Hearing (& Blowing) Shofar

As you could guess that with a blog called Teruah, I have a soft spot for all things related to shofar blowing. Not that I can do it myself, mind you. So I was delighted to get an email from Michael Chusid, author of the book "Hearing Shofar: The Still Small Voice of the Ram’s Horn" and it's companion website HearingShofar.com. Chusid "blows his shofar in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California where he is ba’al tekiah – shofar master blaster – at Makom Ohr Shalom Synagogue.... [and] has taught shofar at the American Jewish University, Hebrew Union College, and Limmud in Los Angeles, California." The book, which is free for download (donation's accepted), is a 3 volume text ranging from religious discussion of "Blast, Break, Shatter, Blast: The blessings, the calls, and the code" to technical "Secrets of an Awesome Tekiah Gedolah" to anthropological "Iconography and Iconolatry: The visual symbolism of horns in Judaism" and psychological "Sometimes a Shofar is Just a Shofar: Psychological perspectives" explorations. I haven't had a chance to flip the the book yet, but I'm looking forward to it.

In addition to the text of the book, HearingShofar.com includes links to other Shofar related resources including Cantor Art Finkle's "Shofar Sounder's Reference Manual" and information on how to start a "Shofar Corps." The only thing missing are instructional videos or audio clips, though those can be found easily enough on YouTube.

Suite For Furby On Shofar In D Minor

A couple of years ago I wrote about the "only documented collaboration of man and Furby." Well, Sid Yiddish is back with another collaboration with his emoto-tronic friends, this time for the Chicago "Objects In Motion Festival."

As The Chicago Reader puts it...

'The festival’s true standout is Sid Yiddish’s Suite for Furby on Shofar in D Minor, an inspired bit of effrontery.... Yiddish presents an arresting figure, and his ad hoc musical composition would make Fluxus provocateur George Maciunas proud."

So here it is, Sid Yiddish, assorted noisemakers, a shofar, and a gaggle of Furbies.

Suite For Furby On Shofar In D Minor-Part One

For part 2, see "Suite For Furby On Shofar In D Minor-Part 2"

I love these videos for the physical poetry as much as the humor. I'm sure I'm reading too much into this, but while I was watching the videos I had this strange image of Sid as God playing shofar and whatnot trying vainly to engage an idly chattering minyan of Jews. So you didn't like the shofar, maybe for my next miracle I'll try a slide whistle!

Shofar Jam Session

L'shanah tovah, everyone. May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.

Shofar Jam Session


Hat tip to the folks at TuneUp Media for posting the video.

Klezmer Shofar

I love the shofar. (The name of this blog, Teruah, comes from one of the shofar notes played on the high holidays.) And I love hearing it pop up in unlikely places. While getting pressed into service in a klezmer piece isn't as odd as showing in a duet with a Furby, I was still surpised and taken by this piece. According to the video notes, Metropolitan Klezmer trumpeter Pam Fleming was "trying out her latest horn, a kudu (antelope) shofar!"

Metropolitan Klezmer: Pam Fleming's kudu shofar solo


Hat tip to YouTube user 'evesicular' for posting the video.

More Shofar Madness

Sid Yiddish is back in action. I wrote about Sid's experimental shofar music video ("Suite For Furby On Shofar In D Minor)" back in July. While the Furby video was pretty unwatchable (bad audio recording + bad lighting = headache) it was pretty engaging conceptually. Sid just sent me an update, called "Beano". I enjoyed the effect that Sid was going for, the drone guitar vs. sharp shofar contrast, but wish the audio recording was better. The recording
doesn't pickup the individual guitars well and they come off a bit mulchy.

"This was one of the better and more funnier highlights from an August 1st Sid Yiddish (on shofar) performance at The Mutiny, an ugly, nasty dive bar in the Bucktown neighboorhood of Chicago. Sid Yiddish was backed by his performance art band $2 Cockroach, consisting of members Lew Brickhate (electric guitar) & Rat Niptik (bowed electric bass)."

Beano


If you happen to be in the Chicago area this weekend, Sid will be performing a 20-minute version of "Suite For Furby On Shofar In D Minor" at MusicCircus2007. The performance will be at Sunday, Oct 7, at 2:55 pm at the Chicago Cultural Center, see the MusicCircus website for more details. You can also check out Sid's myspace page.

Don't watch this video

It's dark, hard to follow and very odd.

But...it's the only documented collaboration of man (Sid Yiddish) and Furby "Your Emoto-tronic Friend"that I'm aware of, and certainly the only one featuring a shofar.

I bravely watched the video all the way through and can report this: the shofar toots, the Furb(ies?) beep and boop, and occasionally someone seems to be doing something with a guitar (a something that shouldn't be described as playing).

I pass this video along in my efforts to capture the spirit and adventure of Jewish music. But please don't watch it.

Suite For Furby On Shofar In D Minor (Art Bootleg Version)