Hava Nashira - Jewish Music for the People

Dan Geigerman’s “Avenue Q” Parody for Hava Nashira 2011

2011-06-08T16:29:00.001-04:00

Sung to the tune of “I Wish I Could Go Back To College” from the musical “Avenue Q” music & lyrics by by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx.

Parody lyrics by Dan Geigerman

KATE MONSTER:
I love to be at Hava Nashira.
Life is so simple here.

NICKY:
What would I give to stay here
and sing 18 part harmonies all year!

PRINCETON:
I love to be at Hava Nashira.
Here you’re surrounded by friends.
You sit in the Rotunda,
and think, "Oh Hashem!
I am gonna sing louder than them!"

ALL:
I want to stay at Hava Nashira?
It seems to go by in a flash!

PRINCETON:
I wanna go back to my schule and
teach them all the new
things that I learned!
Ohhh...
I wish I could do all the classes...

NICKY:
Or learn a new song...

KATE MONSTER:
Or beat a drum...

PRINCETON:
Play guitar all day long.

ALL:
I need the faculty to point the way!
We’re always...
Jamming outside Chadar Ochel,
4 A.M. when we should be sleeping in bed,
Cursing the world because breakfast’s at 8,
And seeing the rest of my friends there, too!

PRINCETON:
I want to stay at Hava Nashira!

ALL:
Please God do not let it end!
AHHHH...

PRINCETON:
I wish I had taken more pictures.

NICKY:
But when we leave Hava Nashira,
We know the songs here don’t end-
We pack up to leave,
And think yes indeed,

ALL:
"I know I want to come back next year."

Lisa Baydush's Tribute Poem to Debbie Friedman from HN2011

2011-06-07T11:13:00.003-04:00

Lisa Baydush u Jewish Music Educator u www.ShirSynergy.com

Debbie,

With your Mi Shebeirach,

you gave me the gift of prayer.

And with that gift of prayer,

you gave me the gift of song.

And with that gift of song,

you gave me my Jewish voice.

And with my Jewish voice,

I found my Jewish soul.

You sang a song

and sparked a light within me

that changed my world.

You sang a song

and introduced me

to a me I had not yet met.

For your songs,

For your light,

For the gifts you shared with such love…

I will be forever grateful,

Forever inspired,

Forever blessed.

Review: Todd Herzog-A Shelter of Peace

2011-05-06T12:22:00.001-04:00

Artist: Todd Herzog www.toddherzog.com
Album: A Shelter of Piece
Available on: artist's website, iTunes, CDBaby

Summary: A great new CD from a rising star on the Jewish music scene. Get it. You’ll like it.

Other CDs: Bridging the Gap, Proverbs, Everyday Blessings (a children’s CD)

Looking at the contents of Todd Herzog’s latest CD, “A Shelter of Peace” , a Shabbat oriented CD, my “oy, not another setting of [fill in the blank…]” alarms were ringing, yet when I put in the CD and started to listen, the alarms began to be silenced by what I was hearing. This project is different from Todd’s previous efforts on “Bridging the Gap” and “Proverbs.” This CD focuses on songs and arrangements usable in a service setting, and specifically a Friday evening (Reform style) service. It is also a showcase for Todd’s beautiful voice.

No, we don’t need another “Hinei Mah Tov,” but the new version with which Todd opens this CD is a pleasant enough beginning to this excursion through Shabbat. We also don’t need another setting of the Shabbat candle blessing but listening to Todd’s voice and haunting melody one can easily overlook this. The same can be said for this new setting of the “Bar’chu.”

Todd’s “Mi Chamocha” is hauntingly beautiful adaptation of the version we first heard on his “Bridging the Gap” CD. Though personally I don’t find slower, ballad-like settings all that appropriate to the text, this arrangement works. On “Bridging the Gap” this song definitely feels more celebratory, though that version would work only in a service where more of a rock feel would fit. In this new arrangement, when Todd sings “Ad*nai yimloch l’olam va’ed” the sense of awe and majesty come through, but the celebratory sense of the biblical text isn’t as apparent. I still found myself enjoying the song and looking forward to the next one.

Next comes the CD’s title track, “A Shelter of Peace,” a setting of the Hashkiveinu prayer . Todd sings a playful echoing dance with the choir, to a solid beat held back just that little bit so that it doesn’t quite tumble over the edge into the realm of “fast” which could have caused the song to lose its sheltering feel. Sometimes it does seem the lyrics are a bit rushed to fit the melody lines, especially for the choir. This song (and the following Prayer for Healing) will work great in congregational/group settings with people naturally filling in the echoes provided by the choir. This song works equally well on its own as a performance piece, too. It’s rare that a song can do both well.

Once again, Todd’s stellar voice makes “Prayer for Healing” a beautiful, prayerful setting. Another adaptation of a song originally found on “Bridging the Gap” I was surprised to hear another choral echo setting right after “A Shelter of Peace” (Todd explains this was a matter of wanting to keep the song order matching the service order as usually followed at his synagogue.) The original version on “Bridging the Gap” is folksy and the choir in that arrangement feels right. I have to say that the choir added less to this piece than than it does on the other version of the song, or the previous song on this CD, “A Shelter of Peace.” The choir’s singing and lyrics weren’t quite as tight here, and at times the choir felt a bit “angelic” for my taste. It’s a little ironic-I found that, in this arrangement and recording of the song, the empty musical spaces designed for choir/congregation echoes benefited less from having the choir fill them than in the preceding song (or the version on “Bridging the Gap,”) both of which would have worked just as well without the choir. The choir’s choral echoes felt robotic and didn’t really carry any sense of the meaning of the words. I think maybe the choir needed a little of the rejuvenation they were singing/praying for in this song. Todd has one strange oddity here in that a certain nasal feature in his voice absorbs his “n” sounds and makes the added text “r’fanah lanu” sound like “r’fanah lalu.” (This is also true on the “Bridging the Gap” version.)

“V’shamru” has a great Middle Eastern flavor, and it definitely makes you want to get up and dance. It is a fun and sing-able new setting that I’m sure I and others will use. It has that sort of susurim feel of the sound of the muezzin’s call that infects so many Sephardi-style tunes. Todd does a great job with it and you’ll find yourself singing along without realizing it.

Todd really shines performing Steve Richard’s “R’tzei.” It’s actually quite nice to hear this piece sung by a non-Cantor. I’ve known for years that this piece works in both formal and informal musical settings and it’s nice to see Todd demonstrate this. While I enjoyed the choir contributing to this less formal performance there were times I wish the choir had been singing in a more formal style, letting just the accompaniment flavor the piece less formally. I think that could have allowed Todd to shine even brighter than he did. I also think adding a bass to this track might have helped make it the perfect blend between formal and informal. A question, however - what’s with the “le-eh-tzi-yon” pronunciation? I know choir directors will sometimes ask their choirs to give a stronger, more vowel-ized sh’va sound when dealing with Hebrew where a letter with a sh’va falls on a longer or extended note or a series of passing notes, to make it easier to sing, but here it almost turns it into another word, and is just too heavy-handed to be appropriate. The musical solution to this is called elision or syncope, which involve the dropping of sounds within a word. What we get here is called epenthesis, the adding of sounds to words to ease pronunciation. Doesn’t work for me here. Nevertheless this is a stunningly beautiful performance of a classic.

In “Shalom Rav” Todd once again manages to overcome my sense of “oy, not another setting of [fill in the blank]” with a song that’s pretty, sing-able, and enjoyable. The backup vocals fit right it and really support the song. Also, this song has a few more of those interesting musical moments that I found absent from some of the other original compositions (more on that later in this review.) In some ways, this song would have a been a good candidate for adding the choir, and I like the song enough that I might take a hand at a choral arrangement myself, composer permitting. It’s another setting that works equally well in formal and informal worship settings. Todd’s knack for writing songs that do this will serve him well.

In Todd’s performance of Danny Maseng’s “Elohai N’tzor” we once again get to hear his great voice stand out. I have to admit to a complete enchantment with the sound of Danny Maseng’s voice, and nobody can sing his songs like he can. (In fact, few can sing anybody’s songs as well as Danny Maseng can.) It was fun to hear the setting of this song on the Starbucks available Pink Martini holiday album “Joy to the World” which worked because it was different enough. Todd’s version strikes a nice balance between different and “you can’t beat the original.” In fact, Todd’s voice sounds so wonderful on this track I found myself asking “why bring the chorus in so soon?” and wishing that the choral parts were less playful and closer to the original so they didn’t distract from Todd (though that did help add a nice element to the overall feel.)

“Y’hiu L’ratzon” is once again pleasant listening, but at this point on the CD I was reaching the limit of my tolerance for “yet another setting of…” and this particular settings works the least for me of any song on the CD. There’s nothing wrong with it. Todd’s voice is pure and pleasant, as is the accompanying piano. It’s thankfully a very short cut-as if Todd knew that just once through was enough. Maybe that’s why the title uses the unusually short transliteration of “Y’hiu?”

