Jewgrass, jazz and comedy concerts coming up in Israel

Biblical Banjo Presentation

Come have fun hearing Bruce Brill’s Biblical Banjo.

Bruce explores how a non-Hebraic instrument is used as a vehicle for Scriptural themes.
Joining biblical themes with the banjo, the music morphs from “old-timey,” to VERY old-timey.
It becomes, well, “Jewgrass.”

This will be the first in a series of lectures Bruce will bring to AACI about music; its origins, history and cultural context. This lecture will also precede Bruce Brill’s next concert at AACI and will make the concert even more memorable.

If you intend on joining us for the concert you should think about attending this discussion.
Thursday, June 4th, 7:30  -  8:30 PM
15 NIS AACI members / 25 NIS non-members

call 02-561-7151 to Register
AACI 11 Pinsker Street, Talbieh, Jerusalem
http://www.aaci.org.il

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Daniel Zamir CD release concerts. Innovative Jewish jazz.
http://www.myspace.com/danielzamir

June 8th 8:00pm at Zappa in Tel Aviv
June 11th 9:00pm at The Lab - HaMaabada in Jerusalem

For INR podcast interview click here
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Off The Wall Comedy Empire Hebrew Presents:
Saturday- May 30 @ 11:15pm: (in Jerusalem)
Stand-up Marathon of Jerusalem (in Hebrew)

Eidan Mizrachi (Edan discusses childhood, friends and other things that Arssim from the 1980’s talk about), David Kilimnick: HaOleh HaChadash (Rising star in the world of Israeli entertainment' Jerusalem Magazine), Jeremy Man (The Political Man of Comedy), Yehezkel Laing (The Insightful), Dadi HaHolech, Edo Noyman, and more.

Lineup may change and other comedians may be added.
Entrance: 40nis (30nis students, soldiers) includes free drink on the house

Sunday- May 31 @ 8pm: (in Jerusalem )

SAUL KAYE presents an evening of JEWISH BLUES
Internationally touring Artist from America with special guests
Kaye has dipped the Torah into the Delta
On his latest CD, Saul Kaye has mined the rich tapestry of the Old Testament (Torah) in a cross cultural merging of the music that emerged from the African Slavery experience in America. To express the hardships of the Jewish Slavery Experience, and give a voice to those characters whose songs haven't been sung yet, Saul has dipped the Old Testament into the Delta to bring you Jewish Blues Volume One to life!
Kaye plays 250 shows a year on 4 continents and JEWISH BLUES VOLUME ONE- LIVE! is his 6th Cd
come hear this one time only Performance in Jerusalem.
www.jewishblues.org
Entrance: Free + 25nis drink minimum purchase

Every Saturday thru Thursday- @ 10:30pm-last customer: (in Jerusalem)
Open Stage: Music, Comedy, Poetry, Karaoke Night
(call for Sunday schedule)
Mon- Karaoke
Tues- Music with Mike Perry (Jerusalem ’s King of the Music Open Mic)
Wed- Hebrew Open Mic
Thu- Karaoke
Sat- Karaoke & Other stuff

All performers welcome. Every Night, Off The Wall is your place to enjoy the great entertainment of Jerusalem . It is your stage to share. Enjoy late night professional & unprofessional singing and comedy with your friends. Or come chill in the back with our Dancing Camel Beer. (times are based on private shows and private rentals)Entrance: drink minimum purchase

http://www.israelcomedy.com

Interview with Shuly Nathan of "Jerusalem of Gold" fame

Now a mother and housewife, I caught up with Mrs. Nathan by phone in between her picking up her children from summer camp. For more information visit her web site at shuly-nathan.co.il. Her name is alternatively spelled Shuli Natan or various other combinations. Also check out JerusalemOfGold.co.il.

Israel Beat: Why don't you just tell us a little about who you are and what you do.

Shuly Nathan: I am the singer who first sang the original version of Yerushalayim Shel Zahav on Independence Day, 1967 at a song festival. And the song has become like a prophesy and the hymn of the Six Day War and one of the most beloved songs in Israel until this day.

