Category Archives: Performing

Jewish Music, Performing

Shabbat Sweet – V’Shamru

It’s a Song-A-Day Marathon Leading to the 11/7 Release Celebration, with An Interpretive Translation of the Prayer: Today’s Song: V’Shamru

Original Art: Rena Newman
Original Art: Rena Newman

Let your descendants keep Shabbat,

renewing themselves throughout the generations, as an eternal bond.

It shall be an eternal sign between me and your descendants,

for in six days God made the heavens and the earth and on the seventh day God ceased and drew a breath of rest.

(Exodus 31:16-17)

Join us November 7 at JRC or YouTube as Billy Kaplan & The Legendary Sweets Celebrate the release of the CD.

Click Here to order for pick up

Jewish Music, Performing

Shabbat Sweet – Hashkiveinu

It’s a Song-A-Day Marathon Leading to the 11/7 Release Celebration, with An Interpretive Translation of the Prayer: Today’s Song: Hashkiveinu

Photo: Gene Hanson
Photo: Gene Hanson

Let us lie down tonight in peace

And rise up again in the morning

To life.

Spread over us the shelter of your peace

And protect us

Beneath the softness of your wings.

And as we go fourth each day

Every new morning

Renew us in the warmth

Of your presence.

Spread over us the shelter of your peace.

Join us November 7 at JRC or YouTube as Billy Kaplan & The Legendary Sweets Celebrate the release of the CD.

Click Here to order for pick up

 

Jewish Music, Performing

Shabbat Sweet – Mi Chamocha

It’s a Song-A-Day Marathon Leading to the 11/7 Release Celebration, with An Interpretive Translation of the Prayer: Today’s Song: Mi Chamocha

Photo: http://timfilkins.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/baby-taking-steps.jpg
Photo: http://timfilkins.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/baby-taking-steps.jpg

Taking the first step, Moses, Miriam and the Israelites broke out in song,

Abundant in joy, in one voice they sang:

Who is like you? Who is like you, bathed in holiness,

Awesome and wondrous, radiating pure praise?

When your children saw the waters split, the path open before them they cried:

The way of God is the way of liberation – we will walk upon it forever!

And it was said:

Now you see there is a Power greater, yes far greater, than any you have ever known.

You are blessed, source of our liberation.

Join us November 7 at JRC or YouTube as Billy Kaplan & The Legendary Sweets Celebrate the release of the CD.

Click Here to order for pick up

 

Jewish Music, Performing

Shabbat Sweet – Shalom Aleichem

An Interpretive Translation of the Prayer

Photo: http://wallpapersinhq.com/images/big/peace_dove_as_a_birthday_gift_for_my_sweet_friend_anca_ancasimona-889215.jpg
Photo: http://wallpapersinhq.com/images/big/peace_dove_as_a_birthday_gift_for_my_sweet_friend_anca_ancasimona-889215.jpg

Peace to you, dear friends, messengers from beyond time, beyond space, beyond knowing, source of deepest blessing.

Come in peace, bless me in peace and depart in peace, dear friends, messengers from beyond time, beyond space, beyond blessing.

Source of deepest blessing.

Join us November 7 at JRC or YouTube as Billy Kaplan & The Legendary Sweets Celebrate the release of the CD.

Click Here to order for pick up

 

Jewish Music, Performing, Recording

It’s Shabbat tonight! Here’s something to get you ready…

Video
I love to change the world,
But rarely appreciate things as they are.
I know how to give,
But I don’t always know how to receive.
I know how to keep busy,
But I don’t often listen.
I look, but I don’t often see.
I yearn to succeed,
But I often forget what is truly important.
Teach me, G-d, to slow down. May my resting revive me.
May it lead me to wisdom, to holiness
To Peace and to You.

(Rabbi Naomi Levy)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18lyE55iH7Yhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18lyE55iH7Y

And remember, it’s just THREE WEEKS until we celebrate the release of the CD at the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation on November 7 at 7:30 pm. Can’t make it to Evanston? The service will be streamed live HERE.

And remember, if you want to get one of the delightful CDs on November 7, you have to pre-order them HERE. CDs will not be sold the evening of the service to respect the Sabbath.

 

Performing, Recording

Shabbat Shalom, and What a Couple of Days We Have Ahead!!

While last weekend I spent the weekend with several dozen teenagers on a retreat, and I joyfully got to share several prayers from Shabbat Sweet with them, this Shabbat will be much quieter at home with my family. May yours be sweet!!!!

And then Saturday night I’ll be competing in the first ever Battle of the Jewish Bands at the Meyer Kaplan JCC on Saturday night. Come check it out and cheer us on! I’ll be playing with two of three of the Sweet Sisters, Mike O’Mara on Keyboards, Dave Newman on drums/percussion, Robert Castillo on bass (he’s new with us!), and Jonah Karsh on clarinet!

Sunday night, my daughter, Hannah, and my “other daughter”, Emma, will go into the studio to record tracks with the current four tunes.

Monday night, Alex Koffman and Don Jacobs, from the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band, along with Jonah Karsh on clarinet, will be recording tracks on those four prayers.

And then… I think all the tracks for the current recording will be in place, and we’ll be going to final mix!!! Very exciting!!!!

Jewish Music, Performing, Recording

End-of-summer update

It’s been a while since I’ve updated because… well… it’s been summer and we honestly haven’t done much the last several weeks due to vacations!

However, we are scheduled to go into the studio tomorrow to record keyboards and accordion on two pieces, and the violin and clarinet parts on all three! Then, we’ll just need one more round of recording with my daughter, Hannah, singing additional back-up vocals and me finalizing my vocals. Then, we’ll do a final mix of those three before starting on the next set!

Beach Service 20130823
Photo by Carolyn Shapiro (thanks!)

AND… in case you missed it, I shared Shabbat Sweet on an Evanston beach this past Friday, August 23 with my beloved rabbi, Brant Rosen, beloved cantor, Howard Friedland. And the incomparable Jonah Karsh on clarinet.

Jewish Music, Kickstarter Campaign, Performing

Me and the Dow Jones: we’ve got a thing going on…

Billy and the Dow JonesA project to record original melodies and music for ancient Jewish prayers, with members of the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band and an Emmy-award winning producer.

Jewish Music, Kickstarter Campaign, Performing, Recording

Open Mic Last Saturday Night (almost rhymes)

Brother's K Coffee Shop 20130505I sang Mi Chamocha last Saturday night at the Brother’s K Coffee house open mic. Mi Chamocha is a song of liberation.  My dear friend and rabbi, Brant Rosen, wrote a short, lovely poem about the prayer:

The waters are parting

Take the first step

Our moment of liberation is at hand

Have a listen (below) to a live, early recordings of my melody for this prayer. And, yes, that’s the amazing Maxwell Street Klezmer Band playing with me!!!

Please become a backer of my project to make a quality recording of this service!!
Please become a backer of my project to make a quality recording of this service!!

 

 

Credits –recording: Sam Fishkin of Mix Kitchen & photo: Dave Newman