“Shehecheyanu” could have easily been another “Y’hiu L’ratzon.” Though the song doesn’t have a strong hook, or seem to have anything that would cause me to recommend it as a choice over dozens of other settings, I must admit to being captured by it and wanting to sing along. It’s sweet to sing and a good listen, if a bit understated. It’s a setting I know I will use. The world might not need another setting of Shehecheyanu, but it is richer for having this one added. It’s not easy for a new song to get past my “not another version” threshold but somehow this one snuck in and captured me.

“Shalom Aleichem/Calling All Angels” starts (and ends) with a great riff of the Dveykus “Shalom Aleichem” by Shmuel Brazil and Label Scharfman and transitions into a rockin’ version of Train’s “Calling All Angels.” It’s the most fun and upbeat thing on the CD except for the “V’shamru” and also the song with the highest production values and greatest deviation from the otherwise primary acoustic feel. (Yes, folks, while not too evident on the rest of this CD, Todd can really rock. His previous CDs, “Bridging the Gap” and “Proverbs” both contain evidence of that, even with their own strong acoustic sensitivities.) True to the overall feel of this project, even this track is carefully and eloquently restrained to keep it from falling over the edge and into the realm of totally non-acoustic.

I have heard (too) many people perform Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” (It’s already passed my “overused” threshold-I think even Leonard asked folks to give it a rest back in 2009.) Listening to Todd’s rendition on this CD was far more pleasant listening than most of the others. It is unapologetically spiritual and questioning in Todd’s interpretation. At the very end, he starts to go into falsetto and you hear the hint of a yodel creeping in and wonder “is he gonna make it” and then the yodel sort of swirls over and he’s there, only to go on to a final and far higher crowning falsetto note. Nice, Todd. Gutsy, too. You knew he had the falsetto range because it was evident at the end of “Elohai N’tzor” but this was simply, well, as Peter Griffin would say, “sweet.” Sweet and plaintive are the words for this rendition of a song that could easily be otherwise given it’s ability evoke a wide range of emotions and interpretations

Kudos to the Temple Solel choir for their work and contribution to this CD. Their additions, on the whole, make the project better. That being said, while the chorus at times soars to majestic heights, at other times it lacks a true blended choral sound, with the distinctive voices of individual choristers impinging on the vocal harmony and blend. In keeping with the overall acoustic feel of the project the sound of the choir is kept fairly dry, and I’m wondering if just a touch more reverb might have served to soften the sometimes sharp edges of the choir. The chorus also seems a little light on lower male voices, a lack which shows up most obviously during “R’tzei.” At the same time, their highest upper register can be a bit squeaky and thin too.

Todd is much more a performer in the acoustic vein, and such performances are, generally, best heard with minimal enhancement in the audio engineering. (In a sort of “simpler is often more complex” way, it’s been my experience that good recording and mixing techniques for acoustic artists takes even greater effort and better engineering to get the acoustic sound just right.) Some artists, producers, and engineers unfortunately err on the side of caution making things a bit too dry in feel. The recording, mixing, and mastering on this project have, for the most part managed to find a nice balance between capturing the essentially acoustic feel and enhancing it.

Todd’s songwriting is pretty straightforward and generally devoid of the musical tricks that have become the stock in trade of many contemporary songwriters. This gives it a pure, simple style. At times, I actually found this a drawback – I found myself wishing that Todd had taken a more interesting musical turn with a melody, chord progression, or the structure of a piece. However, unlike the work of other songwriters to which I have listened recently, Todd succeeds in keeping his songs interesting enough despite their simplicity, and without resorting to what some in the trade call “ear candy.” One other note- it’s disappointing that the CD doesn’t include lyrics and translations. You can’t assume every listener is going to understand the Hebrew. [In all fairness, I see that lyrics are available on Todd’s website, toddherzog.com, but, as of this writing, some songs are still missing.]

In his liner notes, Todd explains his journey in creating a Shabbat album, concluding in the end that he hopes this CD will “help in some small way to enhance the celebration and rejuvenation that is Shabbat.” Though overall the CD is a bit understated to be a celebration it is certainly rejuvenating. “A Shelter of Peace” can help the listener find their peaceful Shabbat shelter amidst the storms of life. Good work Todd. Looking forward to the next effort.

Adrian A. Durlester
May 6, 2011

[Disclosure: The artist provided the author with a review copy of this CD. All CDs received for review are then donated to Jewish institutions for their use.]

Remembering Debbie Friedman (z”l)

2011-01-09T17:11:00.001-05:00

You may find this a funny way to remember and pay tribute to Debbie Friedman (z”l.) That’s just the point. This picture is, for me, a reminder of one of the funniest interactions that Debbie and I ever had. If you were at Hava Nashira or CAJE in 2004, you might remember it as well. In times of great sadness, reliving a funny memory may be just the thing that’s needed. I’ll miss you, Debbie-as will thousands of others whose lives you have touched.

Her voice may now be silent, but her voice will never be silenced, as long as we share her songs and her teachings. May her memory be for a blessing.

Adrian (aka MigdalorGuy aka Yoeitzdrian)

The Music Mr. Hoffman Ignored

2010-09-10T23:04:00.001-04:00

This is the text of a letter I sent to the Editors of the NY Times in response to an OpEd piece by Miles Hoffman that appeared in the 9/8/10 edition, entitled “The Music You Won’t Hear on Rosh Hashanah” which can be found at: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/09/opinion/09hoffman.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&emc=eta1

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Re: "The Music You Won't Hear on Rosh Hashanah" by Miles Hoffman, 9/8/10 OpEd

Sirs:

I'm not sure where Mr. Hoffman attends synagogue, but his familiarity with and knowledge of the spectrum of Jewish Music seems limited at best, snobbish, at worst.

Near the end of the piece, Mr. Hoffman mentions that "many synagogues have fine choirs..." Exactly what music does he think these fine choirs are singing? Well, I can tell you that it is an entire class of music that Mr. Hoffman has callously and carelessly omitted from his survey. Perhaps it doesn't fit his definition of classical, or of serious composers. It is a grievous error.

As a start. perhaps Mr. Hoffman needs to pay a visit to http://www.milkenarchive.org/, the Milliken Archive of Jewish Music. And even that august collection has many omissions.

Let's begin with the music of those who wrote for the early liberal Jewish synagogues. Great composers like Louis Lewandowski, Solomon Sulzer, Hugo Adler, Samuel Adler, Israel Alter, Abraham Binder, Paul Ben-Haim, Juliuis Chajes, Hebert Fromm, Max Helfman, Max Janowski, Gershon Kingsley, Frederik Piket, Heinrich Schalit. More contemporary composers like Ben Steinberg, Stephen Richards, Charles Davidson, Michael Isaacson, Meir Finkelstein, Bonia Shur, Benjie-Ellen Schiller, Rachelle Shubert, And so many more-no slight intended against any composers I failed to mention in this brief list of serious composers of synagogue music. At many Reform and other liberal synagogues, you'll certainly hear the music of these composers, which most listeners and congregants would view as classical in style, during the High Holy Days.

There's a whole new crop rising as well. Look to the likes of the Shalshelet Festival (www.shalshelet.org) or the Young Composers Award competition of the Guild of Temple Musicians (www.thegtm.org)

Finally, Mr. Hoffman (and the Milliken Archive) overlook the vast field of contemporary folk/pop/rock-influenced liturgical (and secular) music, much of it written with the same skill and passion as any classical piece ever was, and which is the music you'll hear in most of today's liberal Jewish synagogues.

I hope Mr. Hoffman will avail himself of the opportunity to expand his Jewish musical horizons so that in his next OpEd piece, he can give a more complete and accurate picture of synagogue music in the 21st Century.

Adrian A. Durlester
Amherst, MA

A Summer Rant, or When is “Folk Process” Just An Excuse?

2010-08-02T00:57:00.002-04:00

This post has been withdrawn by the author, and will be rewritten and reposted at a later date

UPDATED Review: Sababa – “It’s All Good”

2010-05-22T12:03:00.000-04:00

“It’s All Good” by Sababa
http://www.sababamusic.com

Note: This review is updated from the initial version posted on 5/21/2010.

The title of Sababa’s new CD, “It’s all good” says it all. Wrapped up in a neat little musical package are a baker’s dozen of new, original song and settings. what’s clear and evident in every cut on the CD is how much fun and enjoyment that the groups members-Steve Brodsky, Robbi Sherwin, and Scott Leader-must have had putting this CD together. Their enthusiasm for the songs and each other shines through. This is a collection of songs to which you’ll enjoy listening over and over.

