Shircago at Detroit's JCC Stephen Gottlieb Music Fest

Ok. Back to the JCC Stephen Gottlieb Music fest. I'm on the committee after all, and am entitled to a few plugs for the festival. Shircago will be playing on Saturday March 13th at 8:30pm. They're an a Capella group whose repertoire ranges "from classical to pop, from English to Hebrew and even Yiddish and Ladino, from traditional melodies to original compositions and innovative arrangements." Good fun.

To give you a taste of their style, here's Shircago performing on Chicago's Rabbi Doug show.

SHIRCAGO on TAPED WITH RABBI DOUG

Rabbi Joe Black at Detroit's JCC Stephen Gottlieb Music Fest

Yesterday I kvetched a bit about JCC Stephen Gottlieb Music Fest headliner Hal Linden. Should be a great show, but not my thing. That's ok. The fest has a number of other shows that I'm a lot more excited about. Number one on the list is Rabbi Joe Black, who'll be playing on Sunday March 14 at 2pm at the JCC in West Bloomfield, MI.

Here's the official blurb...

"One of the most popular and in-demand contemporary Jewish musicians in America, returns to Detroit for this family concert! With children, he is energetic, surprising and dynamic. With adults, his superb musicianship, powerful songwriting and sense of spiritual awareness creates an opportunity for the head and the heart to come together. A Rabbi Joe Black performance is not to be missed! The Matzah Factory event immediately follows the concert (3-5 p.m.)"

And here's a fun video of RJB playing with the Maxwell Street Klezmer band a year or three ago.

Eight Nights Of Joy - Rabbi Joe Black and Maxwell Street Klezmer Band

This is about as happy clappy, kid-friendly a contemporary songleader style show as I could ask for. Which is great, considering the pair of little wigglers I plan on taking to the show. And I, myself, have never been to a real Jewish songleader style show either. It should be great fun and educational. The whole 'songleader' approach to Jewish music is something I'm rather new to. It comes, largely, out of the Reform Jewish camp movement (see Cantor Wally's "The Music of Reform Youth" for first cut on the evolution of songleader style) and the folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960's. Lots of strummy melodies and singalongs. Should be lots of fun.

By the way...I think I'm ushering at the show. If you come, make sure you say howdy.

The Silver Age of American Jewish Music is Happening Now! And Why We're Missing It. (Extended Play)

As I mentioned in my 'upcoming Michigan Jewish Music events' post earlier this week, I'm going to be giving an extended version of my Ignite Ann Arbor talk. It's going to be February 28 at 1 pm at the Ann Arbor District Library in downtown Ann Arbor. It should be a lot of fun, I hope you can all come.

It's very timely, but the great Ann Arbor Ignite folks just put the video of my earlier talk online. It's only 5 minutes I don't sound nearly as goofy as I'd feared. Just mildly goofy. I promise to be no less goofy in person.

Here's the full description of the talk.

The Silver Age of American Jewish Music is Happening Now! And Why We're Missing It. (Extended Play)

Jewish music is exploding. Bands and labels and venues are multiplying. Rock. Hip Hop. Reggae. Punk. Klezmer. Sephardic. Choral. Chamber Music. Jazz. Chassidic-Pop. Breslov Techno. Niggunim. Pop-liturgical. Bible-gum. Beat Box. Boy Choirs. House. Socialist Yiddish Gothic. Indie. Weird hybrids. Avant-Garde experiments. Earnest
devotion. But we're not immigrants clustered in tenements, in range of a local Yiddish radio station anymore. A revolution is happening but we're scattered across a big nation with no common media to connect us....except the net. Will it be enough?

This Extended Play version of Jack's recent 5 minute Ignite Ann Arbor talk will be loaded with more music, a road-map of the contemporary Jewish Music scene, a case study in social-networking Jewish Music, and the greatest Jewish song you've never heard.

Bio

Jack Zaientz is the author of Teruah, a popular Jewish music blog. Jack has been interviewed regarding Jewish music by the Israeli National Radio and was recently ranked by the Jewish Telegraphy Agency as the #36 most influential Jewish twitter.

Upcoming Michigan Jewish Music Events

This is the North Coast (aka Michigan) and things get a bit slow here in the winter. But there's still some good Jewish music related events coming up. And I'm involved in two of them!

The Red Sea Pedestrians play the Ann Arbor Ark, Jan 13

One of my favorite Michigan bands hits the best venue in the area.

