As someone whose daily workout includes a two and a half mile hike through the hilly terrain that is my neighborhood, winter presents quite a challenge.  Despite the mild weather we have been having, the days are short, frequently cold and any snows really wreak havoc with my exercise routine.  A new fitness video, titled The Best of Shape Kosher Workouts, may just be the answer to my dreams.

Comprised of four twenty minute segments, each offering a different type of workout, Shape does a remarkable job bringing the gym experience into the privacy of your own home.  The instructors are appropriately attired, the music, while certainly not MBD or Avraham Fried was not in the least way objectionable, and each segment offers a warm up and cool down in addition to a nice workout.  Shape offers a choice of Zumba, Kickboxing, Pilates and something called Bootcamp which, as you can imagine, involves some pretty serious exercise.

I am sure there are those who will have objections to this video, saying that by definition Zumba isn’t kosher, it is not “our type of music” and that nice Jewish girls shouldn’t be doing any routines that involve punching or anything called kickboxing.   I suggest that you not buy this video and instead go look for a nice heimishe dance video that has Shaavtem Mayim and Shmelke’s Niggun instead.   For anyone looking for a fun, funky way to exercise, burn up calories and make fitness part of your routine, Shape is for you.

For all you men out there reading this, no need to read the rest of this post.  Let’s be realistic.  As much as your wife might enjoy this workout, if you come home, hand her an exercise DVD and say “here, I thought you might like this” she is likely to think you are suggesting she needs to lose weight and will probably throw the nearest heavy object (or the Shape DVD) at you and you will be eating peanut butter and jelly for the next three days.  If you can find a way to buy Shape for your wife without getting your head handed to you, feel free to leave a comment.  I would love to hear how you pulled it off.

For all my female readers, there really is a lot more to say.

For starters, I was very curious to see how they were going to present this in a way that would afford a real workout and yet still be tzniusdik and honestly, I think they did a great job.  Dressed in lightweight below the knee flared skirts over of leggings, t-shirts and shells (duh, all black, of course…this is New York, black is the only color in our fashion rainbow) they are modestly clad but still able to move.  Yes, there are instructors doing workouts in sheitels.  I don’t know how they do it, but they do.

As for the workouts themselves, two of them (Pilates and Bootcamp) are more like typical exercise segments and are fairly easy to follow, although somewhat challenging for the not-so-physically-fit.  The other two (Zumba and Kickboxing) are dance segments, broken down into four and five minute dances and, like any other dance, it does take time to master the steps.  The instructors call out most of the steps as they are doing them and as an added bonus, they are shown at both an easier and a more challenging level in order to accommodate people at different levels of physical fitness.  The instructors, who appear to be made out of rubber and have no internal organs given how flexible they were and how easy they made every move look, were encouraging without being annoyingly perky or demanding and the routines were fun, if a little intimidating at first.  The routines must have accomplished something as I could feel numerous muscle groups aching the next day.

The sound is a little off on the Bootcamp segment, but it is still easy to follow Tammy as she finds new and creative ways to make you torture muscles you didn’t even know you had. Be aware that you will likely embarrass yourself the first few times you watch this video until you get the routines down pat and you probably want to lock the door so that you don’t humiliate yourself in front of anyone who happens to be around.  But hang in there, it is loads of fun once you get the hang of the routines.

All in all, I really enjoyed this video and think it will yield tremendous results for anyone who takes the time to incorporate it into their daily routine.  Available at your local Judaica store or at www.mostlymusic.com for $22.99 it is probably one of the cheapest exercise plans out there and well worth the money.

I can summarize my thoughts on The Chairlady in just four words.

Go buy it now.

Before I start, let me issue the official disclaimer.  This DVD is for women and girls only.  Sorry guys, you are gonna have to sit this one out.

A highly entertaining and well depicted romp through the life of a typical Jewish family whose mother has uncharacteristically and extremely randomly ended up in charge of the biggest tzedaka event of the year, it is funny without being overly emoted and is just under two hours of non-stop fun and quite possibly, the best women’s production I have ever watched.

The story begins with Malka Gruen, a mother of five, who like so many other mothers finds herself wondering if there is more to life than doing laundry and picking up the dry cleaning.  She jumps at the chance to help out with the local yeshiva’s annual tea and when she unexpectedly finds that she has inherited sole responsibility of the project, she sets out to prove to everyone, including herself, that she has what it takes to put together a classy event.  As time progresses, we see a more confident and more fashionably attired Malka rise to the extremely time consuming challenge of coordinating this event, but as her family is forced to subsist on a diet of frozen waffles and pizza bagels, she struggles to find the equilibrium required to navigate the obstacles that keep coming her way.

What makes The Chairlady work is that the struggles that both Malka and her family face are the same issues that many of us face on a daily basis.  While many of the productions that are staged are interesting stories about other people’s lives, for many of us, this IS our life.  The script walks the fine line between not taking itself too seriously and not trying so hard to be funny that it fails to deliver and the cast does an admirable job bringing the story to life.  The filming was done in Monsey and as a local resident, I had a blast identifying familiar houses and faces. One minor character in particular was so well done that I didn’t even recognize her as someone who lives just two houses away from me.

If I had to nitpick I would tell you I could find only three things wrong with The Chairlady, which while filmed in Monsey, is equally relevant to any Jewish community.

One:  all the women carried flip phones.  Yes, I know they were striving for the kosher phone look, but seriously?  Flip phones?

