Gershon Veroba: Free Single Mp3: Don't Stop Believing

Gershon Veroba is at it again with a new impressions album slated for Purim time. Featured guest artists are A.K.A. Pella, Tom Bowes, Shimon Craimer, Aryeh Kunstler, and Sam Glaser & others, along with members of his band, Takana. Below is a free single mp3 from the title track.
In this song, Gershon turns the microphone and spotlight to his friend, veteran rock vocalist, Tom Bowes ( lead vocalist for tower of power). Tom rips Gershon’s message of hope across the speakers to the immortal pop hit “Don’t Stop Believing,” first sung by Journey in 1981, remaining a hit even 25 years later, when it became the most popular song on the internet, downloaded by millions to this day.

Foreclosures: Even in a cave....it can happen

I've seen all kinds of homes both large and small being swallowed up whole by this economy. This latest one takes the cake: it's a cave owned by a family named "Sleeper" (you can't make this stuff up folks). You can even purchase this lovely 15,000 sq Ft cave home and become the next batman
by bidding for it on Ebay.

Dovid Gabay Video: Jewish Wedding In Israel

Dovid Gabay @ Bet Kneset Hagadol (Yerushalaim)

There is some distortion on the sound but it's still fun to watch and listen to.

New Jewish Music Band: Agadeth

Arutz Sheva has an interesting article on a Jewish band :Agadeth.

Although Yaniv Shamay can rock out, he isn't interested in doing so. He's into creating gentle, soothing melodies on his santur. Never heard of it before? Neither have most people. But Shamay is bring it back with his group Agadetah, a band he founded several years ago with fellow Israeli world beat music enthusiast Amram Amar.

Agadetah in concert. From left to right, Amram Amir on kamanche, Yaniv Shamay on guitar and Yochay Shimon Koen on Miriam's drum.

The group also includes fellow Mount Meron resident Yochay Shimon Koen and newcomer Moshe Maury Epstein. The later is a jazz guitar virtuoso from Cleveland, Ohio, who recently became religious and is now living in Israel. Epstein, who previously spent time playing on luxury cruise ships, was blown away by the trio of musicians with their long payos (sidelocks) and beards playing low key music in small, out-of-the-way northern Israeli towns.

Shamay, in his thick Israeli accent, talked to Ben Bresky, the host of Israel National Radio's Israel Beat Jewish Music Podcast about his passion for haunting, peaceful melodies and rapid paced drum solos played on strange and exotic Middle Eastern instruments.

Check out their music on Agadeth's myspace page.

Personally I found their music very soothing and pleasant to listen to.

New Jewish Music Release: Kol Noar Boys Choir

Via Sameach Music:

This CD will be in stores sometime in the first week of March. (We're hoping March 5th)

The CD features 10 songs, produced and composed by Mo Kiss, the choir is directed by Bentzi Ptalis. One song features Mo Kiss as a guest vocalist, one song features AKA Pella, and another song features English lyrics and concept by Lipa Schmeltzer. It's going to be Jewish Music - redefined!

There will not be an audio sampler until the CD hits the shelf. The sound and the feel is entirely different that most anything you've heard in Jewish music thus far. This is why we want to keep things a surprise, until the CD is out in the public.

One other piece of info, one of the choir members is Ami Eller. Ami was a child soloist on Shea Rubenstein's recent CD as well as sang with Baruch Levine on a few occasions doing the child soloist part of V'zakeini.

Jewish Music Video: Ari Goldwag: Ani Avdecho

Ari Goldwag sings this moving passage from Psalm 116, "I am Your servant," during an evening of song and inspiration with Rabbi Lazer Brody.

Menucha 2 Concert with Aryeh Kunslter: Purim!

Yeshiva of Greater Washington 7th Annual Purim Music Festival

Starring:
Menucha
Yaakov Mordechai Gerstner
Aryeh Kunstler
Yakov Majeski and the Washington Boys Choir
Torah School Choir
Judablue


Adults $20
Students $15
VIP seating

Tickets available at Ben Yehuda Cafe and Pizzeria,
The Jewish Bookstore of Greater Washington, and Shabsi’s Judaica
or online at www.yeshiva.edu

Bad Economy: Cheaper Rolls Royces Now Available

We all know the economy is in the toilet so what does a company like Rolls Royce do? Well make a cheaper car of course! Not that any of you can afford it ( I sure can't): Compared to the $340,000 starting price of the Phantom the 200 Ex will fell like a bargain at $250,000

Aryeh Kunstler & Eden @ the Jewish Music Cafe

Live Jewish Music: Le Chocolat Concert: Kunstler & Shapiro

I'm sorry I missed this concert at the Le Chocolat of Cedarhurst featuring Eli Shapiro on guitar and vocals, Aryeh Kunsteler on guitar and Yosaif Krohn on sax. The song is faithful and they really are having fun: Enjoy!

