Hislahavus is an avid Jewish music collector. He gets a kick out of varied and eclectic music, and is in heaven when a bunch of bochurim join him at the Shabbos table to sing some Chabad d'veykus niggunim and Sefardi zemirot. He works in the youth industry, where he puts his passion for good Jewish music to work. He plays flute - though not professionally, by any means, and is the Baal Tefillah and Baal Koreh at his local shteeble.

An “Artistic” Version of the Alter Rebbe’s Niggun – Video

Nadav Bachar and friends play the Chassidic great Daled Bavot (also known as the Alter Rebbe’s Niggun) superimposed over Yonatan Masoud’s colorful painting. A truly “artistic” video! &nbsp

Hislahavus’ Review of Fried’s Keep Climbing

How many artists out there are there whose CDs you’ll get as soon as they come out, because you KNOW that they’re going to give you value? Top on everyone’s list would be Avraham Fried, and it is no surprise that Keep Climbing is a keeper. Every time through this record I love it more,

Hislahavus’ Review of Yehuda Glantz’s Chai Vekayam

Yehuda Glantz is the working definition of the word “eclectic” in the Jewish music world. The talented Argentinean-Israeli is a multi-instrumentalist (charango, accordion, pan pipes, guitar, keyboards, percussion, vocals), and is at home playing many different genres. He always has something for the discerning ear, and his newest offering, Chai Vekayam, is no different. It’s

Music to the Tune of Judaism – A History of Music in Judaism

In the last years of his life, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson of Lubavitch organized a group dedicated to the preservation of Chassidic melodies. Considering that vast majority of these tunes were created and spread by mouth and ear alone, many were in danger of being lost. For all we know, many of these tunes probably

Ever Seen a Nigun Played With This Before?

Brilliant guitarist Nadav Bachar, of A Groyse Metsie and Pshita (http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/nadavbacharpshita, www.cdbaby.com/cd/repentancedooresdaltayte) has been spotted with a strange new ax! Check out the video below for some beautiful musicianship on a unique instrument they seem to call a “Ketar”. The nigun was composed by a heavenly Lubavitcher chasid named R’ Hillel Potchoper, who used to

Music to the Tune of Judaism – When There Are No Words

You’ve probably heard a Chassidic tune sung without words and wondered where THAT came from. Really, was the composer too lazy to write some lyrics? Or maybe the notes were whipped off his desk before he managed to set them to poetry? Well, obviously, there’s something more to it than just lack of creativity. We’ve

Music to the Tune of Judaism – Stories of a Musical Mishna

Here are two enlightening stories that help us understand the capabilities inherent in music. The protagonist of both is Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, better known as the Baal Hatanya or the Alter Rebbe. Rabbi Shneur Zalman had a disciple named R’ Moshe Feldman, who had a uniquely beautiful voice. This R’ Moshe would go

Lazer Lloyd Finishing up New Album!

Brilliant rock and blues guitarist virtuoso Lazer Lloyd is finalizing the finishing touches of his latest album! Lloyd, who previously led the band Yood, has been very popular in Israel’s rock scene as of late. His Jewish themed songs mix easily with his covers of classics, amid fluid solos and tight grooves. If you haven’t

Music to the Tune of Judaism – A Lesson from the Song at the Sea

With Parshat Beshalach this week, how could we not present an explanation on the Shirat Hayam? We’ll return to our regularly scheduled exploration of music next week. :-) The Song at the Sea has many angles of study that are absolutely fascinating. On of the interesting medrashim on this incredible national experience of music is

Music to the Tune of Judaism

In an effort to explore the Jewish aspect of Jewish music, our very own Hislahavus will be sharing an inspiring weekly message on Jewish music on JMR every Friday. Our Sages tell us about ten special songs, representing deep and cosmic messages. The first of these tunes was composed by Adam, the first human, and

Letter to JM Producers

Dear Jewish Music Producer, Hi! I’d like to introduce myself – I’m Hislahavus. I guess I’d call myself a “semi-professional listener.” Or, as others might call it, a music snob. I’m a music junky. I’m not (really) a musician; I never studied music in a class, I’ve only intensely studied the music that you’ve produced.

Hislahavus’ Reviews of EPs: Eden and Isaac Bitton

What’s the point of an EP? I never quite got it. It seems to be a relic of the vinyl past. But for whatever reason, EPs occasionally pop up, and sometimes with quite good music. Here are two recent albums that are worth a look, despite their short setlist. Isaac Bitton’s Generation Redemption: Isaac Bitton

Scoop – Yaron Gershovsky to Feature Sarah Dukes’ All-New Compositions!

Love solo piano? Here’s a treat for you: In a first for Jewish music, a new album is about to be released of entirely new compositions for piano, composed by pianist Sarah Dukes, and performed by the peerless Yaron Gershovsky. “We were looking for a pianist who really understood the compositions, and after trying a