Thursday, February 28, 2013

Ani Maamin • MBD
Let My People Go, 1985

At the time of its release in the tempestuous 1980s, this recording underlined all that was rebellious and bad. It referenced current events in the scandalous title track, venerated Gaave in the brash "I'm So Proud" and employed the distinctively pritzusdi'ke techniques of Bass and falsetto. Oy, meh hoya lanu.

Stay happy, my friends.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Ani Choshev Aleichem • AF

A-a-ah, ne'uuuuuuuuum Hashem... HT:YM (Eich hu yoe-day-ah?)

Monday, February 25, 2013

Chayiv Inish • Dany Gold

Encore Purim! HT:Ber

Friday, February 22, 2013

Shoshanas Yaakov • Lubavitch UK Boys Choir

Composed by R' Sholom Charitonov of Nikolayev

Thursday, February 21, 2013

National Day of Kanei Lishimcha

By overwhelming request, today is National Day of Kanei Lishimcha.

I.M. Helfgot (composed by Yossi Green and recorded on his "8th Note" album). As I remember, when 8th Note was released, the sense was that Fried was wrongly-denied this magnificent song and weirdly assigned "Heseich Hadaas" (which could as well have been sung by Shloime Dachs). It was also the official induction of Chazzan Helfgot as a mainstream singer, and not only as a novelty act at HASC.


Avraham Fried. See original post and comments here.


Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Eliyohu Hanavi • Yeedle

Having mentioned Yeedle yesterday, I just went ahead and made it a Yeedle day.

Here's one gem I heard in which MBD harmonails it note after note (starting with "Im moshiach ben Dovid" at 1:59). It is not a particularly clean arrangement, but his "HEE-nei anoichi sholei'ach lochem..." at 2:17. Pssssshhhh! And catch the appropriateness of "...v'heishiv lev avos al bonim v'lev bonim al avosom."



Also speaking on Yeedle, he released an all new yesterday. On the album cover, he looks like a funky doctor. On the free track provided by Jewish Music Report, he sounds like he may have over-prescribed special effects and overdosed on improvisation. But it is weirdly interesting to listen to and I'm interested in hearing more.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Yaale • Yaron Gershovsky

With the same intro and arrangements as "Tatte bistu..." sung by Avraham Fried. Why mess with magic? Off of "A nigun is forever" one in a series of piano recordings—I think in the late 90s—of Chabad nigunnim performed by Yaron Gershovsky.



On Motz"sh, my brother gave me a shopping bag full of cassettes, this one among them. As luck and my paycheck would have it, I have a cassette player in my car and have been enjoying some listens to the not-so-new and the very exceptional.

One cassette from my kid-years that I miss: Achva, one of Abie Rotenberg's early groups. According to my opinion and memory, Yeedle's "Li'olam lo eshkach" on III Shiru Lamelech is an original Achva.

Enjoy!
a

Friday, February 15, 2013

Ant Hu D'Shalit • Yossele Rosenblatt

Watching the State of the Union the other night, I enjoyed the sense of importance lent by protocol of it all: "Mr. Speaker, I give you: The President of the United States."

Al Achas Kama v'kama, G-d.

Here Yossele seems to announce G-d's credentials and imminent participation. Following which the Chazzan says "Shema Yisroel Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad!"

Good Shabbos,



Thank you, Jeff George, for your quick and excellent guidance to Media.io, upon which this track was converted from wma. Thank you to all SSY commenters: your comments are always read and mostly appreciated and almost never responded to but sometimes discussed between the authors of this blog.

MONDAY UPDATE: In the comments, מטהר correctly noted that this Ant Hu was paired with new musical and choral arrangements and released by Aderet music as the relatively recent Od Yosef Chai (2). This is not a bad thing, in my opinion, but it is in מטהר's. You decide.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Kadaish • AF (Goodbye Golus)

Yesterday's posting was never posted as it was a .wma that refused to convert. Here's today's. you are listening to it for the "v'hoi------shee-einu..." at 2:00 and onwards; you are listening to your childhood concept of "Jewish music" and your childhood understanding of "Chazzanus" or of those things in your young adulthood or in your adulthood or in the childhood of your children. I don't know how old you are.




Let not your korbanos take 20 minutes tomorrow.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Ad Ono Hashem • Moshe Goldman

If music is judged by mellow heart, yearning melody, and pure piercing vocals, let the voting end and let this win. From today's Tehillim (Chapter 13). I believe Moshe Goldman is the man behind Lchaim Tish.

Friday, February 8, 2013

Shabbos Medley • Tzlil V'Zemer III

It all started with MBD's "Uvyom Hashabbos" (Just One Shabbos, 1983) and my interest in comparing it to the Tzlil V'zemer version to hear who sang it better. In the end, the answer depends on what you mean by "better." MBD. But there's a whole lotta fun in this here Shabbos medley and I am glad to share it with you. See: Yudi Cohen, chemdas Yomim 3:46. Mwaaaah!

Good shabbos, friends and family!

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Ateres Zekeinim • Dedi

First-stage "Dedi" is synonymous with "Yossi Green". "Beautiful" or "mind-blowing" do not always come to mind with this pair. "Happy" and "Contagious" do. The hyperactivity is Dedi. The melodies, arrangements and most of all, harmonies are Yossi Green. They both have more enthusiasm and musicality respectively, than either has singing ability.



Enjoyous.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Fast Oldies II • AF / Around the Year III (1989)

Here is a series of stellar earworms for your listening pleasure. I particularly recommend :33 (Tatte ich loib Dir!) and 1:25 (Ki mei-oyi-lom, ki mei-oi-lom...).

Thank you Zalman, Ber and Peretz for trying and Benny for nailing the correct location of this clip.


Melech! Goi'el! U'moi-sheeeeeee-aaaah!

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Triumph Over Torquemada • Oshy Tugendhaft
Sydenham Highlands Hebrew Congregation Choir

It's worth taking a look at the Sydenham Shul in Johannesburg, its current Chazzan Yudi Cohen and this cantorial anomaly, [the Shul's previous] Chazzan Oshy Tugendhaft. My one visit to the Shul was post-Oshy, but I've been listening to his celebration tour CD for years and sing parts of this number to Mi Angelico when her eyes fight to stay open and her head lolls to my shoulder. Just listen.

Monday, February 4, 2013