"The Red Sea Pedestrians are a musical melting pot, bringing together six distinctive multi-instrumentalists and singer-songwriters to investigate klezmer music and a host of other styles. Their live shows and their CD, "A Lesson in Cartography," have built up a buzz that's extended across the Midwest from their home base in Kalamazoo."




Yiddishe Cup plays the Ann Arbor Ark, Jan 23

A klezmer band by way of Catskills cha-cha. I saw them live last year and had a blast.

"We dare you not to dance!" Reviving the wacky Jewish humor of the '50s and '60s by parodying everything from cha-cha to doo-wop to rock, Northeast Ohio's Yiddishe Cup is also one of the tightest, most vigorous klezmer bands around. Year after year they wind up on Jewish-music ten-best lists, and their live shows are legendary. Get ready for songs like "Gentile on My Mind" or "Meshugeneh Mambo"! But they can also play it straight, bringing the energy and tradition of klezmer music to their delighted audiences"







The Silver Age of American Jewish Music is Happening Now! And Why We're Missing It. (Extended Play) - February 28 at 1pm the downtown Ann Arbor District Library

The Ann Arbor District Library invited to redo my Ignite talk in a longer form. Come join the fun!

Jewish music is exploding. Bands and labels and venues are multiplying. Rock. Hip Hop. Reggae. Punk. Klezmer. Sephardic. Choral. Chamber Music. Jazz. Chassidic-Pop. Breslov Techno. Niggunim. Pop-liturgical. Bible-gum. Beat Box. Boy Choirs. House. Socialist Yiddish Gothic. Indie. Weird hybrids. Avant-Garde experiments. Earnest devotion. But we're not immigrants clustered in tenements, in range of a local Yiddish radio station anymore. A revolution is happening but we're scattered across a big nation with no common media to connect us....except the net. Will it be enough?

This Extended Play version of Jack's recent 5 minute Ignite Ann Arbor talk will be loaded with more music, a road-map of the contemporary Jewish Music scene, a case study in social-networking Jewish Music, and the greatest Jewish song you've never heard. Jack Zaientz is the author of Teruah, a popular Jewish music blog. Jack has been interviewed regarding Jewish music by the Israeli National Radio and was recently ranked by the Jewish Telegraphy Agency as the #36 most influential Jewish twitter.



The JCC Stephen Gottlieb Music Festival, March 6-14 around metro Detroit.

Truth in advertising...I'm now on the steering committee of this festival. For 1 whole meeting now. I'm going to be offering up my Jewish music knowledge and rolodex as well as my (limited, though enthusiastic) abilities in internet marketing. The following, though, is my personal take on the fest not an official blurb.

This is a community wide Jewish music festival serving the metro-Detroit area. This year's schedule includes contemporary Jewish musician (e.g. songleader) Rabbi Joe Black, a workshop on Jewish healing through music, Inbal Segev and Elena Baksht Chamber Duo playing a program celebrating Jewish masterpieces including compositions by Ron Yedidia, Ernest Bloch, and Paul Ben-Haim, Shircago! a Jewish a capella group from Chicago, and a concert and discussion with Matisyahu (a live event broadcast via satellite from NYC). All that and a performance by Hal Linden, a teen battle of the bands, a concert of Michigan cantors, jazz, and opera music. See the music fest website for the full schedule.

Some Serious KlezKamp Swag

My grandmother went to KlezKamp this year. In the words of it's organizers, "Since its founding in 1984, KlezKamp has become the single most important Yiddish cultural event in the world." Without question. And it's the single most important gathering of klezmer and Yiddish folk musicians in the world, too. And my Grandmother went. I'm so proud. She's always been cooler than me. Not only did she have a great time listening to the world-class musicians and learning about Yiddish culture, she collected a bag of swag for her jealous grandson. That'd be me. I just got it in the mail today and haven't even had a chance to call her yet. But I can't resist showing off the loot. Grandma went a little crazy, not that I blame her.