The album’s title song, “It’s All Good” is a fun romp. At first listen, I half expected to hear another song by Steve’s former band, ", Ma Tovu, but the song quickly blossomed into a new sound representative of the unique sound that is Sababa. One quibble, in that I wasn’t quite sure where the steel drum sound fit in to the mix. Nevertheless, it’s a hand-clapping, foot-stomping, sing along kind of song.

“Beauty of the World” hearkens to my cry to set less frequently heard pieces of text to music, in this case, the blessing upon seeing a thing of rare beauty. It’s a great setting of the text, and quite singable.

In “I Saw God” all three members contribute their understandings. It’s a wordy song, reminiscent of the old Tom Lehrer “Folk Song Army” line “and it don’t matter if you have to squeeze a couple of extra syllables into a line.” All three do their best to wrap their diction around the fast-paced words, while maintaining a sense of melody - Steve and Robbi just a bit more successfully than Scott, in this case. Don’t get me wrong-Scott has a great voice, it just didn’t seem to express the same ease of diction with the fast-paced lyrics. Both “Beauty of the World” and “I Saw God” perhaps go on a bit longer than needed, but that’s a judgment call and a matter of personal taste.

This new “Adonai S’fatai” is a bit too “rock ballad” stylistically for me, so it’s more a listening experience. That said, I suspect it could be worked quite well into a live musical service in the right setting. (And I have now witnessed that being done – see my review of Sababa’s service at Sinai Temple.)

Robbi’s new setting of “Ani T’filati” is best summed up by the wry comment in the liner notes (which actually appear on the website, and not on the liner:)

A Zen Master once went to a hot dog vendor and said, “make me one with everything…”

It’s a song with potentially deep meaning, but this setting is more fun than philosophical. Not a criticism, just an observation – as I like the song.

“For Healing” is an absolutely gorgeous song with only one fault – an intro and repetitive refrain on yai-lai-lai, which doesn’t really contribute anything to the song except to make the listener eager to get back to some actual words. This song, too, suffers from a few awkward syllabic/lyric moments. None of these petty concerns, however, are enough to take away from the overall beauty of the song and the lyrics. Robbi demonstrates her sensitivity to the diversity within Judaism through the inclusion of a verse in Spanish – reminding us that, at least where she comes from (Texas) it’s not unusual to find yourself among lot of Jews speaking Spanish.

Now, we don’t need another “Mi Chamocha” but as long as we’re going to get one, why not this new setting by Brodsky? Its pseudo-middle-Eastern melody and rhythm give it an easy-to-sing, somewhat hypnotic feeling. I only wish Steve had “sold it.” The performance seems a bit rote, and doesn’t match the celebratory spirits of the Hebrew text. I can imagine a more spirited performance of this new song, and hope to hear one some day!

We also don’t need yet another “Heiveinu Shalom Aleichem.” Scott sums his new setting this way:

The words are classic and familiar. The melody is simple and repetitive, to have everyone singing along in no time. Sometimes less is more. ‘Nuf said.

In terms of my comments on this song, well…’nuf said already by Scott.

You’ll enjoy their new setting of “Barcheinu.” I liked it a lot, though I was disappointed in the choice of relying on a more “Brecker brothers” sax sound, and a musical style that leans more on Jimmy Buffet (and maybe even Springsteen.) For me, somehow the song seems better suited for a more classic 50s rock and roll sound.

“Darkest Time of Night” is Robbi’s stunning and plaintive tribute to the late Steve Meltzer. She asks “Do we ever take the time to let someone know how much they mean to us, before it's too late?” Too true, Robbi. I hope this song finds its way into the pantheon of songs used at times of memory and loss. This track has some of the finest and most tasteful accompaniment of the whole project.

Another “Hinei Mah Tov” you say? Yes! In this case, I can forgive, since it’s a cover of a fun setting by Hal Aqua of Los Lantzmun, set to a bouncy reggae-ish beat.

Robbi’s “Hu Ya’aseh” is not new, and even though Robbi sings it, you can almost think of it as a cover of her own song. Robbi decided top have a little fun with the song that she and Rich Glauber wrote some years back by adding a couple of local gospel singers to the mix. It still retains some of its reggae/rock feel, too. In fact, it’s a bit of a style mash-up. The background rhythm is, at times, almost Nashville country-rock, sometimes a little gospel, sometimes reggae-rock. It’s OK if the song has somewhat of an identity crisis, because no matter how you sing it or set it, it’s a fun time!

“Havdallah Sweet” perfectly rounds out the album. It’s a great way to transition from the spiritual space that the previous dozen songs took you and the into mundane, quotidian world that you’ll find yourslef back in after the album is over. As another setting of the Havdallah blessings it doesn’t really offer any compelling new melodies for it, but it’s pleasant enough. However, what makes it a sweet “suite” is the rockin’ version of the traditional “Eliyahu HaNavi” that completes it. Elijah himself would groove to it!

The production values on this project are high (as one can usually say about projects produced at Scott Leader’s own Southwest Studios.) while it may be a matter of personal taste and choice, I do have a quibble about the vocals on the project. For almost all of the songs, the vocals feel a little bit dry. While I appreciate the clarity this gives the voices and the lyrics, just a tad more reverb depth would have made me happier. Of the three, Brodsky’s voice is best able to stand up to the clean mix, with his full, solid, supported sound, though Robbi and Scott are no slouches. The musicianship is of high caliber all around.

Add this one to your collection. You’ll be glad you did.

“It’s All Good” is available direct from Sababa, as well as through the usual outlets like cdbaby.com and iTunes.

Adrian A. Durlester
©2010

Review-Sababa! Live at Sinai Temple

2010-05-22T11:59:00.001-04:00

It was with some trepidation that I went to see Sababa lead a Friday Night Shabbat Service at Sinai Temple in Springfield, MA last night – especially since I just just posted a review of their new album, “It’s All Good.” After all, they’re not only colleagues, they’re friends. Yes, it was a good review, but as readers know, I can be awfully picky. You’ll note that, after talking with Scott, Robbi, and Steve, that I did update my review. It has always been my policy to offer artists a chance to respond to my reviews, and I’ll make changes to them sometimes on the basis of those conversations, as I did in this case. But enough about the album – which I like. I want to talk about the service they lead last night.

In a word, wow! Through the years, I’ve seen many a performer or band participate in a synagogue service. Sometimes it works really well, sometimes not so well. This worked really well.

The energy in the room was palpable. Steve, Robbi, and Scott connected easily with the congregation, yet at the same time managed to show respect for them. Sometimes, local minhag and visiting artists clash. Not so, in this case. Of course, the situation was helped by the presence and participation of Sinai Temple’s Cantor Martin Levson, who knows the trio. Rabbi Mark Dov Shapiro ably led the service, knowing when to step back and let the music flow. He was also an active and eager singer (as was Cantor Levson.)

The combined experience of Sababa’s members has given them the wisdom to ably craft a workable service, and not turn it into a performance. Far too often, visiting artists or groups overwhelm the service with their own music, disregarding the local minhag. Sababa’s members clearly know how to create just the right mix – giving the congregation its “cats” (some of you may have heard this famous story as told by Rabbi Hoffman-as Tom Lehrer used to say “the rest of you can look that up when you get home .)

I do have a quibble, and it’s one that I have far too often at services. Sababa used a lot of melodies not their own. In fact, there were probably more non-Sababa-created tunes. It would have been nice to hear all those settings attributed (or at least written up in a service program.)

My second quibble is the length of the service. A phenomenon I have observed at far too many congregations, and in particular Reform congregations, are Friday night services that just try to pack too much in. In this case we had Sababa’s participation, along with the congregations youth choir “Shir Fun,” a touching “adult bat mitzvah” for a very special congregation, a blessing and short speech for graduating high school seniors, and a membership pitch. It made for a very long evening. Fortunately, it was all made endurable by Sababa’s presence.

Sababa was given a short period to just sort of “perform” some of their songs, and I think the congregation found their new music as accessible and enjoyable as I did and you will when you hear it on their albums, or live.

Sababa did manage to integrate a few of their new songs into the actual service, and they all worked well. I was pleased to observe that their “Adonai S’fatai” worked well live, as I had it pegged as more of a listening song in the album review.

The participation of the youth choir “Shir Fun” was nice to see (and it gave Robbi a chance to kvell over hearing one of her songs sung by a choir for the first time) though they were not very easy to hear, even given the pretty decent sound system in use. Overall, too, the room audio was a bit on the loud side. While it did help drive the overall ruach in the room, it also left a few ears ringing.

In conclusion, allow me to saw that with Sababa, I don;t think you can lose whether you invite them to your congregation to help with a service, or simply perform a concert. With Sababa, you get three consummate, sensitive, and talented professionals who understand what it takes to connect with people, whether performing, or working to create a spiritual space.