Israel Beat:Did you know that was going to happen that day?

Shuly Nathan: No, no. I felt that I had a treasure in my hand, as a song, but I could never imagine that it could take such root. That it would become almost like a hymn.

Israel Beat: And they just found you and put you up on stage?

Shuly Nathan: Well, Nomi [Naomi] Shemer chose me to sing this song. Teddy Kollek [the mayor of Jerusalem] asked for songs for Jerusalem for the festival. Outside of the contest, Nomi had been asked to write a song and she wrote Jersualem of Gold. And then when they asked who would like to perform this song, she said, "I heard a young girl singing not long ago in an amateur program and I would like her to sing the song." So first they objected and said this girl, her name is Shuly Nathan, she is a soldier and she is an amateur singer and they don't use amateur on that festival. And Nomi said, "If you don't let her sing that song, I am not going to submit the song." That is how my fate went.

Israel Beat: So you've worked with her this entire time?

Shuly Nathan: Yes. I worked with her in the winter that was before January and February, before the festival. The festival was in April. And I got to know her. We worked plenty on the song. Although she gave me quite a lot of freedom, she insisted on the harmonies and the general frame of the song but she gave me quite a lot of freedom to make my own interpretation.

Israel Beat: So that performance was actually before the war?

Shuly Nathan: It was before the war. It was two and a half weeks before the war. The next day they started to call the Miluim [reserve duty soldiers]. Two and a half weeks later, the city was free. General Motta Gur said "Har Habayit is in our hands", and all the paratroopers that were there were yelling and shouting "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav!" It became like a hymn.

Israel Beat: What are you doing now? You're now releasing new albums, right?

Shuly Nathan: I made about six albums in the first part of my career, long-plays, between '67 and '75. Then I got married and had five children and I stopped for ten years. My second career started when my youngest son was two, and it lasts 'til now. I released four CDs. Amongst them, one of Shlomo Carlebach which I released about two years ago. And I'm going on and I'm very, very busy. Singing in Israel and around the world as well.

Israel Beat: Do people recognize your name? Do they know you?

Shuly Nathan: Most people do. They young people, they know, if you tell them, I'm the original singer of Jerusalem of Gold. So everybody knows Jerusalem of Gold.

Israel Beat: Did you work with Naomi Shemer this entire time?

Shuly Nathan: I worked with her later. We released another LP. Shuly Nathan Sings Naomi Shemer Songs. That was in 1974. We were always in touch with her and with her family -- her husband and her children. We were very found of each other.

Israel Beat: Have you been all over the world touring?

Shuly Nathan: I've been, yes. All through the years, yes.

Israel Beat: What have the reactions been?

Shuly Nathan: It's always very exciting. When they hear Yerushalayim Shel Zahav, people cry. They get very excited.

Israel Beat: How did you learn how to sing?

Shuly Nathan: I started to play the guitar and that made me start singing when I was sixteen.

Israel Beat: Do you have any CDs coming out now?

Shuly Nathan: I am working. I am starting one now that will be more ethnic music. Ladino songs, Italian, Moroccan, Jewish. Maybe some songs from around the world.

Israel Beat: Are there any Jerusalem of Gold type songs now?

Shuly Nathan: Not that I know. There isn't anything like it. Because it's not a normal song. So it's really something once in a decade.

Israel Beat: Do you have any advice for people for people who want to write a great song such as that?

Shuly Nathan: It's not something that you can do with intention. I don't think she did it with intention in her mind. She just went to Jerusalem, walked in the streets of Jerusalem, wrote about the sadness of us not being able to reach The Wall and the holy places and she was inspired. She certainly was inspired.

 

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JERUSALEM OF GOLD
by Naomi Shemer
Translated by Yael Levine

The mountain air is clear as wine
And the scent of pines
Is carried on the breeze of twilight
With the sound of bells.

And in the slumber of tree and stone
Captured in her dream
The city that sits solitary
And in its midst is a wall.

Jerusalem of gold, and of bronze, and of light
Behold I am a violin for all your songs.

How the cisterns have dried
The market-place is empty
And no one frequents the Temple Mount
In the Old City.