She bought me

• Seth Rogovoy's book "The Essential Klezmer: A Music Lover's Guide to Jewish Roots and Soul Music, from the Old World to the Downtown Avante-Garde"
• Klezmer drummer, and NEA Heritage Fellowship awardee Elaine Hoffman Watts album, "A Living Tradition."
• The brand spankin' new 3 CD set "Cantors, Klezmorim, and Crooners 1905-1953: Classic Yiddish 78's from the Mayrent Collection"
• The audio tapes "Tradition - Itzhak Perlman plays Popular Jewish Melodies", "Klezmer Conservatory Band: Yiddishe Renaissance" and "Chava Albertstein - Yiddish Songs." Tapes, Gram? Guess I can't sell my current car. Ever.
  

Not to mention, she passed along the KlezKamp goodie-bag which had any number of fun bits including

• David Benedict's "Shofar Service" 1976. Sheet Music
• Sidney Sukoenig's "May The Words, for mixed choir and organ." 1953. Sheet Music
• Jill Gellerman's "A Survey of Influences on Hasidic Dance." 2009. Pamphlet.
• A 1984-1985 copy of the Journal of Jewish Music and Liturgy.
  
• Advertisements for a "The Jewish People's Philharmonic Chorus" concert (June in New York City), KlezCalifornia (February in Palo Alto), and Ilana Cravitz book "Klezmer Fiddle: A How-To Guide"

And, because I can't resist. Here's a great video from KlezKamp. Hey Gram, you dancing in there? I'll be you are.

Krakowiak, Yiddish Style

Boston gets a Jewish Music Festival (finally)

Boston, my old stomping ground, is finally getting a Jewish Music Festival. According to the website, it will take place the week of March 6th, and consist of separate venues and concerts all around the town. They've got quite a line up planned....

• 30th Anniversary Celebration of the Klezmer Conservatory Band with special guest artists
• A Day of Family Music with Shira Kline (Newton JCC), Ellen and Peter Allard (North Shore), and Reva l’Sheva (South Shore)
• An Evening of Jazz and Poetry with Robert Pinsky
• Composer Oswaldo Goligov in Conversation with Boston Globe critic Jeremy Eichler, featuring a performance by the Borromeo Quartet. Presented in association with the New Center for Arts and Culture
• A Very Special Evening with Flory Jagoda, 88 year-old Ladino Songwriter and National Heritage Fellow
• A Gesher Party for Young Adults featuring New York sensations, Electro Morocco
• Greater Boston Cantorial Assembly Concert
• A rare performance of Bloch’s Sacred Service presented with Chorus Pro Musica, the New England Philharmonic, and the Zamir Chorale of Boston
  
• Closing Celebration with a major Israeli Artist

By the way, they've got as interesting a boards of directors & advisers as they do performers.

Board of Directors

• Morris Hausen, Erving Paper
• Alexis Kopikis, Propel Consulting
• Hankus Netsky, World-renowned musician and musicologist
• Judith Pike, Attorney
• Gerald Slavet,Executive Director: From the top
• Howard Wolk, The Cross Country Group
• Ronny Vance, former President Geffen Music Publishing

Board of Advisors

• Francine Achbar, New Center for Arts and Culture
• Allison Berenson, Gesher City
• Cantor Gaston Bogolmoni, Temple Aliyah
• Robert Cohen, Jewish Music Historian
• Annette Ezekial, Jdub Recording Artist, Golem
• Joshua Jacobson, Zamir Chorale of Boston
• Barrie Keller, GBJCC
• Cantor Jeff Klepper, Temple Sinai, Sharon
• Paul Levenson, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Chayai Shalom
• Rabbi Yosse Lipsker, Chabad of the North Shore
• Rabbi Audrey Marcus-Berkman, Shir Hadash Reconstuctionist Congregation
• Victor Mendoza, Berklee School of Music
• Rabbi David Paskin, Temple Beth Abraham
• Jennifer Rudin, Kehilleth Israel
• Tedd Saunders, Saunders Hotel Group
• Mark Sokoll, GBJCC
• Rabbi Jeff Summit, Tufts Hillel

Whew. That's quite a whos-who list. There's hardly a person on there that I wouldn't love to meet and talk shop with.

Sam Glaser's Adon Olam

Shabbat Shalom everyone. To help us get in the mood, here's Sam Glaser's Adon Olam. Sam's been hard at work lately. Right now he's working organizing the "CAJE Rising Star, a fun-filled American Idol type singing competition" that will take place at the Conference on Alternatives in Jewish Education in a couple of weeks. Another event I'd love to attend. There's usually a flurry of CAJE videos hitting the web a couple of weeks after the event, so I'll keep my eyes open and pass them along.

