Hadassah Magazine on Jewish Fusion

Hadassah Magazine January 2004 issue has a great article this month called "Jewish fusion is Here" by Samantha Shapiro.... The lead reads "Imagine Molly Picon in a catsuit, Hallel with a bolero beat."

Hadassah Magazine, which is actually a really pretty good magazine for American Jewish arts these last number of years, discusses the new music trends... Tzadik label having now released 80 CDs, Golem, and Margo Leverett with the Klezmer Mountain Boys, Paul Shapiro, and Roberto Juan Rodriguez...(Great pic of Margot and group, and a full page pic of Roberto Juan Rodriguez with band). Mainstream media has caught on that there's really something pretty special going on in Jewish music. And let's put something into perspective: Zorn has produced about 80 albums of new Jewish music.... the Milken Archive will be releasing 50 albums of older Jewish American music. The star burst of creative energies in Jewish music is an expanding universe and growing by the hour... It's amazing, exciting, invigorating and wonderful. Stay tuned.

"Light These Candles"

Debbie Friedman's first all Chanukah CD Consisting of traditional tunes and 5 of her classic Holiday songs. Included in the 14 selections is the popular Peter Yarrow tune, "Light One Candle" Other selections included: Maoz Trur, Yodim Atem, Y'mei Hachanukah, S'vivon, Hava Narimah, Not By Might, Al Hanisim, Neir Li, Mi Y'maleiel, The Latke Song, Light One Candle, Haneirot Halalu, The Dreidel Song, Light These Lights / Chanukah Blessings.

"Bless the Fire"

We heard much of this material at the conference in Yale last Fall. Now Brave Old World's recording "Bless the Fire" is out on CD... and one Jewish-music-lister had wonderful things to say when she encountered this music: "....Brave Old World takes us on an extraordinary and deeply moving exploration of the Jewish European Diaspora, sounding its emotional and musical depths, giving intricate and layered voice to its intense longing and the profound grace and resonance of the concept of home which sustained our ancestors for so many centuries.... This is a masterful album, exquisite and powerful in its musicianship, profoundly emotional (it moved me to tears in several places on first listening), that bears repeated playing. I continue to find new delights and musical intricacies on each repeat listening. A recording of such power demands your full attention..... and rewards that attention amply. .... This album brings us to a new place in our musical understanding of our Jewish/Ashkenaz heritage.

The Gerard Edery Sephardic Song Book

"This highly anticipated song book by Sephardic singer/composer/guitarist, Gerard Edery, contains 40 musical gems from the Sephardic oral tradition. Includes... ballads, songs of courtship, love and marriage, as well as liturgical pieces honoring Elijah the Prophet, Abraham and Moses, among others. The song book also includes a 17 track accompanying CD, Ladino pronunciation guide, lyrics and translations, and a forward by renowned author/storyteller, Peninnah Schram. The songs are arranged in an easily readable format that highlights melody and guitar chords with suggested accompaniments." www.gerardedery.com/BOOK/HTML/book.html

Vessel of Song: The Music of Mikhl Gelbart

Lori Cahan-Simon has new CD is called, Vessel of Song: The Music of Mikhl Gelbart, which is being extremely well received... Her new CD is called, Vessel of Song: The Music of Mikhl Gelbart, and the musicians on the recording are: Lori Cahan-Simon, Steven and Walt, Alex Fedoriouk, Henry Shapiro, and very special guest, Adrianne Greenbaum. The material, " ranges from Gelbart's yontef songs and shule songs to his incredibly beautiful art songs." Includes a 24-page booklet with bios of the authors and a biography of Gelbart in English.