Two:  the women were actually wearing color, instead of head to toe black.  This is New York.  We wear black.  End of story.

Three:  They filmed a production in my own backyard and no one asked me to be in it?  Count me in for your next project guys.

The Chairlady is a Wellspring Maayan Project and is distributed by Aderet Music.  Look for it  either at your local Judaica store online at www.mostlymusic.com.

Pull out the party hats, wrap up the gifts, it’s our birthday and we are more than ready to celebrate!

In just three short years, JMR has become your number one site for anything and everything related to Jewish music and we want to take this opportunity to thank you, our loyal and devoted readers, for turning to us each and every day when you want the latest and the greatest in Jewish music news.

Of course, we couldn’t be where we are today without the help of our dedicated staff, so thanx, guys, for all your help!

What’s next for year number four? Stay tuned for more of everything you love about JMR.

To all our artist and producer friends, keep the news and updates coming so that we can share your good news with your biggest fans.

And to all our readers and Jewish music fans everywhere, thanx for making us number one!

Are you a serious music nut? Think you have what it takes to be a JMR writer? Drop us an email at jewishmusicreport@gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you!

Exclusive JMR pic of the Chevra backstage 

Yes, that’s right, the Chevra.

In an exclusive JMR scoop, Eli Gerstner took a few minutes out of his busier than busy schedule to share a sneak peek about the new (and not so new) members of this always hot group.

Consisting of Chaim Frand, Ely Shalom, Azriel Zylberberg and Nati Chaboura, the new Chevra consists of one Chevra alumnus (Frand), two YBC alums (Shalom and Zylberberg) and a very dedicated Torontonian who switched to a Far Rockaway yeshiva (Shor Yoshuv) in order to be part of this very exciting opportunity (Chaboura).  With the exception of Frand, all are in their teens.

“I have always tried to keep the Chevra young, fresh and innovative,” said Eli.  “Our original guys were a little older and two years down the road they all got married.  We are going a little younger this time in the hopes that this new Chevra will be here for the long haul.”

Not much information has been released about the new Chevra for the simple reason that they went straight from finalizing the group to rehearsals and recording every day.  Not only are there three more Chevra shows lined up in the immediate future, but they are hard at work on their next album which they are hoping to release Purim time, but Eli cautions that as with any album, it will be released only when it is ready.

Also in the cards for EG Productions?  With so much talent in house (think former Chevra and Menucha members) there is talk of another, more mature group on the horizon as well.

Stay tuned for more info!

By Kol Isha

(If reposted please include link and credit to JewishMusicReport.com)

Having seen my share of HASC videos and having heard the timeless classics that were introduced at HASC concerts over the years, going to an actual HASC concert, long touted as “the concert of the year” has always been on my to do list.  Being presented with a pair of tickets to a HASC concert seemed like a golden opportunity to experience this musical event firsthand.

As with any concert, there are both advantages and disadvantages to seeing an event in person.   A concert video doesn’t capture the energy and the excitement of a sold out audience, the majesty of a room like Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall which seats 2,738 people.  But a live performance doesn’t offer any chance for do-overs.  You have one chance to get it right and if you mess up, chances are good that people will notice.

This year marked the 25^th anniversary of the annual concert originally conceived by Sheya Mendlowitz as a fundraiser for the children of Camp HASC and in general, the concert focused more on the concept of the HASC concert than the music itself.  That is not to say that there weren’t some memorable performances, but by and large the night was all about the concert itself.  Performers were mostly limited to a single song each, with a never ending stream of singers taking the stage one after another, introduced by the number of times they had each appeared in previous concerts.  Only two acts were invited for a debut on the legendary HASC stage:  The Maccabeats and 8^th Day.

The evening began promptly at 7:30 as advertised, with Yisroel Lamm conducting a Neginah orchestra that had approximately twelve pieces.  The HASC choir, led by Shloime Kaufman and featuring Sholom Jacobs, Yaakov Klein, Yaakov Ettinger, Meir Popowitz, Asher Fine and Shua Nachman,  was on the stage for much of the night and did an outstanding job. The stage featured a big center video screen flanked by two 21 feet high banners bearing the words “HASC 25 A Time For Music,” artfully designed as was all the HASC artwork.

Before I go through all the songs, let me just issue a disclaimer.  I will probably get some names wrong.  Feel free to correct me in the comments section and I will be happy to make changes as needed.

First up on stage were Avraham Fried, Lipa Schmeltzer, Shloime Gertner and Ohad who used the nusach of Maariv for Kol Nidrei night as an introduction to a set of songs including Ribono Shel Olam, the HASC classic Small Piece of Heaven, Abi Mileibt, Adi-Tanya as performed at HASC 20 and Avraham Fried’s Shalom Aleichem.  Dedi came onstage to join the quartet and the group sang Dedi’s Kulanu Nashir B’Yachad, with lots of help from the audience, occasionally substituting the words “twenty five years together” for “everyone sing together”.

A breakdancer dressed up as the aging Six Flags dancer used in previous HASC campaigns came on stage for a few moments and the last song sung by the group was London School of Jewish Song’s Mareh Cohen.