To learn more about Sababa, and booking opportunities, visit their website at http://www.sababamusic.com/

Adrian A. Durlester
©2010

Coming Soon – Reviews of Sababa’s New CD “It’s All Good” Abby Gostein’s “Blessing” and the lastest OyBaby CD

2010-04-19T11:19:00.001-04:00

Coming soon: reviews of

The new Sababa CD, “It’s All Good”
Abby Gostein’s “Each Blessing”
Latest Release from OyBaby

Review: Blessings – Peri Smilow

2010-03-02T20:20:00.001-05:00

Some years back, just about the same time as the Hava Nashira songleading Workshops at OSRUI started in 1992, a bright star burst upon the contemporary Jewish liturgical music scene in the person of Peri Smilow and her album "Songs of Peace." Peri's golden voice and tasteful production values gave a series of familiar and new songs on the theme of peace a pleasant new presentation. Her next album, Ashrey, in 1997, featured the hit song of the same name, the powerful "Song for America, " along with one of my personal favorites, a new setting of "Ha Lachma Anya." Keeping with her 5-year cycle between releases, Peri next gave us "The Freedom Music Project" in 2002. This groundbreaking album features songs of Passover and Civil Rights, sung and backed by a vibrant young choir of Jewish and African-American voices. It's on my "must have" list of albums, and if you don't have a copy, rush right out and get one (or download it!)

Life sometimes intervenes, and Peri couldn't keep to her 5-year cycle for her latest release, but it was well worth the wait. It's so wonderful to hear Peri's golden voice again. This new CD features 8 new songs by Peri, a new setting of the Havdallah Blessings by a young Russian-Jewish-Israeli songwriter, along with two covers, "When I'm Gone" by Phil Ochs, and Janis Ian's "Joy."

Do I like this new album from Peri, and can I recommend it? The answer is an enthusiastic yes! Ask me why, however, and I might find it hard to answer, or at least answer in a way that makes sense. The closest I can come is to say that everything gels and comes together to create a top-notch production. Allow me a brief diversion for an analogy. For years, I had a career in theatrical production. A wise man once taught me about a philosophy which at first I thought was simply about shortcuts and saving time and energy. That philosophy was summed up in the acronym GEFTS - Good Enough For This Show. Despite outward appearances, this isn't about laziness, or getting away with the least possible effort. What it is about, is making sure that all elements of a production strive for the same (realistic, achievable, and communal) quality level. One can have a show with great actors and lousy lighting, or fabulous costumes and awful sound reinforcement. That usually doesn't work well. GEFTS is about making sure that every area strives for the best, without allowing any one area to so far surpass the others that it detracts. Some of the best shows I've seen are those in which all the elements achieve that same quality level. Sometimes that level was great, other times it was only mediocre. Yet even the mediocre productions were so well balanced that they congealed into a well-rounded whole, making them outstanding.

In the case of "Blessings." there's nothing mediocre about it. Every element is superb-songwriting, singing, arrangements, backup, studio production and mastering, etc. Similarly, there's nothing on it that so far outshines everything else that it detracts from the overall effect. Everything on this album is in balance. That's why I like it so much. Every song on the album is a great listen, and many are fun to sing, too!

It’s hard to miss when you’ve got Grammy-winning producer Ben Wisch on your project. Add to that world-class bass player Tony Levin, and the talented Elana Arian singing backup vocals, and you can see why this project came together at a top level, with production values as good as any typical high-end Indie album.

Peri starts off with a new setting of Psalm 96's "Shiru L'Adonai." Peri describes it as an instant camp creation, and it would certainly be fun to sing at camp (or services, or wherever.) Musically, I have a few quibbles. One is with the somewhat Phillip Glass-esque repetitiveness, and the other with the melodic line, which, while it's aesthetically pleasing from a musician's perspective, I think its similar but not exactly the same lines with close intervals can make it harder to teach and harder to sing correctly. Of course, that's just my perspective. Peri's own liner notes report that just hours after writing and teaching it at camp, it was "performed by the very choir that inspired it." I particularly like the song's bridge, and think it's a great arrangement with superb production values.

The next song is the extremely powerful and emotional "Carry On." Peri's own life's journey has had it challenges, and this song speaks of the inspiration she received from relatives and friends along her own path to healing. For a song with such powerful lyrics, the presentation remains, even when it builds a bit near the end, somewhat understated. The song's strong, slow rhythm feels sometimes like one is carrying on a bit drudgingly, rather than with vibrant enthusiasm. Nevertheless, it's a truly inspiring song, by a gifted songwriter and great singer.

Peri also presents us with new settings of "Nishmat Kol Chai" and "Ma'ariv Aravim" which are both pretty and pleasant; a "Priestly Blessing" that is truly beautiful, and a "Gomeil," the traditional prayer of one who survives a life-threatening situation, that is truly inspiring and uplifting. Peri's sweet voice graces these solid arrangements with tasteful instrumental and vocal backup. At once truly personal and majestic, Peri's "Gomeil" features a wonderful backup choir (more about that later) and is a piece that I hope begins to find wide use in the community, because it can work equally well, as it does on the album, in both a small, intimate way, and in a more glorious communal manner.

Peri also gives us two songs from a more feminist (and I don't mean that pejoratively) perspective. The first is the beautiful "Hineini" which is based on kavanot used at the Mayyim Hayyim Living Waters Community Mikveh. The second is the piece she was commissioned to write by the Women of Reform Judaism in celebration of the publication of "The Torah: A Woman's Commentary." This milestone event is well served by Peri's "We Were There Too." It's a fun song, with an infectious beat, and with just enough of a touch of , jazzy, bluesy, gypsy, and other musical turns and twists to make it not-so-easy-to-classify the genre.

Peri was enthused with the music of the young Russian emigre to Israel Evgeny Leshenko. So much so that she recorded his setting of the Havdallah Blessings for this project, in hopes of introducing his music to the American Jewish community. It's a pleasant enough setting, and I do hope it finds some use (and I am sure it will) in congregations and camps. As I do with many songwriters, I'd like to encourage the young Evgeny to try setting some less frequently heard prayers, blessing, and p'sukim from our rich textual heritage to music, and put his obvious talents to work filling the gaps and voids in the spectrum of contemporary liturgical music. We've enough Sh'mas, Oseh Shaloms, and settings of the Havdallah Blessings to go around. That's not to say this isn't a version worth considering among the many others, for it truly is a musical and fun setting.

Finally, Peri presents two covers. The first is of Phil Och's "When I'm Gone." The arrangement is tight, and Peri's voice lends a new clarity and beauty to Phil's lyrics. Peri's take is somewhat laid back, and thus lacks urgency that's present in and drives the song's original incarnation. No matter, for Peri manages to deliver the same message in her own unique way.

The album ends with a cover of Janis Ian's "Joy." Peri manages to make this song her own, especially with the expert keyboard stylings of Josh Neslon in place of the guitar of the original recording. I do miss those few seconds of chorus that set apart the word "joy" on the original, nevertheless, Peri's version manages to get inside me just as Janis Ian's did.

In keeping with her penchant for working across boundaries, in “Gomeil” Peri’s backup singers are all from the Calvary Baptist Church in Morristown, NJ. As I stated earlier, what makes this album work so well is that...well, everything works so well, and is top notch. It wasn't manic in some spots and depressive in others, though that's not to say it doesn't have variety. The mix of songs and styles in part of that certain something that this album has that makes it so good. Peri has a beautiful, lyric voice that's easy on the ears. The arrangements and backup musicians are all top notch and solid. In summary, "Blessings" is worthy addition to your collection of Jewish music.

Janis Ian's "Joy" is perhaps the culmination of her 4 decade-long career. “‘Joy’ could be her ‘Forever Young’,” as Americana-uk.com reviewer Robin Cracknell put it. Let's hope "Blessings" is not the last we hear from Peri, because she, and her music truly are as the title says.

Blessings is available from the following sources:

Peri has a website: www.perismilow.com
and a FaceBook page

Review: Reunion - Julie Silver

2010-03-02T19:59:00.001-05:00

What do an old wicker chair, St. Patrick, Carole King, a Hollywood score writer and Torah have in common, and what are they doing together on a contemporary Jewish album? Leave it to Julie Silver to bring these disparate elements and more together in a musically stunning and aurally beautiful new album - Reunion. It has been far too long since we've had a new project from Julie. It was worth the wait. Reunion is the work of a mature, sophisticated, experienced artist, yet retains the spirit of the seeker that characterizes much of Julie's earlier work. Julie has always been a gifted songwriter, her words expressing the angst, peace, uncertainty, commitment, confusion, clarity, insecurity, pride and more that we all have in our lives. In Reunion, Julie's ability to turn everyday life situations and experiences into spiritual encounters imbued with teachings and meanings has achieved a new level of artistry and skill.

The album begins with the infectious "Step by Step." It's the perfect way to start this brave walk into the water that is "Reunion."

