Mailbag: new reviews, albums, events, and record collections

Like I said last month, I'm borrowing the 'mailbag' idea from Blog in Dm. I'm just not getting to some of these emails fast enough.

Klezmer Podcast
Keith's added a review of "Budowitz Live" to his MySpace Blog

Aryeh Kunstler
"We are currently mastering Aryeh Kunstler's debut album as we speak and it should be out within the month. " Kunstler plays some snappy classic rock and alt-rock influenced frum-rock a la 8th Day and Blue Fringe. Check out previews at his MySpace page and his bio and tour dates at his band website.

Little Shop of Horas
BRIAN BENDER & LITTLE SHOP OF HORAS - "EYN VELT"

Original and traditional Jewish melodies blended with Latin, Caribbean,
African and Middle Eastern rhythms. With special guests:
Frank London (Klezmatics, Hasidic New Wave), Alicia Svigals (Klezmatics, Mikveh), Stuart Brotman (Brave Old World), Charles Neville (The Neville Brothers), Jose Gonzalez (Bando Criollo), Raquy Danziger (Raquy and the Cavemen)

You can hear sound samples at http://www.littleshopofhoras.com/musicstore.htm

JCom Radio

I got an email recently from Steve Newton of JCom Radio looking for "any help to build up a library of Jewish music will be much appreciated, we can take most formats, but audio CDs and digital files would be our preferred format." According to his website JCom based in England and "will soon be launching a whole new era for Jewish community broadcasting - on radio, online and on demand!" If you're a band or a promoter and are interested in sending review/broadcast copies of your work to JCom you can contact Steve at steve.newton@jcomradio.net

Judaica Sound Archives

JSA proudly announces the addition of four new online music collections.

• The four albums in the Children’s Village collection highlight holiday songs.
• Fran Avni acquaints children with their Jewish heritage through song and play in this collection of 14 albums. Sung in English and Hebrew her music educates and entertains youngsters of all ages.
• One of the first to record a comedy album in Yiddish, Benny Bell is sure to make you laugh. Many of the songs on these 18 albums were never commercially released and are part of his personal collection of material.
• You can hear the beautiful voice of Cantor Benjamin Maissner in this collection of 19 albums which includes holiday music as well as synagogue favorites.

Museum of Jewish Heritage

• Idan Raichel Songs for Peace: The Acoustic Series. October 8, 9, 10
  7 P.M. Featuring Idan Raichel, with Colombian singer/songwriter Marta Gómez, New African Jazz and Soul artist Somi, Ethiopian-Israeli singer Cabra Casay, and percussion master Itamar Doari. Join Israeli artist Idan Raichel for his very first series of intimate acoustic concerts in New York.
• Vladimir Feltsman Virtuoso Pianist: Music from Poland and Russia. Wednesday, October 17 at 7 P.M. Since his arrival in the U.S. from the Soviet Union in 1987, world-class pianist Vladimir Feltsman has graced every major concert hall in the country, including notable performances at Carnegie Hall and the White House. He will perform music from Poland's keyboard master, Chopin, and one of Russia's most dramatic piano pieces: Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition.
• Also, Catskills on Film, Jewish Resistance Reconsidered, and The Dreyfus Affair: A Democratic Legacy