Sam Glaser - Highlights from the Road

East Rock Klezmer - live at the Shoreline Jewish Festival & the Cowboy Song

Sorry folks, it's been a slow week in Teruah land. I was traveling for work and didn't have much time for blogging. On the bright side, I was interviewed by Benyamin Bresky of Israel National Radio's "The Beat" program. There were about a dozen things I wanted to talk about and actually managed to remember two of them once the interview started. Hopefully I won't sound like an idiot. Ah well. It is supposed to air this coming Tuesday. I'll let everyone know when the interview is posted to their website.

Anyway, back to the music. Today's video is of the 'East Rock Klezmer' band playing at the Shoreline Jewish Festival. The video really caught my attention, both because of the musicianship and the instrumentation. Great stuff. Nothing like a low solid bass drum line as an anchor for the otherwise swirlytwirly violin, clarinet and accordion. Very well done.

I'm also partial to this video because the East Rock gang are from my home state of Connecticut and were on my short list of bands to hire for my brother's post-wedding wedding reception. (For a variety of reasons we hired Arnie Davidson who did a fabulous job.) This video is the third of three that East Rock posted to YouTube recently. Why did am I posting video 3? They're all great but I loved the moment, about half way through the video, where someone came up to the videographer and asked if he was with the press or just some random guy filming the show. A question now caught on tape forever.

East Rock Klezmer part 3 @ Shoreline Jewish Festival


If you enjoyed this video, YouTube has video 1 and video 2 to for your viewing pleasure.

I also have to point out that the East Rock Klezmer band is near and dear to my heard for recording a "Cowboy Song." As regular readers know, I have thing for Jewish Cowboys.

Cowboy Song (Live at the KlezKabaret 2007)

Heeb goes Jewish music bashing

As folks may know from my prior post "Diamond Days, or When Is a Jewish music fest not a Jewish music fest" I'm not so keen on Heeb magazine or the Diamond Days music fest. In my post I expressed my frustration with Heeb for sponsoring a fine, but completely non-Jewish music fest. While writing the blog post I exchanged email with Heeb editor and Diamond Days organizer Jay Diamond. Jay made it clear that he has great intentions for the fest, but that having it relate to anything Jewish wasn't one of them. Jewish magazine. Music fest with no Jewish music. Go figure.

I think that Heeb must be feeling a bit of heat about this. (The JewishSF also took them to task, as did Ari's KlezmerShack blog.) This week, though, in an interview in the San Francisco Bay Guardian Heeb magazine publisher Josh Neuman added more fuel to the fire. He said, and I quote,

"First of all, our goal isn't to showcase Jewish musicians (we couldn't care less if the musicians are “Jewish”) or "Jewish music" (a murky moniker that generally signifies some sort of backwards gaze at a mythical, "authentic" past). Like the magazine, the goal of the fest is to showcase emerging talent for an audience that identifies at some level as being Jewish."

Sigh. All of us who identify with being Jewish and do want to showcase Jewish musicians and Jewish music are looking backwards for mythical authenticity. Hmm. I like it. Maybe I should make a bumpersticker that says that. Any way, I'm a bit furious and my opinion of Heeb has dropped yet again. I posted a bit of a peeved reply to this comment on the SF Guardian website. You should too.

Here's what I said...

"Heeb repeatedly demonstrates that it is pretty clueless when it comes to Jewish culture outside of a narrow set of tired shticks. When Neuman comments that "Jewish music" is "a murky moniker that generally signifies some sort of backwards gaze at a mythical, "authentic" past)" he's demonstrating that he has no idea what's going on in the Jewish music scene. Jewish music has never been so forward looking as it is now, there are artists all over the country (and the world) exploring what Jewish music can become. Some of these artists draw on historic musical influences, some don't. Some draw heavily on contemporary music genres ranging including rock, hip-hop, jazz, country, chamber music and more. Some don't. Some are anchored in liturgical music and prayer, some are outspoken activists, many are great entertainers, no more, no less. The point is that they are, with no more lofty goal than making great music, creating a new American Jewish culture that is as vibrant as anything that has come before. But Heeb hasn't noticed and isn't interested. In Heeb's world being Jewish is nothing more than wearing a hip "tribe" t-shirt while laughing at your grandparents. Who's looking backwards?"

ok. off the soap box. stay tuned for some forward looking blog posts. I've got a ton lined up.