Songs like "The Barefoot Sisters" challenge us to come to terms with who we are, and teach us the lesson of Yitro - that we can and should learn from those outside our little circle. Her cover of Carole King's "Been to Canaan" aptly demonstrates that expressions that touch our Jewish souls can come from anywhere. In "Monica's Chair" Julie sings lovingly of the healing and comforting power of memory.

In "Where Am I?" Julie questions the often exclusionary content of our sacred texts, in this particular case, citing parashat Matot holding males accountable for vows yet relegating responsibility for women's vows to their fathers of husbands. May it be that her question does not fall on deaf ears.

There is no shortage of liturgical content. First, there's a song written many years ago that has found its way into regular use at many services, the inspiring "O Guide My Steps." This song has a special place in my heart, as I was there when it was created by (now Cantor) Debra Winston with contribution of a Hebrew lyric counter-melody by Julie. I know the emotion behind the initial genesis of song, and it still brings tears to my eyes. It's nice to hear a recording of the song by Julie, whose voice is perfectly matched with that of Rabbi Joe Black in this emotional duet. Oddly, this arrangement is light on the Hebrew counter-melody, spending most of its time on the English verses. Humility, perhaps?

There's a beautiful, melodic, peaceful and somewhat hypnotic setting of the healing prayer "R'faeinu" Julie graces us with a new setting based on the Y'hiyu l'ratzon/May the words entitled "Meditation" that is plaintively simple and hauntingly beautiful. No masks or technical tricks separate us from the outpourings of Julie's heart in this song, which allows her natural voice and natural vibrato to be heard. It's nice to see an artist willing to take that risk. This is generally true for most of the songs on this album - we get "natural" Julie. So many times, what you get in a live performance disappoints compared to a recording. Not so in Julie's case, and in particular on this album. Close your eyes when listening to "Reunion"and it will really be like hearing her live.

Julie also includes four songs written by the talented Hollywood composer David Kates. "Circles" explores the cycles in our lives, and dealing with loss and finding continuity. in "Lead the Way" expresses the hope of every parent and teacher for the children. There's also a gorgeous setting of "Dodi Li." The album closes with David Kates' joyful, spirited setting of "Halleluyah (Psalm 150.)" Like any good project should do, this final song leaves you wanting more. We're waiting, Julie!

There are those who might object to a Jewish album having seemingly tangential, even secular songs included. I'm not one of those. Judaism is not just a religion or culture. It is a way of thinking, living, doing, being. All our life experiences, from the quotidian to the awesome are in conversation with and informed by and inform our understanding of Judaism. Julie's songs are the authentic expression of that process, and we are all richer for her sharing that with us in her music.

Reunion is available from Soundswrite/URJ Books & Music

Julie Silver’s website is www.juliesilver.com

Julie’s FaceBook page www.facebook.com/people/Julie-Silver//1071015337

Julie’s Twitter Page www.twitter.com/julieannsilver

UPDATED 2/1/2010: Coming Soon-Reviews of Julie Silver’s New REUNION CD, and Peri Smilow’s new CD BLESSINGS.

2009-10-30T19:39:00.001-04:00

I’ve been listening to my new copy of Julie Silver’s latest CD, Reunion. Expecting a copy of Peri Smilow’s new Blessing CD any day. Look for a reviews soon! Sorry for the delay in getting new review posted.

Little Taste of Torah Is A Tasty Meal – Review of Peter and Ellen Allard’s New CD “Little Taste of Torah”

2009-10-19T13:28:00.001-04:00

Review: Peter and Ellen Allard -- "Little Taste of Torah"
Scheduled release date: Nov. 1, 2009
Available for pre-orders at www.soundswrite.com
Artist website: www.peterandellen.com

Little Taste of Torah Is A Tasty Meal

Jewish children's music has come a long way. There was a time when parents might politely tolerate listening to Jewish kid's music for the sake of their children. Times have certainly changed. While there are still plenty of Jewish children's albums that appeal mostly to kids, more and more artists are producing projects that add the quality songwriting and higher production values necessary to have their work appeal to the parents as well. The music of Peter and Ellen Allard has proven, over time, to enthrall adults as much as children. Perhaps some of that is because they help bring out the inner child in each of us (which, for anyone who has ever seen Ellen Allard's high-energy stage presence is no surprise.) I believe it is also because the Allards take their work seriously, and approach it with passion and intelligence. The Allard's latest project, "Little Taste of Torah" easily meets the listening (and value) test for both children and adults. It's a CD I highly recommend to both.

The songs from the Allard's previous two Jewish CDs, "Bring the Sabbath Home," and "Sing Shalom: Songs for the Jewish Holidays" have quickly become standards for the songleaders and music educators who are out there teaching our children, your humble reviewer included. This new CD has been long awaited and is a more than worthy successor to the previous two Jewish CDs (as well as the Allard's pantheon of secular children's CDs.)

Overall, the new CD has more of a rock than folk type feel to it, and that shows the Allards are working to keep up with their audiences. Peter and Ellen are clearly striving for a more mature listening audience, especially evident in songs like "Be Holy" and "There's a Time." If this CD is somewhat of a crossover attempt from the realm of children’s music to a broader audience , it is a successful one. The title song, "Little Taste of Torah" is itself a song that will easily appeal to young and old. There's truly something for everyone.

The themes explored (and taught) by the Allards on this CD are varied, as are the musical styles. They include environmental values ("For Trees",) gossip ("Lashon Hara") and our our obligation to "Be Holy." The Allards aren't afraid of tackling the subject of G"d, asking, in a style reminiscent of Native American chants, the musical question "How D'ya Know" that G"d is here? You can even find G"d in a peanut butter sandwich, say the Allards--uite convincingly, I might add.

The funniest song on the CD is actually one of most serious in the lesson it attempts to teach - about the power of language and the dangers of engaging in "Lashon Hara." Learning the lyrics and singing them clearly is as much fun (and perhaps as much of a challenge) as learning a Gilbert & Sullivan patter song. You almost want to hear an encore where Ellen sings it really fast!

There are, of course, a few holiday songs. The touching "May You Be Sealed" is a thoughtful song for Yom Kippur, beautifully sung and accompanied. Even before appearing on this CD, "Shofar Blast" had already become a classic. Jewish children (and adults!) the world 'round are singing and learning the sounds of the shofar from it. Now, many more will get the opportunity to hear the song done by its creators, and that alone is reason to rejoice. I was a bit disappointed to not hear children's voices singing, and the adults singing the backup instead seem to emote a feeling that is more self-indulgent studio fun than the enthusiastic sound of children imitating the shofar. This is a great song that perhaps deserved more than it got in production, especially given it's enormous advance popularity. Nevertheless, it’s still a winner.

To their earlier song about the crossing of the reed sea, "Standing at the Sea," they have now added "Nachshon," and "Wall of Water." "Nachshon" is one of the songs on this CD that shows it's not just for kids, combining a hard rock style and maybe even a hint of Beatles. It might be the best and most mature cut on the CD, though I might have preferred a violin to electric guitar in the instrumental break. In contrast, "Wall of Water" is a bluesy-jazzy-country bit of fun, with its own built-in shtick and choreography which you won't be able to resist.

"Gotta Groove" is Peter and Ellen's clever homage to the asher yatzar prayer from the morning liturgy, and groovin' is what you'll do to this song. It starts out quite busy at the beginning, so it doesn't leave itself much room to build until the inevitable key-change near the end, and at times the lyrics "Thank You G"d" feel a bit understated. No matter--this one is sure to get you up and moving, and thinking about the miracle that is the human body and its workings.

Though Peter has always been featured singing on few songs on the earlier CDs, on this one Peter gets a real chance to shine. My first thought, when I heard "Baby Moses" was "you go, Peter!" I dare you to resist dancing, clapping, or otherwise enjoying this one. The rocking "Shake, Shake, Shake" (no, it's not yet another lulav shaking song-this one is about tzedakah, and shaking the tzedakah box,) also features Peter singing, with great instrumental backup. (The gratuitous little "shake it, baby" tag at the end didn't quite work for me, but kids seem to enjoy it.) "There's a Time," a setting of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) 3:1 is well written and performed, and it's got a great bridge with some nice vocals, instrumentation, and a flute solo. It isn't as solid as most of the other offerings on this album, and, as a new setting of a familiar text isn't likely to eclipse the attempts of other notable songwriters and performers who took a "turn" setting it to song. This song still has its purpose under the Sun, so enjoy!