Beged Kefet

Beged Kefet's new CD.... One Little Dot New CD Released. 15 Hebrew and English first-time tracks. In the spirit of tzedakah, SOUNDS WRITE PRODUCTIONS, INC. donates a portion from sales of Beged Kefet products to Myriam's Dream organization. www.soundswrite.com

Rashanim

Jon Madof CD out on the Tzaddik label.... Rashanim is out on the Tzaddik label. Jon Madof is the guitarist. Mathias Kunzli drums, percussion. Shanir Blumenkranz bass. http://www.jonmadof.com/projects.htm#rashanim

Sons of Sepharad:

Aaron Bensoussan, Gerard Edery and Alberto Mizrahi sing Sephardic standards. Sefarad CD. Available: Sefarad Records & Management 392 Central Park West, Suite 17Y, New York, NY 10025. Phone/Fax: (212) 662-9712.
www.sefaradrecords.com

Open The Gate

New CD of Lenka Lichtenberg, original "Jewish world beat" songs, in English and French.... Open The Gate songs embody Czech and other European influences, as well as a healthy doses of the Middle East. Accompanied by 7 instrumentalists, as well as 3 dancers doing a little Middle Eastern surprise presentation. banjitar: Levon Ichkhanian percussion: Rick Lazar drums: Wilson Laurencin flutes and saxophone: Ernie Tollar guitar and piano: Brian Katz fretless bass: Georger Koller accordion: Sasha Luminsky vocals, guitar and piano: Lenka Lichtenberg dance choreography and presentation: Roula Said and the "Roulettes"

THE COMPLETE BENSCHING CD

A simple, enjoyable way to learn the Bensching from the Jewish community in South Africa...

from South Africa. THE COMPLETE BENSCHING CD. Learn the Jewish Grace after Meals. Available in South Africa and in USA, UK and Israel. In South Africa: Available now at Kollel Bookshop, Chabad Bookshop (Jhb).
http://www.kalahari.net/mus/product.asp?isbn=BHLAYT1

Festival of New Jewish Liturgical Music

Submit newly composed liturgical compositions by March 30, 2004...

--Chevy Chase, MD-- Announcing the Festival of New Jewish Liturgical Music November 13–14, 2004 Deadline for submissions: March 30, 2004 Shalshelet: The Foundation for New Jewish Liturgical Music seeks to foster new music for Jewish congregational use and expose wider audiences to innovations in Jewish religious music. Shalshelet promotes the creation and spread of new Jewish liturgical music.
Through the annual Festival of New Jewish Liturgical Music, along with accompanying publications, such as a festival CD and songbook, Shalshelet provides a venue for composers to share their music.
A musical composition submitted --must enhance congregational worship;
--must have been written less than two years prior to the Festival;
--must accompany a Jewish sacred text, taking care to capture the spirit and importance of the text; and
--must not have been previously published or performed at a major music festival.
The application process is open to everyone, regardless of age, gender, Jewish affiliation, musical background, or professional experience. A music committee will review submissions with the support of advisory members. Submissions may be selected for performance, publication, or both. For an application and more information, e-mail Shalshelet@NewJewishMusic.com or visit http://www.Shalshelet.org. Shalshelet
P.O. Box 15836
Chevy Chase, MD 20825
301-907-3336
Shalshelet@NewJewishMusic.com

JMI Summer Academy 2004 at London University

Ot Azoy! Yiddish Language Crash Course & KlezFest – a structured course in Klezmer music song and dance....

Ot Azoy! Yiddish Language Crash Course 1 – 6 August
KlezFest: Klezmer music song and dance, 8 –12 August
Sunday 1 – Friday 6 August 2004 Ot Azoy! – this is the way - to speak, read and write Yiddish in a week! An inspiring and captivation course devised by Dr Helen Beer, of University College London with Pesakh Fiszman of Columbia New York and Sonia Pinkusovitch from the Martin Buber Institute Brussels. For complete beginners of all backgrounds and also caters for those at intermediate level. It’s the perfect course for those that always wanted to learn or brush up on Yiddish or refresh what they might have heard as a child, but were not confident enough (or could not spare the time) to devote a whole summer to it. It’s the one for dipping in your toes and immersing yourself in Yiddish language, song and culture and for getting to a good level. Many Ot Azoy! Graduates are now continuing studies at University.
Sunday 8 – Thursday 12 August KlezFest – a structured course in Klezmer music song and dance. Course Director, Alan Bern of Brave Old World with a faculty of some of the greatest and most highly regarded Klezmer luminaries from around the world such as Michael Alpert, Deborah Strauss, Jeff Warschauer, Josh Dolgin, Sophie Solomon, Zalmen Mlotek and others hands-on masterclasses and workshops, in both instrumental and ensemble playing. Ideal for those proficient on their instruments, regardless of whether you have played klezmer before. Also caters for those with experience in Klezmer. Learn from the real masters. Masterclasses for existing ensembles. Private lessons may be available on the days before or afterwards. Make new friends in the Klezmer family and jam on into the night. Contact JMI about fee structures and accomodation information. More details e-mail jewishmusic@jmi.org.uk or Tel 020 8909 2445 Fax 020 8909 1030 Registration form on Website www.jmi.org.uk