Soulfarm: CD Release Party

Soulfarm is having a CD release party on Purim, March 9th at BB King.

237 W 42nd St (Between 7^th and 8^th Ave.)
New York, NY
(212) 997-4144

Doors open at 7:15 PM for seating
bands begin at 8:30 PM until 1AM

Advance reservations suggested

TICKETS: Advance $15; Day of Show: $20 Adults, $15 Students

CALL THE BOX OFFICE: 212-997-4144

Live Jewish Musc Videos: Merkavah - The Hasidic Funky Jam Band

This video features: Merkavah - The Hasidic Funky Jam Band. Yerachmiel Altizio-guitar, Ephraim Schwab-bass, Reuven Kasten-piano, David Butler-drums. It starts really picking up at about 2:30.

Jewish Music Video: Ohad Moskowitz-Kol Haolam Kuloh

Here is live performance of a backup choir and child solist and Ohad singing Kol Haolam Kuloh. Enjoy!

Free Jewish Music From Aryeh Kunstler:

As we approach the joyous month of Adar, we must keep in mind the tragic events that occurred just one year ago when eight young men were taken from us in the terrorist attack in Yeshivat Mercaz Harav. The organization B'Lev Echad is putting together a worldwide campaign of Torah learning, as well the the dedication of eight Sifrei Torah in memory of each of the kedoshim. I am extremely privileged to have been able to contribute to the organization in my own way by composing a song that will hopefully move you as well as the rest of Klal Yisroel as it did for me while writing and recording it. Please post the song as a free download as well as a link to BlevEchad.com. Hopefully through such a momentous occasion of unity, we should be zocheh to see the Geulah Bekarov. Thank you.

Aryeh Kunstler

Listen to the song below:

Click here to download it.

Live Jewish Music Video: Six 13

Check out some Live Jewish A Capella at A Jewish Music Insider as Six 13 performs live at the YU Seforim Sale. Click here.

Jewish Music Video: Gospel Version Shwekey

I'm not sure why I haven't seen this video yet but I cam across it today and it's very interesting. As you will see below here are some singers performing a gospel/R&B version of Racheim.The question of course is who are these guys? Are they non- Jews who got paid to sing the songs phonetically?(This has been done on Jewish recordings before-backup singers who aren't Jewish singing phonetically). Or perhaps Ethiopian Jews? Based on the way they sing Shwekey's Racheim ,one must conclude they have no idea what they are singing: as they sing a sad or melancholy song with a happy upbeat vibe-strange.

Bad Economy Comeback: Board Games

Here is a video that explains how in this economic downturn people are rediscovering board games as a means of family fun. Board games are now trying to reinvent themselves in order to make them more relevant to the times. As the video explains you can now buy property on monopoly with a credit card. This version of monopoly would not be as popular with a segment of board game purchasers known as "Orthodox Jews". You see on the Sabbath and other religious holidays us orthodox jews look for activities to do with our friends and families that don't involve electricity for example. There are of course people who would never play any kind of monopoly on yom tov or shabbos but that's for a whole different discussion. What's your favorite board game ?

Menucha 2- Gerstner & Sameach Music: Fight!!!!

Alright, maybe it's not a fight but I have never seen this issue become so public. My friend received the following email via facebook:

Due to the economy, our distributor, Sameach Music, wants to postpone the release of this much anticipated album until after the summer. However, we feel that, despite the economy, there has been B"H so much excitement generated about this album and everyone--especially the devoted Menucha fans--are anxious to finally see it hit the shelves NOW!

Perhaps if enough fans "complain" about this to Sameach, they will have a change of heart. (At least that's what we are hoping for!!) We need your help. PLEASE email Sameach Music at info@jewishjukebox.com and encourage them to release this amazing album as planned on Rosh Chodesh Adar IY"H!!!

Personally, I have no particular excitement toward this release and I can understand Sameach's position on this. I guess we'll see how it all turns out.

Sameach Music Re-Release: JEP Albums

Suki and Ding and Sameach Music are Re-releasing the original JEP CD's Volume 1-4 on CD. They are now available. They are selling for $9.99 each. If you are looking for a classic these are it. They can be purchased at Sameach. Volume 1 | Volume 2 | Volume 3 | Volume 4

Happy Tu B'Shvat! Fruit & More

Welcome to the Tu B'shvat edition at Jewish Blogmeister. Tu B'shvat being the New Year for Trees and there is a tradition to eat unique fruits and preferably ones that have not been eaten the whole year so that one may recite the Shechiyanu blessing on the fruit. Without question the worst fruit you could probably eat is bokser aka carob. The yeshivas are known for giving these out and I'm still getting over that terrible chapter in my life. Click here for some insights on the meaning behind this holiday.

