refrain (low part), better chorus (high part)

+ Chaim Block's high part towards the end

- Middle part leaves more to be desired

- Song fades out, which is outdated

- Classic Shalsheles intro and arrangement

Ashrei Ish

+ Aryeh Kunstler's rock solid, contemporary arrangements

+ The way the choir sing "Emes" as they enter the chorus (high part)

+ The composition is top notch. Think Kel Hakavod from the last album, but better

+ Killer electric guitar strumming and solos… and no horn instruments (B'H)

+ Eerie, yet exciting middle part at 3:00

- No Aryeh Kunstler guest vocals

Ki Er'eh

+ Hands down, best slow song on the album

+ Child vocalist, CJ Glicksman

+ Simcha Sussman's vocals after the child vocals

+ Great harmonies throughout

+ Good length for a Jewish music slow song

Mi Chamocha

+ The NEW Yufyafisa

+ Addictive and transcending song throughout

+ Beginning to end of song is flawless

+ Baruch Aryeh's vocals

+ Great ending displaying each vocalist

Ki Tov

+ Na na's at 0:55

+ Get's better second time around the song

+ Sounds like a Baruch Levine song

+ Short

- To happy-go-lucky, beach tune

- Chaim Block fades prematurely for me at 1:56

Shalom Rav

+ Typical Shalsheles composition

+ Amazing chorus

- Very slow refrain

Hinei Anochi

+ Typical shalsheles fast song, like V'nocho and V'haya. Still so good…

+ They only have one of these songs on the album

+ Great chorus

- Typical Shalsheles fast song, like V'nocho and V'haya. Still so headachey…

- Outdated music (i.e. horns are plentiful)

Mehaira

+ Pure and fluid song throughout

+ Simcha Sussman rocks this song

+ Shalsheles manages to recycle the same style tune from previous albums one more time

+ Harmony at 3:29

- Shalsheles manages to recycle the same style tune from previous albums one more time

Mi She'asah

+ Not Aryeh Kunstler arrangements, but still contemporary and fresh

+ Funky, yet addictive music

+ The chorus is out of this world. Different. Harmony filled. Refreshing.

+ Harmony at 4:05, such gooey cream filling goodness

+ Choir to end of the song is fantastic and different

+ Vocals during the choir's ending

Generations

+ Beautiful lyrics; heartwarming; tearjerking.

+ Fantastic arrangements and vocals.

+ Doesn't get interrupted in the middle by the message "this is a mostlymusic preview." :)

+ Shalsheles redeems Dreaming with a quality English composition.

+ "It's Generations & generations…." Love it.

- Would have loved to hear a child vocalist on this

(Original Post on JMR)

Unity Video is a must watch.

If you're a fan of Jewish music, then you have to see this video.



Participants in order of appearance:

Ken Burges, Dovid Gabay, Mendy Werdyger, Beri weber, Yeedle, Yossi Green, Yehudah Green, MBD, Benny Friedman, Aaron Razel, Lipa, Boruch Levine, Michoel Schnitzler, Shloime Taussig, Mendy Werzberger, Sruly Werdyger, Bentzi Marcus, Yossi Goldstein, Avi and Yossi Piamenta, Dovid Dachs, Shloime Gertner, Avrohom Fried, Yaakov Shwekey, Sparks Choir,Y-love, Yanky Lemmer, Gad Elbaz, Shloime Dachs, Ohad, Shira Choir, Describe, Yoni Zigelboum, Yitzchak Fuchs, Moshe Kravitsky, Avi Begun, Rivi Schwebel, Ari Klein, Shua Kessin, Dovid Stein, Michoel Pruzansky, C Lanzbom.

Written by MBD and Shea Mendelowitz
Additional lyrics by MBD and Moshe Kravitsky