*** KLEZCALIFORNIA 2004 ***

A 5-day celebration of Klezmer Music, Yiddish Language, Literature, Dance, and Folk Arts ... with evening events and a full children's program ....

June 20th to 25th 2004. Where: At the Jewish Community High School of the Bay 1835 Ellis Street, San Francisco
After a wonderful inaugural program in June of 2003, planning is in process for program 2004. Course offerings, teachers, registration instructions and other details will be posted on the website as they are developed. In the meantime, mark your calendar, TELL YOUR FRIENDS, and check out the details of last year's program (including pictures) at:
www.klezcalifornia.org For more information, you can e-mail or call: E-mail: info@klezcalifornia.org or Phone: 415-789-7679

Kinetic Klezmer Jam

Septuagenarian klezmer legend Elaine Hoffman Watts (percussion) and her daughter Susan (trumpet) are the 3rd and 4th generations of a musical dynasty that goes back to 19th century Ukraine....

With Josh Dolgin (accordion), they will teach the musical styling of traditional klezmer through samples of their family's historic repertoire. Thurs. March 25 7:30 pm BRJCC, Walnut at Rose St., Berkeley

Ronnie Gilbert: A Radical Life with Songs

The daughter of a Yiddish-speaking union activist, Ronnie became a folk music icon as an original member of the world-famous Weavers, when....

Ronnie Gilbert: A Radical Life with Songs Sun. March 21 3:00 pm
BRJCC, Walnut at Rose St., Berkeley
The daughter of a Yiddish-speaking union activist, Ronnie became a folk music icon as an original member of the world-famous Weavers, when their Hebrew single Tzena/ Tzena soared to the top of the hit parade in 1951. Her inspiring one-woman show celebrates her life as a singer, actor, writer and community activist.

David Krakauer's Klezmer Madness!

Jazz and klezmer collide in a dazzling display of clarinet virtuosity matched by a stellar ensemble....

David Krakauer's Klezmer Madness! w/ guest artist DJ So-Called Sat. March 20 8:00 pm Wheeler Auditorium, UC Berkeley. Jazz and klezmer collide in a dazzling display of clarinet virtuosity matched by a stellar ensemble. With hip-hop DJ So-Called, aka Josh Dolgin, a creative young musician on the Jewish music scene.

19th Annual Jewish Music Festival

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center Annual Jewish Music Festival coming this March, 2004...

March 20 - 27, 2004 Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center Tickets & information: 510-848-0237 orwww.brjcc.org Tickets range from $12-25.

Kol Tefilah

All male synagogue ensemble. This group travels to lead services at various synagogues. They are an a cappella group with rich harmonies.

Kol Tefilah They rehearse in the Boston area but come from various cities. They lead services in what they term "traditional" chazzanut style. "Demo tape" online.
http://www.KolTefilah.org/

Boca Raton Jewish Music Festival

The Boca Raton Jewish Music Festival will take place on January 31, 2004 at the FAU University Center Auditorium at 7:30pm

Tickets for the Boca Raton Jewish Music Festival are on sale at the FAU box office, 561-297-3737. For information about the show contact Irv Rosenthal 561-347-2242 (not for the general public, please)
There will be three bands, Maxwell Street Klezmer Band, Golem and Soulfarm performing during a three hour show. This program is being present to the community by Congregation Beth Tikvah of West Boca Raton, 561-852-6555. Ticket prices range from $18 - $50 with a limited number of VIP tickets which include an after show desert reception with the artists.