Diamond Days, or When Is a Jewish music fest not a Jewish music fest

I love summer music festivals. I love the 'this will never end' feeling of a whole series of bands taking their turn. I love not being able to decide which which bandstand to settle into and knowing that I'll probably duck my head into all of them. I love going to see a favorite band and coming home with three new ones, and their albums bought from kid brothers behind card tables. And meeting other fans, as we shuffle between venues or snack lines.

There is a whole series of Jewish music festivals in the US showcasing a wide variety of Jewish related music from the US, Israel and around the world. If you're near a big city, there will like be one near you and I strongly urge you to check it out. I've got a list of them started in one of the Teruah side panels. If I've missed yours, please let me know. I'm particularly delinquent on adding the Israeli and other non-US festivals. Working on it...

Ok. This brings me to Diamond Days and the question of what makes a Jewish music festival. Diamond Days is a new music fest in Oakland California in July. Its officially sponsored by Heeb Magazine and is being organized by DJ and Heeb editor Jay Diamond. Regular Teruah readers know that I'm not very keen on Heeb magazine. I'd like to be. I'd like to be excited about a magazine about young Jews being hip and clever. The problem is, I find the underlying message of the magazine to be 'you can be a hip and clever young Jew if you wear a cool Jewish themed t-shirt and hang out with one or two other hip and clever young Jews, just don't actually be serious about anything, particularly Judaism." Diamond Days is a great example of this.

Total bands playing = around 30.
Number of Jewish music (defined as loosely as you like) band's playing = 0
My opinion of Heeb = dropping like a rock

I'm not much of an investigative journalist, but I thought I'd email Jay and get the story from him. Fair is fair. If I'm going to get grumpy, he should have the chance to speak for himself. Here is, more or less, what's going on. Jay is putting on a music fest because when "I was younger, I started getting really into punk rock, and my friends and I would set up these shows for our friends bands, and bands on tour. I've just always loved the energy behind live music, and the idea of a festival has always appealed to me. "

While Diamond Days isn't primarily a fund raiser, "we are donating profits to the Ella Barker Center for Human Rights in Oakland (http://www.ellabakercenter.org) which is a wonderful organization, that I couldn't be happier to be associated with. They have a few really amazing programs which I am very supportive of, and I hope we can help get them some support. .... Diamond Day's isn't a fund raiser in the traditional sense. It's a music fest, but I try and focus on the local side of things, which I think a lot of bigger indie festivals tend to forget about. I feel like including a local non-profit like Ella barker is important to that idea of community."

So this is all good stuff and a good reasons to organize a music festival. It's the sort of thing I've always wanted to do but never did. But why did it get branded a Heeb event? "I've tried to think of ways of explaining the Jewish connection to this fest, but aside from the fact that I am Jewish, and that Heeb is a Jewish magazine the only overall Jewish things that I can take from this is the sense of community that I talked about"

Ok. But that's just not good enough for me. To me that says that Heeb magazine just doesn't get it. We're at a point when Jewish music is exploding. There are new bands announcing themselves almost daily. We've got both massive crossover artists like Matisyahu and Y-Love and great new indie bands (the Shondes). We've got an jazz scene. Sephardic music is coming alive and the classical scene is growing fast. And, of course, the klezmer revival has hit a point where I can't imagine a town in the US with any reasonable sized Jewish community not having at least one klezmer band. Jewish songleader (singer/songwriter) types are on constant tour.

But evidently none of that matters. Because, to Jay and Heeb, having a vague "sense of community" is enough. Don't worry if that community has no Jewish character. Don't worry if that community perpetuates the marginalization of Jewish culture, even in the face of it's resurgence. Don't actually be Jewish (what ever that means to you). None of that matters. Just don't forget to show up, bring a friend, and wear the damn t-shirt.

Klezmer Kamp 2007 goes online

In the movie version of my life, I'm played by someone a lot better looking, wear much more stylish clothes, and am seen at all the cool parties. There are a lot of Jewish music parties I'd like to be seen at this year. I've already missed Hanashira, the Jewish Songleaders Workshop, Shalshelet - International Festival of New Jewish Liturgical Music is later this week, the summer Jewish Music festival season is in full swing, and setting the way-back machine to December, I've missed KlezKamp.