Next up was a quick, modified video clip of Dovid Gabay learning with his son, from the Ana Avda video released by Sheya Mendlowitz in conjunction with his Big Time Alte Heim album, followed by Dovid Gabay dancing all over the stage as he sang Ana Avda with the choir.  Abie Rotenberg was introduced as the HASC record holder, having appeared at fourteen HASC concerts and he spoke briefly and beautifully about both HASC and concert founder Sheya Mendlowitz who was not in attendance.  After asking the audience to give Sheya a standing ovation, Abie launched into the first song he ever wrote for HASC, the truly touching Who Am I, which all these years later is still as beautiful as ever.

Zale Newman, master of ceremonies for the first six concerts introduced the next segment of the evening, paying tribute to six performers who had previously graced the HASC stage but are no longer with us.  After first mentioning Laibel Heshel, Danny Berkowitz of Menucha and Mikey Butler, Newman introduced musical tributes to three musical greats who were all HASC alumni:  Shlomo Carlebach, Jo Amar and Moshe Yess.  Eitan Katz, Yehuda Green, Chaim Dovid and violinist Ruby Harris performed Carlebach’s U’fros Aleinu followed by Hashem Oz.  Ohad returned to the stage for an impressive performance of Jo Amar’s Barcelona, followed by Avraham Fried singing Moshe Yess’ signature song My Zaidy.

The next singer, Israeli entertainer Yoel Sharabi, was introduced by Uncle Moishy as one of the original HASC performers.  Sharabi, who plays several instruments proficiently, came out on stage with bongos, beginning with a few bars of the chorus of the classic Kol Haolam Kulo, before launching into a rendition of the Eyal Golan hit Mi Shemaamin, recently redone and made popular by up and coming superstar Benny Friedman.  While the middle aged Sharabi can’t possibly match the energy and voice of Friedman who is so many years his junior, he gave an enthusiastic performance, jumping all over the stage with a temporary segue into Mordechai Ben David’s Mitzvah Gedola.

Next on stage was concert chairman Miles Berger.  After all, you can’t possibly have a benefit concert without thanking all those involved in the process, can you?  But the expressions of gratitude were short and in no time at all, Shalsheles and Shalsheles Jr. took the stage.  Neither group was full, as both Simcha Sussman and Edan Pinchot live outside of the New York area and were absent.  Following a short medley of Heyma and Gadol, the Maccabeats (or most of them anyway) appeared singing their viral hit, Candlelight.

Chazzan Yitzchok Meir Helfgott delivered a flawless performance of Moshe V’Aaron  and was followed by Lipa, in an electric jacket and hat.  I mean, literally electric, as the trim on both Lipa’s jacket and hat were trimmed with lights, which was pretty cool on a darkened stage. Lipa launched into a cute bit as he reminisced about previous concerts and a video showed first a five year old Lipa singing at his home in New Square when the HASC concert series began and we see Lipa singing at age ten, then at age twelve in his first pair of unconventional glasses, which Lipa described as having been paid for by Medicare.  Lipa continued in his musical musings, consistently crediting the wrong singer with a particular song, describing Shlomo Carelbach singing Diet, Abish Brodt singing Ya’alili and launching into a nigun he claims to sing every Shabbos with his children, the theme from the Godfather, before conductor Yisroel Lamm attempted to set him straight.

Up next was, what for me was probably the best performance of the night, as Journeys, aka Abie Rotenberg, Elie Kranzler and Gershon Veroba took the stage, singing Abie’s first English song, Time to Say Good Shabbos.  From there it was time for the second debut performance of the night as 8^th Day rocked the house with Ya’alili.  Another tribute followed, this time to the numerous gedolim that were niftar recently, by the trio of Srully Williger, Mendy Wald and Shloime Dachs singing the touching songs Lev Tahor and Acheinu.  Sadly the accompanying background video with pictures of the gedolim never went on.

Dedi was the next performer to take the stage which was already occupied by a royal guardsman, one of the unsmiling sentries who flank the gates of Buckingham palace.  In an attempt to get the guardsman to smile, Dedi hums Shloime Gertner’s Shmeichel, but to no avail.  Hoping that perhaps a fellow Englishman would have more success coaxing a smile out of the guard, Dedi is joined by Gertner and after a rousing chorus of Shmeichel and Dedi’s V’Koivei, the guardsman starts to loosen up, as his limbs start to twitch and by the end of the set he removes his tall black hat, puts it in front of his face and we are rewarded with a smile from the Justin Bieber look alike dancer who we first saw at the Ohel concert this past November.

Singer/Composer Baruch Levine took a seat at the piano bench, singing Bitchu from his latest album, Hashkifa, followed by a song and dance number from Miami Boys Choir as the boys bounced all over the stage singing the opening track from their latest album, Shema Yisroel.

The evening ended on a bizarre note, as Yigal Calek took the podium, reminiscing about his youth in Tel Aviv, as he was addicted to music but there was no Jewish music available and in a short sermon, he both thanked HASC for a quarter of a century of beautiful concerts and chastened the performers to keep the “Jewish” in Jewish music.

A video of Camp HASC set to Avraham Fried’s Forever One was a poignant reminder of what the HASC concert series is all about, as the beautiful faces of the HASC children and the dedicated staff filled the large video screen.  The entire cast gathered onstage for the HASC theme song, Candles, complete, of course, with candles illuminating the darkened stage in addition to Lipa’s electric couture.

