[HANASHIR:9624] New Jewish Music CD Reviews

[Rick Lupert <Rick...>]

Hello friends,

In a fit of spontaneous credit card mismanagement while visiting the
SoundsWrite website I've found myself with three new CD's in my mail
box:

RAKIA: Noam Katz
http://www.noamkatz.com/
As a Jewish Music Specialist/Song Leader/Music Teacher (depending on
what facility I walk into) and generally intense lover of Jewish
music, I tend to classify music in two categories: 1) Does it move
me/do I like the way it sounds, and 2) Can I use it.  Noam's (a Hava
Nashira alum) debut recording does it for me in both of these
categories.  Tracks like Helleli, Eliyahu Hanavi, and Nachshon
(debuted to me at a Beit Café in Oconomowoc a few years ago) are
destined to be super sing-along classics, while Noam demonstrates his
ability to create a range of musical experiences with tracks such as
'Laychulim' which reminds me of Debbie Friedman's 'El Na R'fana La'
(from Renewal of Spirit) in the sort of easy to sing, atmospheric,
niggunish, round-like thing that we like to spend hours at Hava
Nashira singing.  The CD (12 tracks in all) ends with a live
recording of a really fun version of the David and Goliath story in a
song titled, oddly enough, 'David and Goliath' which features a
hardcore blues harmonica solo.  This is a great sounding
album....very well produced by Josh Nelson with special kudos to
Julie Levine for her otherworldly harmonies and backing vocals.

BE STRONG: e18hteen
http://www.jewishrock.com/
e18ghteen is the Jane's Addiction of Jewish music which I'm sure
means more to me and him than to anyone else.  Suffice it to say Dan
Nichols and Mason Cooper's musical sensibility and producing
abilities have created an album which works on many levels.  It's
rock and roll with a modern understanding of what that means and how
to make music which could be played on the radio right next to
anything your local modern rock station is spinning these days.  It's
special attention to text in Hebrew and English.  It's songs which
move you physically and spiritually.  I've already had great success
this past summer singing B'tzelem Elohim and L'takein (the na na
song) at my camp and predict similar results at religious school next
month.  The album is full of rock solid tunes...like 'If I'm Not For
Me'...Hillel's words may for the first time cause a fervent mosh
pit...or if you will...a 'moish-pit' (sorry).  14 tracks in all,
ending with track '18', the inexplicabe and glorious 'Kosher Bacon'
which you simply must experience.  I think e18hteen is a major
component of the future of Jewish music.

TURN IT: Mah Tovu
http://www.mahtovu.com/
This is the brand new follow up to Mah Tovu's stellar 1996 recording
"Only This."  Mah Tovu returns with the talents of original members
Steve Brodsky and Josh Zweiback, and the new addition of Ken Chassen
with Gordon Lustig producing.  Gordon is the old school songleader
behind camp classics 'Hinei Tov Meod', 'Lo Yareiu', and 'Milibeinu.'
(Yeah I know there's a zillion versions of all of those but these are
the ones which for the most part have circulated a little more
prominently in the UAHC camp circuit...ask someone to hum them for
you if you're still not sure.)  I'm not as thrilled with this album
as I was with 'Only This.'  The production and mixing is professional
but not as unique and well just plain great sounding as the 1996
recording.  The album features 12 tracks, mostly new with a new
recording of 'You Shall Be Holy' which originally appeared on Mah
Tovu's debut cassette live recording the name of which I forget.
Especially of note on this CD is the track 'L'chu N'ranenah' which,
even amidst my feeling about the album in general, is my favorite
song from all three of the albums I'm reviewing in this e-mail.  It
has that thing that some songs have which make me weep when I hear
it.  It's driving.  It's beautiful and I have spent most of the last
day and a half listening to it, learning it, playing it and singing
it.  There are plenty of good songs on the recording...usable tracks
for songleading situations, 'Round and Round' 'Hakafah' is
interesting to listen to...but I think the arrangements and
production in general leave a little something to be desired in terms
of creating a recording that I want to sit around and just listen to.

I purchased all three albums at http://SoundsWrite.com/ ...I usually
go to Tara at http://www.jewishmusic.com/  but I went specifically
looking for the new e18hteen album and Tara didn't have it so it was
off to SoundsWrite who did have it as well as the other two making my
ability to charge things on my credit card so much quicker and easier
than doing two separate transactions.

God bless America.

Rick
--

Lupert: It's The Website - & - Poetry Super Highway
           http://PoetrySuperHighway.com/

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