Someday I'll get there, but for now I'll make do with the great set of the 2007 Klez Kamp videos that have been posting to YouTube. There are well over a dozen, including the Mandolin Orchestra (see below), Carpathian Jewish Wedding music, dance performances, a Youth Orchestra, an "Electric Klezmer" group, and traditional ensembles. Check 'em out.

KlezKamp 2007 - Mandolin Orchestra

Chassid concert banned by rabbis

Over the last year of writing this blog, I've done my best to get my head around the traditional (Modern Orthodox & Chassid) music scene. For a liberal Conservative Jew like me, it can be a bit of an other-worldly experience.

Here's a good example. There is/was a big concert ("The Big Event") scheduled for March 9th at Madison Square Garden, in New York featuring Sheya Mendlowitz, Yisroel Lamm, Lipa Schmeltzer, & Shloime Gertner all regular performers on the traditional Jewish music circuit. I've seen folks in the frum music blogs and mailing lists buzzing about it for months now. The Big Event was a Big Deal.

And now it's been canceled, banned by leading rabbi's. Why? I'm not clear, though Blog In Dm has an excellent play by play of the whole affair. It seems that the rabbi's take issue with Lipa Schmeltzer for some reason. (I posted Lipa's 'Oy Channukah' video recently. Surreal, but very fun.) The language they use in the ban, though, seems (to BlogInDm) to set the stage for banning all concerts. (The text to the left is the official ban proclamation.)

Not being part of the traditional community, I'm not going to comment on whether the ban is a good thing or a bad thing, or whether it was executed properly or not. But I will say that I find the whole thing perplexing.

Anyway, I feel bad for all of the teenage Chassid music fans with tickets and no show to go to. I remember being 17 with a ticket to a big concert in my hand (Pink Floyd, Duran Duran, and R.E.M). That was about as magical a feeling as I've ever had. Having the show canceled? whew. that would have been pretty dismal.

Here's a representative quote from one of the fans on one of the frum music mailing lists...

"This is a real loss and a sad victory for the dregs of frum society who hide
their rishus behind fake frumkeit. Lipa is FUN. We are allowed to have FUN. Get it? Got it? Good!!"

I hear you brother, and I'm sorry it's going down like this.

Update:

I was reading through some more of tonights blog / mailinglist discussion on the banning and have a few more details.

1. It seems that the issue with Lipa is that his performances are a bit 'over the top' and 'goyish' for some in the Jewish community. The official word is that Lipa has decided to change his act to leave the objectionable bits out of future shows.

2. The issue of 'goyish' songs (non-Jewish compositions) is coming up regularly. This is one of the most perplexing bits. Jewish music has always borrowed back and forth with the music of our non-Jewish neighbors. What's the big deal here?

3. Another possible issue is the use of mixed seating (e.g. men and women sitting next to each other.) Evidently this is frowned on. The confusing thing is that, according to my sources, the Big Event was not going to allow mixed seating and HASC, another big Chassidic Orthodox concert series, does allow mixed seating (and hasn't been banned).

Shtreiml coming to town

Living on the North Coast (aka Michigan), I don't get a lot of great Jewish music bands coming my way. I'm in for a treat, though. Shtreiml will be hitting Ann Arbor on March 6 and playing the Neutral Zone. I hope I can make it to the show. I first posted about Shtreiml back in January of 2007. Here's how they describe themselves...

"Shtreiml offers a high-octane mix of not-so-traditional Eastern-European Jewish and Turkish music. Led by harmonica innovator Jason Rosenblatt, one of the few people worldwide who can play the diatonic harmonica (a.k.a. blues harp) chromatically, Shtreiml's blues-rock infused set delivers a new look at some centuries old folk music."

I shouldn't be greedy. If you don't happen to live on the North Coast (and if you do, please drop me a note) you can catch up with Shtreiml at any of these venues.

2/26 Boston, MA - The Beehive
2/28 Arlington, VA - IOTA Club and Cafe
3/1 West Chester, PA - Performing Arts Center @ University of West Chester
3/4 Pittsburgh, PA - Howler's Coyote Cafe
3/5 Cleveland, OH - The Grog Shop
3/6 Ann Arbor, MI - The Neutral Zone
3/8 Petoskey, MI - Crooked Tree Arts Center (Blissfest Org. Concert Series)
3/9 Traverse City, MI - Inside Out Gallery

JDub and Taglit-birthright Israel Sponsor World Wide Channukah Celebration

Channukah Sameach, everyone! Happy Channukah!