There is no question that while the HASC concert is a huge fundraiser and one of the most highly anticipated musical events of the year.  For music lovers everywhere, the fact that other organizations have also begun staging top notch fundraising concerts that give HASC a run for its money is a positive development as it raises the musical bar for everyone.  For those who are looking for musical perfection, where every vocal and every note is dead on, I strongly suggest you stay home and wait for the HASC concert to come out on video.   For those who are looking  to make a sizable donation to Camp HASC, while enjoying an evening of live music, you might want to start thinking about HASC 26 before it, too, sells out.

The release of Mi Shemaamin, an infectious single released last week by crowd pleaser Benny Friedman, marks the first time that I have ever reviewed a single.  Then again, there aren’t too many singles out that grabbed me like this one did, with it’s can’t miss message of emunah and bitachon set to a soundtrack that just doesn’t quit.

The song originally appeared on an album called Derech Lachaim, released by singer Israeli Eyal Golan in January 2010.  A quick glance on YouTube reveals that this is clearly a popular song.  Golan’s original version has over 3,800,000 hits and it was also recorded by Meydad Tasa, as well as being adopted by several summer camps.  What makes this song so well loved is the combination of a terrific composition, paired with killer lyrics.  Add in the dream team of singer Benny Friedman, producer Avi Newmark and engineer Ian Freitor and this version of Mi Shemaamin really stands out.

What makes this song so popular is that aside from being great from a musical perspective, its lyrics define the essence of Judaism.

“The song expresses a pride and a joy in being Jewish, in being Hashem’s chosen people, and it also expresses Hashem’s love in return for us,” explained Benny Friedman.  “Some people have the misconception that G-d and G-dliness are the exclusive property of religious people. But then along comes Eyal Golan, an artist who does not call himself Dati, or Charedi, or anything like that, but most certainly still counts himself among the believers, who have nothing to fear because ‘Lanu Yesh et Melech Haolam,’ Hashem loves them because they are his children and we love Him for the same reason, and whatever it is we might do in our spare time doesn’t get in the way of that very basic and unbreakable love that exists between our Father and us.”

The song was also recorded in honor of the Israeli Defense Force and the cover art for the single depicts an Israeli soldier, wrapped in tallis and tefillin, standing in front of a tank.

“I want to dedicate this song to the Israeli army,” said Avi Newmark.  “As we saw in the case of Gilad Shalit, we kept the emunah and he came back to us. When I heard the news of Shalit’s release it was this song that instantly came to my head. The IDF is what keeps our nation alive and the Jewish flame burning strong. It is our small way of saying thank you to them.”

The song is available for 99 cent download on both Mostly Music and iTunes.

Included in the Chanukah edition of Ami magazine is Copyright, a humorous look at a day in the life of a singer.

Starring Yoely Lebowitz, we see the singer as everyman, going through his day, doing his best to earn an honest living to support his family, but encountering numerous former singers who have found new careers because illegal copying and downloading of albums has taken away their livelihood.

The video, produced by Danny Finkelman, features an original song by Hershy Ginzberg and vocals and appearance by members of the Jewish music business including:  Yoely Lebowitz, Shloime Gertner, Yumi Lowy, Dovid Gabay, Yoely Greenfeld, Shoime Taussig, Beri Weber, Gershy Moskowitz, Michoel Schnitzler, Sruly Meyer, Mendy Werczberger, NACHAS, Sruli Ginsberg, Shimmy Goldstein and Yossi BenShimon.

You can download the song for free at MostlyMusic.com

After the resounding success of last year’s night of music and dance for women, Raise the Sparks has returned with a great lineup featuring Shaindel Antelis, debuting her new music video titled Light, Elana Greenspan, the Brooklyn Dance Institute, a new vocal group, Reina Potanik, Rochel Jakob, the comedy of Leslie G and more!

Join the fun at the Ocean Parkway Jewish Center located at 550 Ocean Parkway from 8 PM till midnight.

Featuring the music and voices of Simcha Leiner and Yosef Schick.

For women and girls only!!

For women and girls only!!

In honor of the upcoming holiday of Chanukah, Shaindel Antelis is releasing her inspiring song Miracles as a free download!  Miracles is from Shaindel’s second album, titled Change.

To download the song click here.

Stay tuned for Shaindel’s upcoming, exciting music video!

Featuring cameo appearances by Barack Obama and Mayim Bialik.

Just in time for Chanukah!  EG Productions will be releasing YBC Live 4, featuring everyone’s favorite boys choir live in concert, six music videos, a  behind the scenes peek at YBC, a hilarious blooper reel and an all new song to debut on this exciting DVD/CD.  Distributed by Sameach Music, expect it in stores on Sunday, December 18th.

All proceeds will benefit Kol Neshama, a Los Angeles-based non-profit corporation dedicated to providing professional artistic training and performance opportunities for girls and women in a Torah-observant setting and to developing an emerging artistic voice through the creation of distinctly Jewish film and stage productions.

Sunday, December 18, 2011
3 – 5 pm
Refreshments/Meet & Greet immediately to follow.
$15 admission fee

Performances by recording artist Elana Greenspan, dancer Beth Jucovy of Dance Visions NY, award winning comedian Joan Weiner, the choir of Yeshiva University High School for Girls, featured vocalist Shaindel Antelis and many more!

Great Neck Arts Center
113 Middle Neck Road
Great Neck, NY 11021

Enjoy a fabulous Gateways Shabbos featuring renowned speakers Rabbi Mordechai Becher, Rabbi Dovid Greenblatt, Mrs. Debbie Greenblatt, Mrs. Tzipora Harris, Dr. Chaim Presby, Mrs. Chaya Reich, Rabbi Jonathan Rietti and Rabbi Mordechai Suchard and a Motzei Shabbos concert featuring Avraham Fried at the Double Tree Hotel, Somerset, New Jersey. Full day camp and babysitting programs provided, lavish tea room, indoor pool, sumptuous catering by Michael Schick and more!