Overall, the production values are great, if a bit uneven in spots. There's some truly fine instrumental work on the CD, most notably Scott Leader's piano on "May You Be Sealed," "Baby Moses," "Be Holy," and the aforementioned flute solo on "There's a Time." There was one instrumental choice which I found odd, though I admit it is probably just my own personal taste - featuring a saxophone on the "Sh'ma Lullaby." The saxophone here has a mellow feel to it, but it is more the relaxed feel of a smoky jazz club than a child's bedroom. The instrumentation is a bit busy at times, obscuring the lyrics, and the EQ on Ellen's vocal sometimes has a bit too much on the high-end, more odd choices for my taste in a lullaby. All this will probably be just fine for most listeners, especially with the more lullaby-like keyboard patch and guitar sounds. It's a beautiful song, beautifully sung by Ellen, and a great way to introduce the practice of the bedtime Sh'ma to both children and their parents.

On this album there are a few abrupt starts, odd endings, and the like-at least for my tastes. Bear in mind that I'm a tough critic, and awfully nit-picky--so don't get me wrong. "Little Taste of Torah" bears all the hallmarks of the Allard's talents and the great production values we've come to expect from projects placed in Scott Leader's capable hands. I loved this CD, and you will too. Go out and buy a CD or down-loadable copy now. (Well, the official release date is Nov. 1, 2009, but you can pre-order copies right now at www.soundswrite.com You’ll be glad you did.

When Peter and Ellen taught the new song “For Trees” at the annual Hava Nashira Songleading workshop last June in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, apropos to that great state, it was quickly parodied by Ross and Malka Wolman in the delightful “For Cheese.” Let me tell you, there is nothing cheesy about Peter and Ellen Allard’s new recording. Raise your hands up high--for all the world to see--every one stand up - for "Little Taste of Torah."

Adrian A. Durlester
October 19, 2009

Technorati tags: jewish, music, children

Review: Erik Contzuis' Teach My Lips a Blessing

2009-09-03T14:48:00.003-04:00

Cross-posted from the Teruah Blog. Review by Jack Zaientz

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Erik Contzius - New Cantorial Music in the German Reform Style

There are other histories out there, if we know how to listen for them. Other musics that remind us of how complicated, and interesting, our trip has been and how brutally the 20th century disrupted that trip. But these histories are starting to reassert themselves. We all know about the klezmer revival, and I've written many times about reassertion of Sephardic musical culture in west, the explosion in Jewish popular and art musics, and the rise of the songleader folk pop-liturgy. Guess what..chazzanut, that great voice on the pulpit, still has it's champions and they're creating a new generation of liturgy work that is vital and compelling. And they're reconnecting current chazznut with historic traditions that have all but faded from memory in America.

Erik Contzius has a new recording, Teach My Lips a Blessing, of cantorial music in the German Reform tradition. For someone growing up in a mid-20th century Conservative American synagogue, it sounds like it could be from the moon. Shabbat prayers sung over pipe organ, backed by a large mixed choir? It's a distinctive soundscape that violates Orthodox and Conservative halacha (use of instruments on the Shabbat) and my sense of history (the role of the cantor fading as community prayer practice has become communal and participatory). But that sound!

Contzius has done something magical. This isn't the mighty voiced lion of a cantor praising and supplicating as the voice of his community. It's also not a call and response prayer leader. It's something different. Contzius has a strong clear voice, without the operatic theatrics I've heard in many cantors and cantorial recordings (If anything, his voice tends toward Broadway a bit too much at points. ) It's warm and inviting, and with the choir and organ behind him feels like he's singing both for and with the community at the same time. This is a very different sensibility than a songleader grabbing a guitar to lead a hundred congregants through an out of tune Shalom Rav. (which is a wonderful thing, too). There is a sense of leadership here, Contzius reaching out through his voice, showing us the way, and bringing us along. I don't feel the urge to sing when listening to Contzius, but I feel that his singing includes me already. While I love communal singing, there is a power to this way too.

Amazon has graciously provided us with a chance to hear some clips of Contzius recording. In particular listen to V'Shamru. I've relistened to it about a dozen times. (I get to cheat. Contzius sent me the album so I get to hear the full recording). It soars, but never so high that it leaves the choir voices behind. And that's pretty special and may help breath new life into chazzanut.

Amazon.com Widgets

You can hear more Contzius compositions, learn more about his approach, and purchase this recording via his website or download the tracks through the Amazon player.

Review-Abby Gostein's Each Blessing

2009-09-01T09:27:00.001-04:00

Cross-posted from the Teruah Jewish Music Blog

Review by Jack Zaeintz

Monday, August 31, 2009

Abby Gostein's "Each Blessing"

I'm listening to Abby Gostein's "Each Blessing" right now. I've got a lot to say, but am not sure where to start. How do you review an album this is as much an advertisement for sheet music as a recording to be listened to? How about this....
This past Shabbat I went to Kabbalat Shabbat services at the local Reform synagogue. Not as a guest, but as a member. Yep. I'm a life-long Conservative Jew who recently became a member of a Reform synagogue. I'm not going to get into why I switched membership from the local Conservatice synagogue, it was just time for a change. (For the record, I also will be davening regularly at the local Chabbad house too). I was pretty impressed by how much traditional (by my standards) Hebrew liturgy was part of the service. I also enjoyed the contemporary English readings in the new Mishkan Tefillah. They're direct and meaningful, if a bit vague about God and Torah. Sitting there I felt recharged and happy.
When I sit back in my chair, Gostein's "Each Blessings" playing through my headphones, I'm right back there. Her gentle vocals and piano playing pick up the quiet warmth of the service and her more driving pieces are invigorating and make me want to sing along. Just right for a contemporary Reform service.

And that's the point of the album, right? Gostein describes it as ....
"Contemporary Jewish music, moving and accessible, with memorable melodies and riveting harmonies; prayer and blessing settings intended to be flexible in nature and easily usable by cantor or soloist, congregation and/or choir"
This isn't music for a concert, for listening to a car, or even for listening to over headphones in a comfy chair (though I've happily done the latter two already and would go to a Gostein concert if given a chance). It's for singing in a group. At synagogue. That's what the albums for. If you go to her website she's got lyric sheets ready, and if you want the sheet music, she's got it.
As long time readers might remember, I've always had mixed feelings about Reform style songleader recordings. Part of it, I'm realizing, is that since I'd never been to a service that included them it was hard to understand their natural home. Part of it, though, is that I've often found them to be underwhelming rehashes of 1970's folk-pop with shallow feel good lyrics. Gostein's album, though, manages to avoid those traps. While some nod back to the 1970's, others pick up much more current musical influences and rhythms. There's drive and passion, but it never overwhelms. It creates a sound that is timeless, not dated.
Good stuff. Really.
And an album that I'll hand off to my choir director next Friday.

* Update: Sigh. Another fact-checking goof. Abby just emailed me to let me know that while she loves the piano playing too, she can't take credit for it. Scott Leader, Jewish musician and proprietor of Southwest Studios, played piano on most of the album (including the two tracks above). Martha Mortensen Dudgeon took over the keys for the last two tracks. Dudgeon is an Austin pianist and artistic director of the Austin Chamber Ensemble. Thanks for the update Abby

For more info on Abby Gostein's "Each Blessings" check out her webpage and CD Baby. For her sheet music see OySongs and Transcontinental Music Publications.

Reviews/Reviewers Wanted

2009-09-01T09:02:00.001-04:00

The contemporary Jewish folk/rock/pop liturgical music scene (or whatever we're going to call the Debbie Friedman to Dan Nichols to Todd Herzog and beyond genre) is blossoming with ever new recordings. We need to help ourselves get the word out, and posting reviews on this blog could be one way to do that. If you'd like to review something (new or old) please get in touch with me (adrian@ehavanashira.org) It would be best to have reviews from reviewers of of several types:

those who are NOT primarily songwriters/performers/songleaders
those who are songleaders or music educators
those who are songwriters/performers/producers/publishers

There are so many new recordings out there just crying to be reviewed. Here are some suggestions:

Abby Gostein: Each Blessing
Dan Nichols & e18hteen: To the Mountains
Josh Nelson Project: Lift:
Debbie Friedman: As You Go On Your Way-Shacharit-the Morning Prayers
Todd Herzog: Everyday Blessings

and so much more. (Please don't be offended if I left your latest and greatest off this short list of suggestions. If you want your new project reviewed, send me a copy!)

Also, it would be nice to have all parts of the genre covered, including children's music, teen music, music for worship, adult listening, etc.

Let's all work together to help our community thrive.

Carroll, Taylor, & United Profit When United Breaks Guitars ?

2009-07-16T10:51:00.001-04:00

While I’m sympathetic to Dave Carroll, of the Sons of Maxwell, I'm not particularly swayed to righteous indignation against United Airlines by his supposedly viral "United Breaks Guitars" video. He really SHOULD have opened the case when he arrived in Omaha, and, at the very least, taken pictures. I’ve known since I was a child that shippers always say that one should inspect packages upon receipt even if there is no outward sign of damage. Mr. Carroll does bear some responsibility for the outcome of his situation. I don’t know about you, but when I travel with one of my pianos on a plane, I damn sure open the case at the destination airport to check it. Frankly, I do the same even when I transport it myself in my car!