JDub Records and Taglit-birthright Israel are throwing a Channukah bash "Go 8" in a city near you. At least, as long as you're no where near me. Us North Coaster's are a bit far from hip global civilization to merit a JDub party. Oh well. Maybe next year.

I'm always excited to see the bands that don't normally advertise their Jewishness sign up for Channukah gigs. In addition to the usual JDub crew, including Balkan Beat Box (Go 8 - Los Angees), Golem (Go 8 - Seattle), Soulico (Go 8 - New York), and The LeeVees (Go 8- Washington DC), the lineup will include the idie fav's The Tractenberg Family Slideshow Players (Go 8 - Seattle) and drum & bass'er Mocean Worker (Go 8 - Boston).

Worldwide Hanukkah Celebration

"JDub Records and Taglit-birthright israel are excited to announce the launch of the first-ever multi-city Hanukkah concert event series – The 8. All taking place on December 8, 2007, The Eight celebrates the Festival of Lights with parties in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Seattle, San Francisco and Washington DC (as well as Tel Aviv, Mumbai, Moscow, and Sydney) that will feature music from up-and-coming artists handpicked by JDub, multimedia performances, and a unique menorah lighting ceremony at each event.

*Music, dredyls, donuts, friends, drinks, and dancing, plus special guests and surprises*"

By the way, the video is the The Tractenberg Family Slideshow Players. And yes, that's what they usually sound like. I wish I was going to be in Seattle this year.

The Shondes play T.C.'s Speakeasy

It's 1 am. I just got home. My ears are ringing. I have get up in 4 1/2 hours. And I'm grinning ear to ear. What a night.

My favorite Brooklynites, The Shondes, hit the North Coast tonight and I got to see them. They were fabulous. They hit the stage ducking, weaving, and slamming the audience like a boxer going for a first round knockout, each song full of dynamic changes, tempo changes, mood changes but held together by a fierce lyricism and a strong voice.

And that violin. Who knew that it was an essential punk instrument waiting to be discovered? One minute it provided a lush swirling bridge between rapid-fire guitar phrases, the next it sawed away in unison with the bass and drums to provide a create a wall of sound.

whew. I guess I liked it. I haven't spouted this much purple prose in while. But the Shondes deserve it. Their tour is heading west, so check their dates and go see them. Tell 'em I sent you.

Here are a couple grainy camera phone pictures I snapped.


One of the best parts of the evening was getting a chance to meet and talk to the members of the band. I'd emailed back and forth with them a couple of times, but this was my first face to face meeting. What a nice group of folks. I had a great chat / interview with Temim. We talked Israeli politics (she wants the Palestinian people to have more say over their own future and wants the American Jewish community to engage in real discussions over what policies we should encourage Israel to follow), Jewish music (she thinks the 'Jewish Hipster' scene opened up a lot of space for bands like the Shondes to find a following) and being a Jewish band (she thinks the bands Jewish identity is very important but doesn't want to be pigeon-holed. The Shondes songs and interests are broadly political, deeply personal, and equally pre-occupied with Jewish and queer issues.) (I'm a terrible note taker. Temim, if I goofed this up, please email and correct me.)

Oh and one last thing. I have their new album, the Red Sea, and you don't;) But you can fix that on January 8th when it's officially released. Keep checking their website for details.

Idan Raichel, Matisyahu & Y-Love Live

Sigh. 1000+ screaming fans at a sold out Jewish hip-hop show. Sounds like I missed quite the party. Idan Raichel backed by DJ Handler played last night and were joined on stage by Matisyahu and Y-Love. Of course that stage was MMFH (many miles from here) in New York, but YouTube to the rescue. The concert was hosted by Shemspeed, DJ Handler's new Jewish Music web site, PR agency, and sister project to Handler's Modular Moods record company.

"Idan Raichel and dj handler are all set to perform at Irving Plaza when Shemspeed's good friends Matisyahu and Y-Love let us know they are coming through. We suggest that all of them do a song together. Everyone is psyched and the second they hit the stage it is like a bomb of excitement went off with the sold out thousand+ crowd! Here is what went down! www.shemspeed.com"

By the way, I should drop a note about the upcoming Sephardic Music Festival. It's in New York during Channukah and will feature "Pshutei Ha'am (ex Shotie Hanevua), Smadar, Ayelet Rose Gottlieb, Hadag Nachash, Y-Love, Soulico, Consuelo Luz, Piamenta and countless others will be performing in venues ranging from BB Kings to Spanish Portugusse Synagaogue and from Joe's Pub to Webster Hall."