For more information contact Gateways at 1-800-722-3191, x 110 or email office@gatewaysonline.org.

Yeshiva Ketana of Manahttan proudly presents an evening of music with Miami Boys Choir and Baruch Levine on Sunday December 11th at 6:30 PM at the Merkin Concert Hall, 129 West 67th Street.

Admission is $36 and $45 with separate and family seating available.

For tickets call the yeshiva at 212-769-1790, extension 13 or the box office at 212-501-3330

This past Monday night London hosted its second annual Hatsoloh concert featuring Yaakov Shweky and Baruch Levine.  The concert was one of the best I’ve been to in a while, and was certainly worth the trip from Manchester.

As I entered the hall I could tell it was going to be a good night.  Most ofthe seats were full, and on the projected screen was the DVD form Caesarea II and got the audience (or at least myself), ready for the night ahead.

Very shortly the lights dimmed and the orchestra conducted by Yaakov and Baruch’s world renowned producer, Yochi Briskman, opened with an overture compromising of Shwekey’s hit songs with an overture that was very similar to the one from the latest Caesaria DVD

Yaakov’s Chavrusah in Kollel Rabbi Shlomoh Farhi, now living in London working for Aish Hatorah, received a last minute call to host the show and then agreed to do so. Rabbi Farhi first introduced Baruch Levine and commented how caring Baruch is as a person, and pointed out that his initials even spell the word לב.

Baruch Levine then burst onto the stage singing his hit song Chosson Hatorah and the crowd went wild, after the song he said how much of a pleasure it was to be in the UK for his first time and told the audience of his English connections, from his Grandparents before they moved to Canada, which (as Baruch joked about) was once owned by England.

Baruch than sang one of the biggest hits in recent years, Vezakeini, and all the crowed joined in, and was moved by his rendition of the title track of his debut album, he dedicated the song to all the young children in the audience, Baruch then thanked the audience before leaving the stage, and Rabbi Farhi returned.

Rabbi Farhi told the audience about some of his experiences with his friend, and how much of an inspiration he is, and then the headline act came out. Yaakov Shwekey was greeted by a huge round of applause, and everyone was excited. Yaakov entered singing Libi B’mizrach, the title trach of the hit sefardi album he brought out just over a year ago.

After the song Shwekey told the crowd how happy he was to have been invited back to England again, he told us that English crowds are way better and livelier than New York crowds, (something  which I  certainly agree on) and then sang Im Eshkocheich. This song is one of his most famous songs, and comes from his Y’Did album, this was the 3^rd time I have seen Yaakov live and this sing always creates high emotions running through me, the only negative was that I felt this song was done to early on.

His next song was Areivim, from Ad Bli Dai which he dedicated this song to all of Am Yisrael especially his friend from Israel who was in the audience last night. Areivim is certainly one of my favorite songs from Ad Bli Dai and was wonderful hear it sung live.

Next up was a medley, Yaakov said that a special audience like ours deserves a special medley and this one was made just for the occasion. The medley opened with Mama Rochel – this song became an instant hit when it was first released.  The second song of the medley was Tatte, originally by Dveykus and then sung by Shwekey on his fourth album Leshem Shomayim with the original lyrics written by his rosh yeshiva.  The final song of the medley was my sister’s favorite Shwekey song, Shema Yisrael. This medley had the crowed united and everyone joined arms together and swayed to the side.

Then Yaakov bust into Kol Mevaser,  one of my favorite songs at the moment, written by Yitzy Waldner and fist released on live in Caesarria II. This song had the crowed going wild – and deservedly so, it’s a very good fast song and with as Yaakov as a performer as well as a singer I’m not surprised at the crowd’s reaction.

For the final song of the set, Baruch Levine joined Yaakov on stage and together they sang V’hoo Keili, a slow and great kumzits song and originally featured on Baruch’s debut album with guest vocals from Yaakov. The two performer left the stage together to applause from the crowd.

As the performers relaxed and had a much needed break, a short video was shown and a speech from the president of Hatsoloh UK about the amazing work hatzoloh do, and pledged for donations for the needy cause.

Next was a surprise, International superstar, originally from London but has been living in America for a few years was Chazzan Shimon Craimer.  It was clear from the audience’s reaction how welcome he was back in his home town.

Baruch Levine  returned to the stage, with one of my favorites- Kol Haberuim, this got the audience alive again after the short break, and he then sang Piano Boy, from his English album, a song which tells the story about what we can all achieve.

Yaakov Shwekey returned to the stage with Veshochanti from Ad Bli Dai, and he got the crowd were on their feet dancing, before singing Bo’ee B’shallom, a slow song but one of the best slow songs on libi B’Mizrach.

Then came the song I’d been waiting for, again from Libi B’mizrach, Raoo Banim, a catchy song written by Yonatan Razel, and everyone enjoyed it.

Baruch Levine then came to rejoin Shwekey on stage. Yaakov, told the audience that upon hearing the news of the passing of one of his best friends he called Baruch asking him to write a song about refuah.  The song was first featured on Caesaria and then again on Boruch’s new album – Hashkifah, and the two of them singing together was a wonderful experience. Yaakov dedicated the song to all the kids from Camp Simcha who were in the audience.