And in the caves in the mountain
Winds are howling
And no one descends to the Dead Sea
By way of Jericho.

Jerusalem of gold, and of bronze, and of light
Behold I am a violin for all your songs.

But as I come to sing to you today,
And to adorn crowns to you (i.e. to tell your praise)
I am the smallest of the youngest of your children (i.e. the least worthy of doing so)
And of the last poet (i.e. of all the poets born).

For your name scorches the lips
Like the kiss of a seraph
If I forget thee, Jerusalem,
Which is all gold...

Jerusalem of gold, and of bronze, and of light
Behold I am a violin for all your songs.

We have returned to the cisterns
To the market and to the market-place
A ram's horn (shofar) calls out (i.e. is being heard) on the Temple Mount
In the Old City.

And in the caves in the mountain
Thousands of suns shine -
We will once again descend to the Dead Sea
By way of Jericho!

Jerusalem of gold, and of bronze and of light
Behold I am a violin for all your songs.

Israeli and Jewish Music Blogs that Rock

I have been influenced by so many awesome blogs and podcasts out there. When I started blogging about Jewish music there were few. Now there are many. I hope they will continue to grow. Here is some of my favorites. If I missed some, let me know.

Israel Music Events on Facebook - A great update for new Jewish music in Israel.

Jewish Music Report - A great siote with news, interviews, audio and CD reviews focusing on Hasidic and Yeshivish music.

Teruah Jewish Music  - One man's quest to discover a wide mix of Jewish music.

Klezmer Podcast - In depth interviews with klezmer and other world beat Jewish musicians around the world.

Shir Bliss - A new podcast and live radio show from Florida from what appears to be a young hippy hasid who plays a mix of rap and Carlebach inspired new Jewish music.

KlezmerShack - The original klezmer blog with plenty of information on klezmer and Yiddish music.

Blog in Dm - A blog that cheerfully disects hasidic and yishivish music including the famous wedding peeps section of indiosyncratic people you meet at a Jewish wedding.

Metal Israel - A great resource for Israeli and Jewish heavy metal.

Shemspeed -  Concert promoters, record label and blog that promotes and awesome mix of great new  hip Jewish music including rap, rock and jazz.

The Cool Jew - Lots of awesome videos of Avraham Fried and other hasidic musicians.

Jewish Music Review - great reviews of religious, hasidic musicians.

Mostly Music - Buy CDs of hasidic and other musicians here.

Israel-Music.com - buy CDs of Israeli musicians here. A wide selection.

Sameach Jewish Music Podcast - A great podcast that plays religious and hasidic music and smoozes about music, food and more.

Paul Weider - In depth interviews with Jewish musicians.

Klezmer Guy - A new blog from the wry and funny Yiddishe Cup Klemzer Band leader.
 
Metal Jew - Jewish heavy metal blog

http://www.podcastdirectory.com/podcasts/45779

Jewish Music YahooGroups - Email list that discusses new Hasidic and religious Jewish music.

Israel Music YahooGroups - Email list that announces awesome concerts in Israel from journalist and editor Yehudit Singer.

Kfar Center - Concert promoter and great resource for new music.

A Simple Jew - a blog that often has CD reviews of Carlebach inspired and other religious musicians

Nextbook - Podcasts including the awesome Matthue Roth's msuic blog.

Spin Magazine's Spin Earth Israel - Spin's new global music site's Israel section.

Jewish Community Radio -  A great radio show that often interviews musicians.

Jewish Community Radio CD reviews - Some classic CD reviews.

Psycho Toddler - An American Jewish musician that often blog about Jewish music.

Gruntig! - A blog that posts great videos of hasiidc and religious Jewish music.

Life of Rubin - A blog with great CD reviews of hasidic, religious and Carlebach inspired music.

The Beat with Ben Bresky - A great podcast and live internet radio show about new Jewish music featuring live interviews from diverse musicians.

Israel Beat Blog - A blog about Israeli and Jewish music.

Ben Bresky music article archive - a list of all my articles to date.

Let me know if I missed any in the Talkback section!