(One also has to wonder why no one snapped a photo with their cell phone on the tarmac at Chicago, showing the offending instrument throwing/throwers.)

FWIW, this article contradicts Mr. Carroll’s statement on his web site. He never actually saw *his* guitar being mishandled. By the time his bass player looked, Carroll surmises with no basis of proof, that his guitar had already been thrown.

Also, the “we were on the road away from Omaha” is a lame excuse for having not contacted the airline immediately when the damage was discovered the day after they arrived in Omaha, at the sound check. Sounds like they did a week of touring gigs with his broken guitar in tow. Hard to be sympathetic for that. Especially in this day of cell phones, email, etc.

Sounds to me like Mr. Carroll and his gang were too lazy to bother to check things, too follow-up on things, and too focused on their career path itself and less on the material items like their guitars. (Personally, I have heard stories from roadies-who take meticulous care of player’s instruments-about how the performers then mistreat those same instruments.) Obviously, Mr. Carroll had other guitars to play which he then used. Did his audiences feel cheated because he didn’t play his $3500 Taylor? Would they even know? A consummate musician can make good music on even the worst of instruments, and somehow I doubt Mr. Carroll’s alternate guitars were cheapies from Sears. In fact, turns out that Taylor supplied him with replacement guitars, hoping to get some good publicity out of this whole story (which they have.)

Mr. Carroll clearly had the $1200 needed to repair the guitar. He was fond enough of it to keep it and use it in its less than perfect repaired state when he could have purchased a new guitar (and Taylor was giving him all these nice freebies in return for the publicity.) Also, he could have left the guitar damaged to offer as evidence to the airline. He doesn't say when he had the guitar repaired. I somehow doubt it was during this week-long tour.

I’m glad Mr. Carroll is past angry, because he’d have to save some of that anger for his own mistakes and tunnel vision. Somehow, though, he seems to have turned his misfortune to his advantage. United wants to make things right to Carroll financially, has apologized to him, and wants to use the video as training to change its corporate culture. Millions of people have seen the video, and now know of Mr. Carroll and his band. My heart bleeds.Not.

If he’d checked his guitar at airport in Omaha and filed a claim, I’ll bet he would have wound up with a substantially smaller settlement than he will now probably get from United (plus he won’t have all this great publicity for an up and coming singer and his band! Aw, shucks.

Gee, what a clever publicity ploy. So, did any of this really happen? Can we be sure? I’ve seen no evidence that this story is anything but invented or apocryphal. Perhaps United and Taylor are in on it? Taylor is making hay of the story. In a way, so is United. And clearly, so are Mr. Carroll and the Sons of Maxwell band.

Has anyone interviewed other passengers that were supposedly on this flight, or tried to locate the person who supposedly claimed “they’re throwing guitars?” All the news stories seem to have been about the “viral” nature of the video, and not the actual facts of the story. Anybody interview baggage handlers at O'Hare?

Also, there are always sides to a story. Were all the United agents and employees truly surly or dismissive? Was Mr. Carroll always polite and respectful to them? We're the baggage handlers really "throwing" guitars in an irresponsible manner, or was that simply one person's perception? I'm not even sure throwing luggage between handlers is wholly inappropriate if they are taking care to catch it and make sure nothing hits the ground or gets hurt. Probably not the best idea, but there are possibly extenuating circumstances. These low-paid baggage handlers are under a lot of pressure to get luggage moved quickly and efficiently. I know I've seen for myself, and also heard stories of UPS, FeDex, DHL and other carrier's employees moving packages via "airmail" - i.e. toss them to one another. Tell me you've never tried a potentially risky shortcut or two at work or home in a situation in which you felt confident and secure, and wanted to get something done faster. Sometimes you won, sometimes you lost. That's what taking a risk is all about. Sometimes, fate just steps in and intervenes in an unexpected way. I'd say Dave Carroll is trying to turn lemons of fate into lemonade, and doing it quite successfully. (United is following suit, as is Taylor.)

I pay a shipper (or an airline) to get my items safely from one place to another, unharmed. I also know that there is always some risk. No employer can be sure 100% of its employees do everything 100% correctly 100% of the time. I'll certainly opt for the company with the best record, but I can't expect perfection. (Stores build in losses from expected shoplifting, accidental stock breakage, and cashier errors when they budget, and factor that into the pricing.) Planes crash, trucks get into accidents, delivery people trip or stumble and packages get damaged.

Now, fact of the matter is, smart businesses compensate customers even when damages happen due to circumstances that are random or beyond their control. United is not entirely off the hook here, in my view. A smart company would have acknowledged and come to a quick settlement with Mr. Carroll right from the start-even if there was no clear proof the damage was their fault. This action on their part would have been the smart play.

Taylor played nice by providing replacement guitars for Carroll. Didn't hurt their bottom line, either. Win-win for them--they get to play nice company, and get huge coattails publicity from the "viral" video.

Also, it does seem a shame that Mr. Carroll had to endure such a runaround from United, Air Canada, et al. They should apologize for that, and should address the corporate culture that is responsible for it.

Yet, in the end, do I want the cost of my airline ticket going up because United has decided to settle every claim submitted, even a week later, and when there is no evidence or proof to back up the claim? That's a selfish question, and the wrong one. If we are to ask that question at all (and I'm not entirely sure we should) shouldn't it be if all of us, United's current and future potential customers, are willing, for the good of the entire community as a whole, pay slightly higher ticket prices so that United can compensate all claimants for damaged luggage regardless of circumstance? That answer might be, and dare I say, perhaps ought to be, yes. Much as I believe in personal responsibility, I also believe companies do better when they satisfy their customers by making sure they're always right (even when they're possibly not.) On the other hand, might a better solution be that we all agree that it is prudent to check our luggage for damage (especially when we have good reason to suspect a problem) and report it immediately or as soon as we can so that companies can properly process claims, and not have to pass on to customer the costs of paying unfounded claims?

Seems, based on the "virulence" of this "United Breaks Guitars" video, most people are siding with the upset customer (who failed his requirement fro due diligence.) Is this the choice we really want to make?

Was this truly a “viral” video as claimed, where “the public” forced an outcome on the despicable airline company, or is it a shameless sham? Food for thought.

Also, for the record, I once flew United on a vacation to Hawaii. On the return trip, they mis-routed a grass mat we had purchased for a few bucks as a souvenir. We reported it at our home airport, and the personnel were not dismissive of our claim in the least. United located the mis-routed mat, sent it back to our local airport, and had it delivered to our house by taxi, and sent a letter of apology. Admittedly, this was some years ago. Nevertheless, it represents most of my own personal experience with United Airlines, which have generally been positive. The missing grass mat was the only luggage problem I have ever had flying United. (I won't say I haven't had other problems with them, still overall, United has fared better in my esteem than many other airlines I fly.)

Adrian A. Durlester (aka Migdalor Guy)

The Life of a URJ Camp songleader...the beginning

2009-06-09T13:13:00.002-04:00

Shalom Hava Nashira goers, friends of the internet, and to anyone who kind of just stops over this page!

Let me introduce myself, I am Rachel Wolman. I hail from the DC metropolitan area and have finished my first year of college. This summer I will be working at the URJ Camp Newman-Swig located in the beautiful town of Santa Rosa, over a hour north from the San Fransico bay area and right outside of Napa Valley. This is where I will be spending my Summer as a songleader. I couldn't even begin to tell you how excited I am for this Summer. I am also excited to give you all an insiders view of the life of a working summer camp songleader. I plan on updating once a week during the summer about all the things I go through, experience, and anything I feel that this group will find of interest.

I have a lot of goals for this Summer. I also have an amazing new songleading team that I get to work with this Summer. As the only songleader who has songlead at Newman before, it's going to be a very fresh feel this year. It's also a privilege that Newman feels we should have a lot of great mentors coming over the summer. For the first two weeks of camp Dan Nichols will be here. I am not sure who is coming after him, but I know it includes Rick Recht, Noam Katz, Alan Goodis, Cantor Wally, and a few others. Not to worry I will keep you updated on everything!

Hava Nashira gave me a lot of ideas and great contacts to help me this Summer. I want to bring every song and thing I learned from Hava, but I know I won't be able to do it all. There are for sure some songs that I want to teach.

Anyways, if you want to know more about my Summer between updates of this blog feel free to follow me on twitter because I update that like it's my job. www.twitter.com/rachelwolman

And if you have any questions or would like to discuss anything with me you can always email me at RachelAnneWolman@gmail.com

Expect lots of updates over the summer! I leave for Newman tomorrow.