Then came the finale song, certainly one of the  biggest wedding hits from the last few years, – Ma ma ma, another Yitzy Waldner composition.  Baruch then returned to the stage, and the two singers wore hatzolah jackets and danced together, I didn’t realize that Baruch had some good moves.

After the performers left the stage, it was time for the encore as no Shwekey concert is complete without Vehee She’omda, another Yonatan Razel song and another massive hit.

This was certainly an amazing concert, and cannot wait for next time. My only wish was that Shwekey would have sung Hakadosh Boruch Hoo from Libi B’Mizrach, another of my favorites, but even without it the concert was still worth the long trip.

JMR would like to wish a hearty mazel tov to our very own Simcha Leiner upon his marriage tonight to Leiba Halpert.  In honor of the occasion, Simcha is releasing a  new single, Mihaira, that he composed in honor of his kallah as a free download to JMR readers and will be played at  tonight’s wedding.

Wishing Simcha and his new wife bracha, gezunt and simchos!!

(click here to download)

Enjoy this free download from rising star from yet another member of the very talented Antelis family titled “Everywhere”.

audio [http://soundcloud.com/mendelantelis/song]
Song Written by: Shaindel & Mendy Antelis
Produced, Mixed, Recorded & Mastered by: Jake Antelis
Guitar/Bass/Arranging: Moshe Antelis
Piano/Programming: Robby Tal
Single Cover Art: Yossi Zweig

Avraham Fried, being interviewed by French radio host Mendel Samama  before a  November 10th concert in Strasbourg France’s Palais des Congres.

Not one, but two of the hottest groups in Jewish music will be performing in Monsey,  ironically both on the same night, (Thursday, December 22nd)  but at different concerts.

The hotter than hot 8th Day will be performing at the Chanukah Unity Concert at 6:45 PM.  Joining 8th Day will be the Shiru Lo Boys Choir, directed by Rabbi Chaim Block of Shalsheles.  The concert will take place at Rockland Community College, 145 College Road, Suffern, New York.  Ticket prices are $18, $25, $36 and special VIP tickets, priced at $72 include a special opportunity to meet 8th Day at a dessert reception.   Tickets are available in Monsey at the Feldheim Outlet, RCC Hillel, Tuvia’s, Challah Fairy Cafe and Bakery, online at www.jewishtickets.com or by calling Dov Oliver at 845-574-4422.

The ASHAR Chanukah concert will feature the Maccabeats and Pey Daled and will take place at 6:45 in the ASHAR auditorium, 70 Highview Road, Monsey.  Tickets are priced at $20 in advance, $25 at the door and $30 for preferred seatings. Tickets packages for patrons and corporate sponsors are $100 and $360.   To purchase tickets go to www.ashar.org or call the ASHAR office at 845-357-1515

Let me preface this concert recap by saying that I hope my fifteen year old son never reads this review, because he was dying to come to the Ohel concert but I refused to take him out of yeshiva four hours early just to come to a concert.  After all, there are plenty of concerts, right?

Well, right and wrong.  There are plenty of concerts.  But concerts like last night’s The Music We Love are few and far between.  In the words of one music industry insider after the concert, “The future of Jewish music took a turn for awesomeness tonight.”  What made this concert great was that while it was a mix of old music and new, most of the faces on the stage tonight represent the future of Jewish music and while oftentimes concerts seem stale and formulaic, these performers on the whole, were fresh, energy filled and made it obvious that while there are those who say Jewish music is dying, it is indeed, alive and well, and kicking up quite a storm.

The folks at Ohel took a huge gamble when they decided to stage a concert and keep the lineup top secret.  Were people really going to spend big bucks to come to a show without knowing who the performers would be?  The answer, apparently, was yes, as Mason Hall at the Baruch Performing Arts Center was completely sold out for the annual benefit concert.  Unlike most secrets in the Jewish music business, this one actually stayed secret.  While people ventured guesses as to the identity of the performers after the final concert ad provided a list of clues, no one except for a select few knew what the lineup was going to be.

The venue, Mason Hall, was an excellent choice.  The room was appropriately sized:  spacious enough that it didn’t feel claustrophobic but small enough to give the room an intimate feel.  For those who took the time to look around the room, the architecture was nothing short of magnificent.

But we don’t go to concerts to check out the ceilings, do we?  It was just the scenery that was top notch, on the whole, the music was as well.  With performances by Michoel Pruzansky, Eitan Katz, Rivi, Eli and Avrumi Schwebel, Shalsheles Junior, 8^th Day, Shloime Gertner, Benny Friedman, Yishai Lapidot and Lipa Schmeltzer, there were some musical moments that were totally amazing.  The nine piece orchestra, led by famed music copyist and arranger par excellence, Avremi G, was extremely well done and while most of the time at concerts the focus is on the guy holding the microphone, it is the talents of the individuals playing the musical instruments who really make the music come alive and last night was no exception as the orchestra really rocked the house.  Despite a few extremely disturbing microphone glitches, the sound and particularly, the sound levels, were perfect for the room.  In an unusual move for a Jewish music concert, the lighting was spectacular, giving the entire evening a more polished and professional feeling.  The choir, made up of Aryeh Kunstler (who became a father for the first time just one day before the concert), Sholom Jacobs, Akiva Lawrence, Miami alumnus Eitan Nat and Yoel Schmell, appeared sporadically during the concert, giving a nice fullness to certain songs throughout the evening.  Finally, all the concert artwork from posters to tickets to the amazing graphics that were up on the big screen were truly gorgeous, thanx to the very talented Sruly Meyer (see the slides here)

The concert clocked in at a whopping three hours and twenty three minutes which was definitely too long and perhaps the bags distributed to concert patrons with literature from the sponsors, pens, foam microphones, umbrellas and glow sticks should have included a cheese danish and a frappucino as well, just to tide everyone over.  Kudos to Avram Zamist of Sheer Productions for not only putting together a great show but for starting the show just four minutes late, a trend I would love to see continuing in Jewish music.