Lloica Czackis

Yiddish and Argentinian tango....yes, Yiddish tango. Repeat Jewish, Yiddish tango. Concert of Yiddish and Argentinian tango in Birmingham, ENGLAND Sunday 25 January Yiddish and Argentinian tango Lloica Czackis voice Oscar Acebrás guitar National Holocaust Memorial Day The Dream Factory, Birmingham. http://www.lloicaczackis.com/tangele.htm

Sefarad

Sefarad in Israel
Avi Avital, Mandolin, Bari Moscovitz-Seidelman, Guitar, and Silvia Corsi, Actress, come together as Sefarad, a program that "combines unique musical arrangements of Ladino songs and ancient Sephardic Jewish Romances..."

Alongside personal stories and historical anedcotes... Safarad offers a glimpse of Jewish family and community life in pre-Inquisition Spain. The stories go from Spain, through the Diaspora and culminating in modern Israel. The group comes from Israel and is endorsed by the national authority on Ladino culture. Contact information: sefaradensemble@hotmail.com to view a poster advertising the group, click here for photo.

Octava

"Octava" is an Israeli vocal ensemble with 12 amateur singers.

Octava
Octava is located at Haifa, Israel. Repertoire includes various types of music, classical, folklore, Jazz and light music. If you're in the Haifa area, check the listings to see if there's a concert.
http://www.geocities.com/octavaensemble/index.htm

Shir Hama'alot --Montreal, Quebec

An 8-voice semiprofessional chamber choir, which performs Jewish liturgical music in Montreal (and beyond?)has recently been formed.

Shir Hamaalot has been around for about a year, and gave a first concert at Montreal's Shaare Zion Congregation in June 2003. Since then they performed at two other synagogues, and took part in a commemorative concert for September 11th at McGill's Anglican Theological College. For info, call Jerry at 514-737-6600, or email: shir_hamaalot@canada.com

International Archive of Jewish Music

Burton A. Zipser, Director. Located in Southfield, Michigan, the mission of the IAJM is to discover, collect, preserve, and disseminate information about music for adult choirs and instrumental groups of varying sizes.

The International Archive of Jewish Music primarily is concerned with choral works of Jewish music. The Archive is part of a recognized non-profit. As of the end of 2001, over 1100 choral compositions are included in the choral section of the Archive. The Archive has also created a database of composers of Jewish music. There are over 1626 names in that database, with approximately 60% being cantors. Music has been acquired through contributions from composers, as well as discounted purchases from publishers' lists. Three collections have been obtained in either microfilm or xerox-flow versions and these are being catalogued. Because the Archive also has a performance "arm", it will be possible to present concerts of the music, and to work in cooperative efforts with publishers and composers to create recorded versions of the music which can be a further benefit to the composer or his/her estate.
All inquiries should be directed to: Burton A. Zipser
The International Archive of Jewish Music
c/o Oakland Performing Arts, Inc.
17333 W. Ten Mile Rd. Suite B
Southfield, MI 48075-2950
E-mail: zipmusic@bignet.net
Phone: 248-552-0025
Fax: 248-552-0027

Jewish Guitar Music

Rob Citron has generously supplied a listing of places for students and others to find Jewish music for guitar.

Jewish Music for Guitar
Whole Note Music, The Israeli Guitar Book (Tara); The Complete Jewish Songbook (Transcontinental); Jewish Play-Along, Vol. 1 for C Instruments (Tara); Jewish Songs for Classical Guitar (Transcontinental);The Best Of Israeli Folksongs - An Anthology by Velvel Pasternak (Tara);

Let me list also for guitar: Blues for Peace
The Complete Shireinu: 350 Fully Notated Jewish Songs from Transcontinental
Tara Music
This is a great start and I appreciated this, as I've had many requests for instrumental music for various instruments. If you have a listing of great resources for your instrument, give a holler by email and let me know.

The Musical Tradition of the Eastern European Synagogue

Sholom Kalib's 5-volume project makes possible the existence of one centralized, definitive place and resource to the vast and major musical, cultural, and historic legacy of the Eastern European synagogue...

