Tag Archives: Youth

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

And the Birdie Flies from the Nest

I guess there comes a time for every composer when you realize your music is no longer your own.

My time has come.

Last Sunday I rehearsed with an amazing group of teenage musicians – vocals, guitar, ukulele, piano, drums, clarinet and violin – on five of the pieces from “A Shabbat Sweet.” They are going to share their arrangement on March 1, 2013 at the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation (JRC) for an interfaith youth service.  About half the kids were from JRC and half were from the Lake Street Church.

And then the music happened… and I was NOT playing or singing.  It was a little difficult not leading the music. But the joy from just experiencing it was more than enough to get me through the difficulty.

Ok. I admit it. I was kvelling (Yiddish for bursting with pride) that music I wrote was being wonderfully interpreted by these young musicians.  As I am fond of saying here: WOW!