After a video of Lipa Schmeltzer and Eli Schwebel singing at a piano, musically asking the audience to please turn off their cell phones, the night kicked off with an overture based on a Mishpacha Magazine article listing the stories behind some of the most popular songs in Jewish music including Chamol, Yamim al Yemei Melech and Racheim.  A voice offstage introduced the emcee for the evening, Nachum Segal, but the stage stayed dark as Nachum was nowhere to be found.  A cute video clip showed Segal watching Monday Night Football refusing to come to the concert until concert sponsor Americare CEO, Elly Kleinman, shared the concert lineup with him.  Kleinman has quite the flair for comedy and the clip showed the two rushing from Nachum’s house to the venue, finally running down the aisle and appearing onstage together.

Nachum introduced the performers via a set of clues that appeared in the final concert ad and the first performer showed up on stage during the intro amid creepy music and dressed in a black cape, fedora and mask, a la Phantom of the Opera.  As Nachum figured out that the performer described as “someone who has three albums, one of which is released in the last three months” must be Michoel Pruzansky, Pruz whipped off the cape and hat and launched into a rousing medley of some of his most latest songs, including Kol Ma and Zeh LaZeh

Pruz was followed by the ever popular Eitan Katz, who sang Yisborach, Boruch Hu and crowd favorite L’maancha.  The Ohel glow sticks were waving as Katz told the crowd “it’s not about how many CDs you sell, it is about how many people you touch with your music.”  Next up was Eli Schwebel, singing a new song titled Yoga, probably from his upcoming solo album, which was actually quite good.  Schwebel then introduced his younger brother Avrumi and his father Rivi, charmingly announced as “Daddy Schwebel” for their first ever joint performance, singing the D’veykus classic In a Vinkele, known to the younger generation as Shwekey’s Tatte.  The Schwebels, who also appeared later in the show, are all extremely gifted and were one of the many high points of a show that had many moments of music excellence.

Another sponsor bit, this one featuring the grandchildren of the owners of concert sponsor Nutola left Nachum in a bind as he asked one kid after another what their favorite song was and was thwarted each time by responses like “I don’t have a favorite song” and “I’m not a big fan of music.”  Finally Nachum had co-host, his son Yosef, read off the next clue and seventy five percent of Shalsheles Jr. appeared as Dovid Dachs, CJ Glicksman and Avrumi Schwebel took the stage singing a Shalsheles medley.  The trio was joined by their fathers for the classic Naar Hayisi, and while both Dachs and Schwebel senior are in the music business, Yitzy Glicksman more than held his own and was really quite impressive.

A video showing campers at Ohel’s camp Kaylie singing their rendition of Ya’alili was followed by none other than 8^th Day and from here on in, the concert picked up steam and never once came back up for air.

8^th Day rocked the house with a fifteen minute set that included Shabbos Now, Avraham and Ya’alili, complete with a dancer who was beyond belief.  There is no question that the crowd loved them and there is very good reason why Bentzi and Shmuli Marcus are the hottest act in Jewish music today.  Next up was Shloime Gertner who just seems to get better and better with every performance as he gains confidence, his sweet personality only enhancing his very impressive voice.  Gertner sang two medleys in addition to the beautiful Hashomayim before being joined onstage by the next performer Benny Friedman and the two discussed their musical inspirations before launching into an oldies medley.  While Gertner was very enjoyable, at twenty five minutes, his set was too long for a show that had so many performers.

Benny Friedman continues to shine and he climbed yet another rung on the ladder of Jewish stardom last night, as once again he nailed song after song.  With his slight Midwestern twang, he exudes charm onstage, from his opening moments hugging Shloime Gertner, to his thanking Yitzy Spinner for lending him a tie to wear for the show.  Friedman opened with the title track of his album Taamu, then sang the classic Dudu Fischer Elokay before asking the audience to grab their foam microphones and join him in his feel good song Yaavducha.  Friedman described his last number as one that “the Jewish people have been singing for 2000 years” and while the audience was expecting a classic oldie, he launched into a sweet, slow version of One Day, giving the audience an opportunity to sing some of the lines before calling out to drummer Gal Gershovsky in Hebrew, “You ready, Gal?”, taking the song to a whole new level.  Friedman seems to have taken this Matisyahu song and made it his own, imbuing it with the cheyn that, combined with his never-ending wellspring of talent, makes him one of the most sought after performers out there today.

Michoel Pruzansky returned to the stage a second time absolutely nailing the beautiful Shlomo Carlebach classic Mimkomcha, which he dedicated to Elly and Bracha Kleinman of Americare.    Next up, it was the Schwebel family again, singing Abie Rotenberg’s Memories, with a slide show of the Holocaust playing in the background.  What a group of voices, further enhanced by the way they shared the song, playing off each other.  Most touching was Rivi Schwebel embracing his sons at the end of the song, a truly heartwarming moment.