Ruth Eisenberg from Baltimore writes:
The first volume of a projected 5-volume work entitled The Musical Tradition of the Eastern European Synagogue was recently released by Syracuse University Press. Its subtitle is History and Definition, and it is designed to provide a concise history of the tradition in its totality. For hundreds of years, the music of the Eastern European synagogue, which is the musical heritage of the overwhelming majority of the world's Jews was integral to the daily fabric of Jewish life.
The 5 volumes together will provide a thoroughly comprehensive history, verbal explanation, and documentation (including all of the notated music), and facilitates an unprecedented capacity for thorough, in-depth exposure to and study of the tradition in its entirety. This work truly amounts to nothing less than rescuing a vast cultural treasure from near certain oblivion. I think people should know about this and that the first volume is now available. Volume I provides a 277-page text with an accompanying 227-page volume of illustrative examples. It traces the roots and component liturgical, philosophical, musical, and vocal elements of the tradition, accured in the periods and places of its history. To the best of my knowledge, no comparable work exists. The existing anthologies usually deal with specific subjects, such as compositions by one cantor, or the artistic compositions for cantor and choir. But thus far no anthology was able to represent the Eastern European tradition in its multi-faceted richness. Sholom Kalib's work does just that, and I know it will excite the interest of music scholars and performers, Jews and non-Jews, who will be interested in this as a contribution to the history of liturgical music in general.

There are two books that comprise Volume I. Part One is text, and Part Two is a book of notated music that are illustrative examples.

YIDISH-VOKH 2004

Once again, a week of Yiddish is scheduled for summer 2004. Can you make it this year?

Di YIDISH-VOKH 2004
vet forkumen fun mitvokh, dem 25stn oygust biz dinstik, dem 31stn oygust 2004 in dem Berkshire Hills Emanuel Adult Vacation Center, Copake, NY
Nokh kashes? Vendt zikh tsu yugntruf@yugntruf.org

20th Zimriya: World Assembly of Choirs in Israel

The 20th Zimriya: World Assembly of Choirs in Israel

August 2-12, August, 2004

Choirs from all over the world are invited once more to come to the Zimriya in Jeruslam.

Youth Choirs (14 years and above) are welcome. Participants will stay on the beautiful campus of the Hebrew University on Mount Scopus overlooking Jerusalem of Gold. Workshops will be held during the day. Open Singing, Choir to Choir sessions and Concerts will take plae at night. World famous conductors will dlead workshops. choirs will tour Jerusalem and will give concerts at various locations in Israel. Payment for 10 days board and lodging as well as tours is $475 US per person. Choirs interested in attending are requested to contact:
Zimriya
4, Aharonowitz Street, Tel Aviv 63 566, Israel
Tel: +972-3-528-0233
Fax: +972-3-629-9524
Email: harzimco@netvision.net.il
http://www.zimriya.org.il

Composers Competition

2nd Annual International Composers Competition

2nd Annual International Composers Competition

Prizes: Performance and recording in New York's Lincoln Center in Spring 2004.

1st: $1,000
2nd: $800
3rd: $700
4th: $500

STUDIO for New Music (NY) comprises many of NY's finest performers, including members of NY Philharmonic, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, Ensemble Sospeso, Continuum and faculty from The Juilliard School.
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION http://studiofornewmusic.pmail.biz/pmailweb/ct?id=27+9034753+24+2
www.STUDIOforNewMusic.com

Updated KlezmerShack Calendar

The KlezmerShack has announced an updated calendar, featuring events from around the world, categorized by location, by type of event, and by type of music. The website author, Ari Davidow, claims to include all events from around the world that he has time to post.

You can visit the new Klezmer Calendar at www.klezmershack.com/calendar

Welcome to the new Announcements section

This is a test of the new announcement section. By the time this is open for customers, there will be meaningful text here.

Tefilati

Daniel ben Shalom has a new CD, "Contempory original musical artist from Israel combining jazz, blues, rock and more with the essence of spirituality and soul."

Daniel Ben Shalom The music is an interesting blend of Yeshivish orthorock with some cool jazz and a bit of blues and Calpop and even a bit of samba thrown in. The website has some very nice graphics and use of flash technology. A bio, photo and links included on the site. The music holds some parallels to recent WestCoast releases.
http://www.danielbenshalom.com/flash/index.html