Mourning the Passing of Rabbi Noah Weinberg

Today we mourn the passing of the founder of Aish Hatorah in Jerusalem, Rabbi Noah Weinberg zt'l who passed away this morning at the age of 78. Rabbi Weinberg was a true torah giant who was responsible for growing this great torah organization throughout the world. The amount of dedication he had for klal Yisroel and Yiddishkeit is beyond compare and his accomplishments are too many to enumerate. This is truly a shock during a time when so many gedolim have left us.

SEC Is Not Protecting Us: Madoff

The current attack on the SEC is very startling. Independent fraud investigator, Harry Markopolos had blown the whistle on Madoff in 2000 and the SEC ignored him entirely. He stated that the SEC was afraid of Madoff and that "The SEC is also captive to the industry it regulates and it is afraid of bringing big cases against the largest most powerful firms". How can we have faith in Wall Street when the people who are supposed to protect us are afraid to do their job? Barack Obama has nominated Mary L. Schapiro as chairman of the SEC and his pick for cleaning up the Madoff mess. The problem: she's not the right person for this job. At a time when faith needs to be restored in our financial institutions, Mary Schapiro does little to instill it. Ms. Schaprio presided over the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority—a nongovernmental regulatory agency dominated by industry participants that epitomizes the "self-regulatory" approach., FINRA had conducted its own inspections of Madoff's operations and failed to raise the red flag. This does not sound like the person I want in charge of our SEC.

Balancing The Budget: Plastic Bags & More

In our current fledgling economy, cities are being forced to come up with innovative ideas to balance their respective budgets. Bloomberg's current ideas to increase the NYC's revenue is to tax new items such as plastic bags and increase parking ticketing by hiring more meter maids and giving out tickets on any possible violation (even parking too far from the curb) as well as increased meter rates. Now supposedly there are no quotas for tickets but it certainly would seem otherwise. I propose the following idea to balance the NY state budget: broken meters. Brake meters all over the state that just take quarters but don't register any time. Then ticket the people who park there as many don't contest that it was broken, plus you get all the extra quarters from people who decide to park elsewhere. Seriously if I put a quarter in a parking meter and it doesn't register the time, shouldn't I get my money back?! I don't want to get a ticket, only for them to tell me it works fine when contested and I must pay up. It may only be a quarter but it's the principal. To whom must I write a letter to receive my 25 cents refund? I understand that mailing the letter will cost more than the money owed, so perhaps an email would better suited for this request?

Free Jewish Music From Eitan Katz: Sneak Peek

Here is a sneak peek of the new cover for Eitan Katz's upcoming release: Boruch Hu. Keep a look out for this album Purim time via Sameach Music. Listen to the free sampler below.

Want to buy a slaughterhouse? How is $40 Mil?

Latest news in the controversy of Agriprocessors is an offer for $40 million to purchase the bankrupt company. The offer comes from from Israeli firm Soglowek Nahariya Ltd.. They are hoping that this serious offer will set the stage for higher offers in the near future. If you would like to purchase the largest slaughter house in the USA you have till March 18th to make a bid. State officials have already stated that they will not allow Rubashkin to have any involvement in the plant.

New Sameach Music Podcast #52: Now Playing!

Dov and Sruly bring you the 52nd installment of the Sameach Music Podcast. On this episode you can hear brand new music from Baruch Abittan’s debut CD, as well as the newly released Single Haazinu, featuring Avraham Fried, Abie Rotenberg and Dov Levine.

They have an unexpected surprise on this episode as well, they play a brand new song from Eitan Katz’s upcoming new album, Baruch Hu. Check out these songs and much more on the show.

Click here to listen

Banning Food! Next: Raisins!

In case you haven't heard, you can't eat any vegetable/ fruit any more because of insect infestation: First spinach and asparagus then broccoli and cauliflower, strawberries etc. The latest to join this growing list is RAISINS. The KAJ evidently felt very strongly to the point where they feel that NO raisins are kosher under any hashgacha at this time. The OU however, does not agree with their findings and has issued the following report. To eat or not eat raisins...that is the question!

Update: The Vaad of Queens has issued a statement declaring that the infestation was found only in gefen and mishpacha raisins.Dole and Sun-Maid were not found to have infestation. In other words don't buy things with Jewish names as they may have infestations? (sarcasm)