Shalom

So Many Things

2009-06-08T19:12:00.001-04:00

Gosh, there are just so many things to say. Hava Nashira 2009 was so overwhelming I am just now getting around to posting to the blog! For now, just some information and stuff. I'll get around to posting thoughts, reports, summaries, reactions, opinions, etc. over the next few days and weeks.

Items of note:

Hava Nashira 2010 - June 2-6
Jerry Kaye announced that the staff and faculty are discussing offering a second workshop during the year (at another time.) This one will likely focus more of just "those who like to sing" and less on the pedagogy. More news as things develop
We're tweeting on Twitter as havanashira
Website (www.havanashira.org) updates are underway. If you have new recordings or other stuff, be sure to get that information to me at adrian@ehavanashira.org Be sure to check obver your current listing (if you're listed.) Check the links page, the recordings page, and the songbooks page.
We have a Facebook group. Look for "hanashir" (and not havanashira or hava nashira.)
I'm looking for folks who are willing to review recordings to post to htis blog. Contact me adrian@ehavanashira.org
Pictures are getting posted. Stay tuned.

That's all for now. More updates to follow soon.

The Hava Nashira Workshop-A Real Success Story

2009-04-14T17:08:00.005-04:00

Wow! The annual Hava Nashira songleading workshop has become so popular, that the desirable semi-private housing was gone with just mail postmarked on earliest possible day after applications were available. Even though yours truly was caught in this snare, having had his application mailed and postmarked the second possible day, I can't really complain. I'm just thrilled with the success and notoriety that Hava Nashira has achieved. Even enduring communal bath and toilet facilities is not too high a price to pay. Even though I've been attending since the workshop's second year, it is still the most useful, informative, and inspiring opportunity I have each year. Each year is a unique experience. Though many of us "vatkim" (veterans) miss the special environment that existed and the individual attention and bonding that was possible when only 30-50 were attending, the folks at OSRUI and the Hava Nashira faculty have worked hard to keep Hava Nashira a meaningful experience for all who attend. Early on, it was recognized that there were two major constituencies each coming from slightly different places. The genesis of the workshop was the idea of training young songleaders to work at the various Reform movement camps (though, from the very beginning, Hava Nashira was open to people of all ages, and from all the movements of Judaism.) Yet something special and unique happened each year at Hava Nashira that kept older, more established amatuers and professionals coming. Over the years, Hava Nashira has managed to satisfy the needs of both these major constituencies-and that's no easy task. Sure, there have been bumps along the way, but if there is one thing the folks at OSRUI are god at, it's getting feedback and finding ways to respond to concerns.

So here's to the success of Hava Nashira. Long may it continue and prosper.

I'll Finally Have Some Time to Blog

2009-03-21T18:41:00.002-04:00

Well, it's a mixed blessing. Since starting up this blog, I've had little time to spend listening and blogging. Well, when G"d closes a door, a window gets opened. I've lost the synagogue position that was giving me the bulk of my work hours-not great timing in today's economy. The up side is, now it looks like I'll have the time to blog. So look for a stream of posts in the next few weeks, as I start to build a history of the genre, recommended listening, and artists to keep you eyes on.

We'll Have Hava Nashira, But What Will Replace CAJE this summer for Jewish Music?

2009-01-09T12:40:00.003-05:00

As some of you may have already heard, our harsh economic conditions have forced the cancellation of the 2009 CAJE Conference this August. Aside from Hava Nashira, CAJE has been one of the primary places where creators and performers of Jewish Music (and Drama, Comedy, Dance, et al) have had a chance to demonstrate and share their talents with the greater Jewish community, and enjoy camaraderie with each other.

I'm hopeful that, in the absence of CAJE this August, our community can collectively create opportunities to replace what will be missed. Over the decades, there have been many positive aspects to entertainment/edutainment at CAJE, as well as many issues and concerns. This may be our opportunity to shape an event that can include the best of what happens at CAJE while addressing some of the issues and concerns.

If you are interested in exploring these possibilities, please e-mail me at adrian@durlester.com.

Technorati tags: Jewish Music, CAJE, Hava Nashira

It's About Time- A Blog About Our Kind of Jewish Music

2009-01-01T13:34:00.002-05:00

I've realized for some time that I needed to create a blog to parallel my efforts on the Hava Nashira web site and email discussion list. I've put it off until now because I know it is going to take time that I know I won't always have.

What has prompted me to start this blog is a notice about a new Jewish Music blog, Shirim Khadashim, being written by George Robinson, music critic for the Jewish Week and many other Jewish papers around the country.

In his initial post, George talks about what you won't find critiqued and reviewed in his new blog, and why. George writes:

"I have an enormous respect for Debby [sic] Friedman and her many musical followers, and I know that many Jews find her music moving and spiritually profound for them; but I do not, and while I won’t stoop to lashon hara against her, I also won’t review her music or much of the Reform songleader style that developed parallel to her. (For the record, I was raised as a Reform Jew and still am one, albeit more observant now than when I was young. My objection is not to the ideological/theological content of the material; I feel the same way about the ‘60s folkies, too, with the notable exceptions of Dylan and a very few others.)"

With one swoop of the keyboard, George has labeled an entire genre of Jewish music uninteresting. OK, I'll accept that, and the premise that therefore it's probably best of he doesn't review and critique music from that genre. What troubles me is how he has lumped an entire genre in one apparently homogeneous class, as if all of the music of this type is similar in style, and all based on the camp songleading model. Clearly, he's not familiar with the broad scope of
styles that can be found in the genre that Jeff Klepper identifies as the "new American nusakh" but that is really so broad it defies a single label. I myself don't know what to call it. I've tried. "Contemporary Jewish Liturgical Folk/Pop/Rock" is one name, but it assumes all the music is liturgically based, which it is not. It's NOT all camp music or songleader music-there are hundreds of songs that just don't fit that description. Some of it is "spiritual," I suppose. Some of it is classic folk. Some of it is rock. Some of it is bubblegum. In a genre that runs the gamut from Debbie Friedman to Josh Nelson to Joshua Nelson, how can you find a single label that applies?

Yet that's not the worst of Robinson's condescension to this untitle-able genre.

"I tend to review almost any Jewish music CD that crosses my desk, but I will admit that I hold professional musicians recording professionally to a higher standard than I do people who clearly are making a recording as a way of preserving their synagogue’s minhagim (or raising money by getting their Hebrew School parents to buy a record that their kid is on). Incidentally, I generally don’t review children’s music either; I don’t have kids of my own, the children of my friends from shul are all too old by now and it’s been a long time since I was young enough to appreciate the stuff myself."

Oh, so that's what we're all about? Preserving our synagogues minhagim, or selling schlocky home-made CDs to parents as fundraisers? Look again, Mr, Robinson. I think you'd find the reality quite different from your impression of it.

So I guess there are no professional musicians working in this genre? Yes, there are a lot of amateurs, semi-professionals, hobbyists, and weekend warriors involved in this genre. Yet I can think of a goodly number who might take great offense as being labeled less than professional. No professional studios? Tell that to Sam Glaser, Scott Leader, Fran Avni and others who have studios and/or produce for others as well as themselves. Our work deserves a blog.

So that's what this blog is going to be about. It will be an exploration of this seemingly untitle-able genre - its roots and history, its present, and its future. My goal is for the betterment of the genre overall, and to insure that the genre receives its due recognition (which includes that still elusive Grammy category.) I'll talk about events, recordings, and more.

OK-so what you won't find is a lot of Klezmer music talked about here on this blog (though I won't rule it out.)

Unlike George Robinson, I'm not a professional music critic. My comments will reflect my personal tastes--but those of you who know me already know that my tastes are pretty broad. I'm also completely open to guest posters, guest reviews, etc.

There are others out there doing similar blogging. Jack Zaientz's Teruah-Jewish Music blog is one example. At least he's willing to include this un-nameable genre in his explorations.

So what qualifies me to do this? I can't say that I'm a professional musician in that I make my living full-time as a musician, though I do derive a substantial amount of my income (and pleasure) from playing, performing, and accompanying. I'm not a songwriter, though I've worked with others as a collaborator. I'm not one of the originators of this genre (like Debbie Friedman or Jeff Klepper) but I am part of their generation. I do songlead, and I do love this genre of Jewish music. That's why I started coming to the Hava Nashira songleading workshops of Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute Camp in Oconomowoc, WI almost 15 years ago, and why I keep going to them. It's why I've worked so hard at many CAJE conferences to support the musical component. It's why I created the hanashir@shamash.org discussion list and the havanashira.org web site. Over the years, many performers and songwriters have shared their new recordings (both pre and post publication) with me for comments and feedback. I'm happy to continue doing that, and promise I won't be reviewing your new CD on this blog unless you're OK with that.

The first challenge is going to be coming up with an all-inclusive name for this genre, one that won't exclude but also won't offend those it might not fully include. Share your thoughts with me at adrian at ehavanashira.org