An Open Letter to Singers and Producers

You know we wait for your new album with bated breath. We read all the blogs, listen to the samplers and call the distributors endlessly to find out when the CD will finally hit the shelves. But there are some things you really ought to know. For starters, we really are a lot more savvy [&hellip

The Event Concert Review

New York – From the moment you walk up to Madison Square Garden you see that it’s a whole different level then Avery Fisher Hall where the HASC and OHEL shows have been the last 4 or 5 years. MSG is a massive theater where every seat is a perfect seat. The stage was set [&hellip

The Sheichet interviews Yisroel Werdyger

Dinner with Yisroel Werdyger? Although his debut album “Bayis Neeman” has just been recently released, it is already a staple in my house. His songs grace my Shabbos table every week and – on weekdays – every time we get in the car my 9 and 10 year old kids are sure to start shouting [&hellip

JM Derech: V’Havienu 2

While everyone out there is busy writing their reviews of the Kol Noar Boys Choir’s debut album, I decided to pull a fast one and put out a review on my favorite album of all time, V’havienu 2! V’havienu is a group that consists of three men, Dani Kunstler, Yitzchok “Scratchy” Yenowitz, and Aryeh Kunstler. [&hellip

Omar Dovid

It seems like practically every week a new CD comes out. Almost every one is advertised as the most amazing album you will ever hear. Truth is, some of them really are quite good. But then the next hot CD comes out and suddenly, that’s the one that you hear in every Seforim store in [&hellip

Kol Noar is Coming!

Just in case you you haven’t heard, Kol Noar Boys Choir is coming. The cover art from their debut album was all over the place yesterday and it certainly had people talking. It looks like no other Jewish CD out there and for good reason. It is like no other Jewish CD out there. The [&hellip

JMR’s Mendel the Sheichet Interview’s Kol Noar’s Bentzi Ptalis

Who is Kol Noar? Who runs the choir, composes the songs, writes the arrangements, etc? The Kol Noar Boys Choir is Directed by me, Bentzi Ptalis, and the music is produced, arranged, and written by Mo Kiss. How many kids are in Kol Noar, what ages and where are they from? Also, what is the [&hellip

Best Of: The Piamentas

Few bands have had as much influence on the Jewish music world as the Piamentas. Until the Piamentas came on the scene in 1980, Jewish music had never held musicians of exceptional virtuosity. With their appearance, Jewish music suddenly had top class musicians to call their own. Yossi and Avi Piamenta took both old songs [&hellip

Did Someone Say Free? Part II

As a follow up to the post on free sheet music, a reader requested a list of free downloadable songs. (Thanks, DG!) I’m sure this list is by no means complete. Please feel free to comment and let me know which free downloads I’ve forgotten! Name of Song Artist Address Awaiting as One Chanale (warning: [&hellip

Did Someone Say Free?

Okay. By a show of hands. How many of you out there gave up your music lessons when you were a kid because the songs were so awful? Uh huh. That’s what I thought. A quick survey of the piano books in my house yields these exciting favorites: “Skipping Frogs”, “Circus Fun” and the ever [&hellip

Debut in Review: Yisroel Werdyger, Bayis Neeman

Debut in Review: Yisroel Werdyger, Bayis Neeman an album review by Mendel “the Sheichet” When we fist heard Yisroel Werdyger on the 2008 Oorah compilation CD, we were not left with very high expectations. We mostly assumed that the audition he won to be featured on the CD was a fix or at least that [&hellip

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Lost Albums: Part II

It seems like half the people I talk to who are in involved in the Jewish music business are 30 year old guys. They’ve brought about tremendous change and on the whole, they’ve created an energy, an excitement and a level of enthusiasm that was has only benefited Jewish music. But I have news for [&hellip