Hat Tip to Y-Love who dropped me a note about the concert and video. Thanks!

Coolooloosh is coming

I got an email this weekend from the Israeli funk /hip hop band Cooloolosh, "a Jerusalemite word for celebration and joy,". They'll be hitting the US in early January for a tour and to record their new album. Fun sound. I particularly dig their track "Fight Rebel Sun." Check 'em out.

Coolooloosh Promo Movie


You can see more Coolooloosh videos at YouTube, and read reviews and check their concert schedule on their MySpace page.

CAJE Idol: Mark Samowitz & L'dor V'dor

I just ran across this video of Mark Samowitz's winning performance of L'Dor V'dor (Generation to Generation) at this year's CAJE conference (Coalition on for the Advancement of Jewish Education 'CAJE Idol" competition. The CAJE conference sounds like it was a interesting event.

(From an early press release)
"Over 1500 participants are anticipated at this yearly gathering, including world-class teachers, authors and personalities. At the event, educators from across America – as well as 75 participants from overseas, who include a group of 25 Israelis – will have the chance to attend master classes and network in an informal setting. This year's convention's theme is Engaging 21st Century Jewish Learners."

According to the press release, One of the topics they talked about was the high cost of Jewish education. "With tuition costs in urban centers topping $20,000 per kid per year, Jewish day school is an option that many Jewish parents simply cannot avail themselves of." I hear that. My wife and I debated (and still debate) about sending our little ones to the local Hebrew Day School. Money isn't the only factor in the decision, but it's one of the big one. We're still paying off our own student loans, taking on the additional debt burden of two little ones in a private school isn't possible.

Anyway, congrats to Mark. Good job.

Mark Samowitz is a Jewish Star


Hat Tip to Shulerrobbin for posting the video and other CAJE Idol videos.

Upcoming North Coast Shows: The Shondes and The Idan Raichel Project

You know it's fall in the North Coast (aka Michigan) when the bars take down the "Welcome Nascar Fans" banners and put up the "Welcome Hunters" banners. It's just one of the ways I know that Channukah is on it's way. It's a little isolating being a Conservative Jew up here on the Coast. But not too bad, my local synagogue is good and I hang out at the Chabad house pretty regularly. There's a local klezmer band that's cool but doesn't seem to gig much. Everyone once in a while, I drive wife and wigglers into the Detroit suburbs for our fix of kosher restaurant meals and Judaica shops. And, a once or twice a year, I get the change to catch a Jewish band playing in Ann Arbor, that lighthouse college town culture.

Right now I've two upcoming shows to get excited about, though realistically I'm probably only going to get to one of them. The first show is The Shondes, (Yiddish for 'a shame, a disgrace) a Brooklyn punk band that I've written about them a couple of times and am looking forward to finally see live (and, of course, to nab their new album). They'll be playing in Ann Arbor on Nov 28 at She-bang @ TC's Speakeasy on 207 W Michigan Ave at 8pm. It's an 18+ with a $5-$10 cover.

If you're not a North Coaster, their tour schedule is on their MySpace page. If you want to know more about them, check out their their website or posts: The Shondes and the 2007 Heeb 100.

The second concert, which I'll probably not get to, is the Idan Raichel Project. Idan Raichel is a "an Israeli keyboardist, composer, producer...fascinated by the music of Israels growing population of Ethiopian Jews, and many songs feature members of Israels Ethiopian community, Arab musicians, traditional Yemenite vocalists, a toaster and percussionist from Suriname and a South African singer, among others." He also features prominently on a great mix CD my buddy Liz (from Lizraeli Blog) sent me. According to his MySpace page, he'll be playing on November 6th at Live at PJs.

Orquesta Atzor at Rosh Hashana Urbano

Back in early September I wrote about Rosh Hashana Urbano, an Argentinian Jewish music event. Now, a couple of months later, the videos are starting to pop up on YouTube. The first ones I've seen are of the group Orquesta Atzor. But it turns out I missed some others already out there including one of the Guibordim rocking out and a couple of Duo Gefilte Fish goofing off. I'll try to post some more of these later. But for now...Orquesta Atzor

ATZOR CIERRE YOK VIDEO 4