Yehuda Glantz: He Wants Your Help

Yehuda Glantz without question is very unusual and talented musician. If you are not familiar with his work you click here to read more about him ( use the biography page). He is currently working on releasing his next album entitled "Jerusalem My Life, Chai Vekayam". He is currently asking for assistance from the public and his fans to help raise money to cover the expense of production. Although this idea of using the web to assist in getting funds may not be that groundbreaking I couldn't help but be entertained by what your contributions will get you. Simply click on his site and scroll down to the gift list to see what he has in store: 

 Pledge $1,000 or more Dedicate a note in a song” – Official signed, numbered & beautifully designed limited edition certificate that you have bought and/or dedicated a note in a song to your special person + All previous rewards (his previous cd's music etc) 

Pledge $3,000 or more Get an extra special "Thank You" with your name (or a name of your choice) in the liner notes‪ of the album and on Yehuda's website + an invitation to a special evening in Yehuda's studito + All previous rewards 

Pledge $5,000 or more Receive a special and intimate concert in your house for an occasion of your choice + All previous rewards

I have to say this is a first for a religious Jewish music album that I have seen.

Yougurtland is it Kosher?

There are many people in Houston who would frequent Yogurtland locations with the understanding that many flavors are under KSA supervision. They would simply find out which flavors were supervised and only buy those labeled kosher. After contacting the KSA directly it was discovered that unless one could actually see the boxes of the shipment for that week, the KSA was not sure that in fact what you were eating was kosher.Currently the Yogurtland locations will not accommodate in providing proof of those shipments as they throw those boxes out. Talks with the HKA have yet to bear fruit and local Rabbi's may end up sending notices to this effect.

Succos Alert: Lulav Shortage

Due to the rapid decline in Egypt and Israeli relations there will most likely not be any imports from Egypt for Lulavim. Egypt being the main supplier of palm will surely cause a lulav shortage and increase prices as well. Be prepared  and act accordingly! Read the article here.

Anovim like you never heard it!

For your listening pleasure: a great audio on a 5/4 version of Anovim with Ramabam on Keys and John Tendy on Sax. Awesome!

New Bidding Website

People are always on the lookout for an alternative to bidding websites such as Ebay. Well one that you may enjoy is DealFun.com. The one difference at Dealfun.com is that you purchase credits which you then use to place a bid on a product. Shipping is always free on DealFun.com and the website sports a variety of products i.e. Ipads, Ipods, ps3, cameras, Giftcards, LED TV's, watches , jewelry, Toys etc.. DealFun.com also  offers a buy now option so if you don't win the bid, you can still purchase the item with the credits you purchased. Unlike some other sites the customer service is fantastic, prompt and courteous and there are no weekly or monthly winning caps. There are also beginner auctions that allow you to polish your bidding skills. They also have a win guarantee: don't win within 24 hrs all the bid are rest. The Bottom Line: check out DealFun.com for you next purchase. For a gift or perhaps just for yourself, it's a great way to get very cool stuff at a really cool price .Let us know what you think and if you bought something, what was it? Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Yemenite Shofar: What Else Do You Need?

If you buy one of these:


   


You probably need one of these too:

Nochi Krohn: New Release Banai

It’s here! Nochi Krohn’s long awaited follow up to the critically acclaimed “Ananim” is now in stores. The Nochi Krohn Band is a group of very talented musicians and singers, who collaborate to make great positive music. Banai is a robust album filled with life and raw emotion. ALL the songs and arrangements are very musical and diverse. Five years of recording and experiences makes Banai a truly wonderful unique blend of sound and feeling. This album is sure to connect with you in more than just an entertaining way. Special guest, R’ Yosef Karduner joins the Nochi Krohn Band to sing the title track Banai.

You can pick up this very real Jewish music album by clicking here

Matisyahu: Was Not Inspired by Jewish Music

In the latest article covering the Hassidic Jewish reggae performer known as Matisyahu, he discusses his musical  background and inspirations.

He credits his parents for their “great taste in music,” saying that American classics like Grateful Dead, Smokey Robinson, Paul Simon, and Neil Young were his first loves, before Michael Jackson and hip-hop infected his ears via pop radio. And, he adds, Jewish music was never part of the equation.

“Honestly, I was never really inspired by Hebrew music. I started banging on my dad’s drum set at some point, and then beatboxing became my method for musical expression,” he said.

“When I was 16 I went to Israel, and I started to really question my identity while trying to figure out who I was. Being Jewish gave me a real sense of intrigue, and became something that was relevant to me. Having listened to Bob Marley and the way he incorporated the Old Testament into his music gave me license to do that, because my religious soul was bound up with the Old Testament.”Before you write off Matisyahu as another candy-coated Christian artist, though, consider this: He’s sold more than 2 million albums, received a Grammy nomination along with a bevy of other “Best of” awards, and even had his 2009 hit “One Day” chosen as the unofficial theme song of NBC’s 2010 Winter Olympics broadcast. So clearly his commercial audience is much broader than just Jewish teenagers — even if his music reaches for something far deeper than contemporary reggae’s typical beach, babes and bongs imagery.

“The content of my lyrics have always been grounded in a spiritual search for God,” Matisyahu says. “In my early 20s, I changed my lifestyle, pretty much divorcing myself from secular culture and moving to an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood in Brooklyn. I really stopped listening to music altogether, other than niggunims — the word is Hebrew for "melody" — which are Hasidic songs that came out of Eastern Europe in the 1800s.” Amazingly, Matisyahu says these ancient songs, most of which don’t even have words, began to inform his lyrical content.

Mariachi Band Comes to a Shul In Houston

This was hilarious! There was an event last night with music and dancing at a sephardic shul here in Houston and they brought in a mariachi band?! Fantastic. Video Coming soon!

Islam's Greatest Invention!

This guy sounds like he's Texan. Check out Bill Finlay aka Wild Bill for America.