I must confess I had never heard Yishai Lapidot, the next performer sing before and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  But if I had had expectations for Lapidot’s performance, I think he would have exceeded them.  Despite the late hour, he had the crowd going wild, singing along with him, waving their glow sticks and clapping along to a medley of his own songs plus a terrific number called Mi Shemaamin.  His frenetic energy was contagious and the crowd went wild as Lipa Schmeltzer took the stage and joined him for another medley and Lapidot left the stage to wild applause.

Only to return moments later amid more wild applause.  While Lipa was dressed in a small brimmed hat and a striped shirt, someone came from backstage and handed Lapidot a metallic gold bekeshe.  The banter between the two was hysterical and it is the first time I have ever seen a performer share the stage with Lipa and not be overshadowed by Lipa’s manic energy.  The two sang Lipa’s Mizmor L’soda together, with Lapidot more than holding his own against Lipa, not just musically but in stage presence as well and they literally blew the song out of the water.  I doubt that this song will ever be performed as well as it was last night.  It was just that good.

Lipa finished up with a Carlebach medley and a very energetic performance of Hentelach before being joined onstage by the other performers for a finale which consisted of the classic Kol Haolam in several languages and a song I would love to see adopted as a closer at more weddings and concerts, the wistful Naomi Shemer Al Kol Eileh.

This was just an amazing show, admirably put together by the very talented Avram Zamist of Sheer Productions, clear proof that Jewish music has a very bright future ahead, no matter what the voices of doom and gloom may be saying.  Ohel’s The Music We Love delivered on all counts and if they continue to play their cards right, it is the Ohel show that may soon be considered the one can’t miss show of the year.

Stay tuned for a full picture gallery of the show.  To see slides that appeared on stage at the concert click here.

One of the best kept secrets in the Jewish music business was the lineup for tonight’s Ohel concert, titled The Music We Love.

For those of you who weren’t there tonight, you missed an awesome show as the performers came fast and furious, hotter and hotter.

Stay tuned for a full concert recap, but for now here is the list of artists who rocked Mason Hall at Baruch College tonight:

Michoel Pruzansky

Eitan Katz

Eli Schwebel

Rivi Schwebel

Avrumi Schwebel

Shalsheles Jr.

8th Day

Shloime Gertner

Benny Friedman

Yishai Lapidot

Lipa Schmeltzer

Join Yaakov Shwekey and Baruch Levine live on Sunday, November 27th at The Troxy, 490 Commercial Road, London E1 OHX, for a show to benefit United Hatzlah of Israel.

Doors open at 7 PM.  Concert starts at 8:00.

For more information or to order tickets visit www.shwekeyshow.com or call 020-3129-4940.

From www.kickstarter.com and colllive.com

“Rainbow in the Night,” a breathtaking music video of epic proportion, produced by Danny Finkelman and composed by Cecelia Margulies, stars Ari Raskin and his sister Leah Raskin of Crown Heights.

By Sandy Eller

Seventy two years have elapsed since the German invasion of Poland and as time progresses, the number of people who can recount the stories of the atrocities that occurred during the darkest period in our history continues to grow smaller and smaller. As the voices of those who survived World War II weaken with age, those who deny the Holocaust are becoming more and more vocal as they spread their malicious lies worldwide.

While Steven Spielberg’s epic film Schindler’s List made the horrors of World War II real for so many, there is an entire generation who know nothing of the inhumanity that occurred nearly three quarters of a century ago.

Raised on sound bites and video clips, today’s youth has no interest in lengthy films or perusing weighty volumes of history. Yet, there is no question that the memories of the six million who died and the stories of those who miraculously survived the most unspeakable period in Jewish history must be kept alive for both this and future generations.

Faced with this daunting challenge, composer, writer and producer Cecelia Margulies has teamed up with producer and director Danny Finkelman and created Rainbow in the Night, a breathtaking music video of epic proportion, featuring magnificent cinematography and poignant vocals that will bring the Holocaust to life in a powerful YouTube video that will transport the viewer back to World War II Poland for just five short minutes.

Filming is already underway for this first ever music video about the holocaust, which will show a glimpse into the past, present and future of a World War II survivor.

Filmed in Krakow, New York and the Majdanek concentration camp, Rainbow in the Night features a cast of thirty actors, a crew of twenty and the inspiring voice of Cantor Yanky Lemmer singing the title track, composed for this historical opus by Margulies.

Featuring glimpses of pre-war Poland, haunting scenes shot inside the extermination camp, the moment of liberation and a glorious finale featuring Judaism’s greatest triumph against the Germans – hundreds of Jewish children proudly continuing the legacy that the Nazis hoped to extinguish – Rainbow in the Night is a stunning production that will capture both the horrors of the war and the unimpeachable resilience that defines the Jewish nation.

Rainbow in the Night, which has already caught the attention of Reuters, is slated for released in both New York and Jerusalem in January.

Co-Producers of this project include the Rabbi Leib Geliebter Memorial Foundation, by Director Dr. Joseph Geliebter, as well as Sigmund Rolat and Lev Rivkin.

With their unerring eye for detail and authenticity, the producers of this epic clip are doing their utmost to ensure that this most important chapter in the annals of Jewish history remain forever etched in the minds and hearts of Jews worldwide.