Idelsohn Society for Musical Preservation: Our Blog
Mazeltov, Mis Amigos Rocks San Francisco - September 1, 2010
Thank you, San Francisco, and to everyone who came out to see our sold-out show at Yoshi's. Grammy award winning Arturo O'Farrill oversaw a dazzling recreation of Mazeltov, Mis Amigos, the 1961 album we unearthed and re-released last year. The gig rocked. Larry Harlow, "El Judio Maravilloso", jousted with The Sway Machinery's Jeremiah Lockwood. Ozomatli's Wil-Dog killed the crowd with his version of "Caballito", and Ceci Bastida and Ethan Miller harmonized in Yiddish for the very first time -- as if they had spoken the language their whole lives. More to come in terms of this concert. The photos below are just a taste. But we are indebted to Arturo and the Koret Foundation for making this night possible. It was epic.
All photography by John Storey.
The INCREDIBLE band: Sandy Perez, congas; David Flores, traps; Saul Sierra, bass; Louie Romero, timbalas; Mike Rinta, trombone; Doug Beavers, trombone; Mike Olmos, trumpet; and Louis Fasman, trumpet
Wil-Dog
Backstage
Ceci Bastida
Jeremiah Lockwood
Bandleader Arturo O'Farrill and Larry Harlow
The Burton Sisters, singing together for the first time in 55 years, and Larry Harlow
Johnny Mathis Honored at Skirball Show - August 20, 2010
Last night was a magical evening for all of us at the Idelsohn Society. We were honored to honor the legendary Johnny Mathis, who became the first performer to enter the Idelsohn Society's Canyon of Heroes due to his 1958 recording of the Yom Kippur opener, Kol Nidre. Mathis referred to the song which was released on his album of faith songs, Good Night Dear Lord, as a "hidden gem" in his career.
Hedva Amrani, an Israeli starlet who made it big in Japan in the 1970's opened the show with manesty. Cello jazz legend Fred Katz dropped an iconic performance, and Cantor Sol Zim closed the evening emphatically with his performance pyrotechnics. Thanks to the Skirball staff and all who made the evening so special. More images and videos to come.
All photos by Mitch Maher.
Idelsohn Society remembers Mitch Miller in the New York Times - August 4, 2010
Mitch Miller, the great producer, arranger, and musician passed away aged 99. The Idelsohn Society's David Katznelson remembered him in the New York Times. Read the article here.
Black Sabbath on the Examiner - July 20, 2010
We're less than two months away from the official release of Black Sabbath: The Secret Musical History of Black-Jewish Relations, coming out September 14, and the reviews are starting to come in. Sonya Alexander of Examiner.com calls Black Sabbath "the first compilation of its kind . . a jewel of a musical fervor," and that "these fifteen tracks give credence to the lively musical exchanges between two communities that have sometimes been against each other, sometimes alongside each other. Both groups, oppressed and struggling for freedom at certain points in history, can relate to the other's spiritually-based songs."
Read the rest of the review here.
Tuning Baghdad - July 16, 2010
If you're in NYC this weekend, check out this awesome event at Governors Island, led by Regine Basha, friend of the Idelsohn Society.
This Saturday, July 17th, from 12-4pm, Regine is hosting a tutorial on 'Tuning Baghdad', related to the field recordings she had done with elderly Baghdadi musicians of the 1940s-a time when Jews, Muslims and Christians shared a thriving music scene. Read more about Tuning Baghdad here.
Amir El Saffar, an amazing Iraqi-American musician has been invited to play the 'santour' at 2:30 in the house. A rare, intimate treat.
For more details about Saturday, click here.
The Catskills' Last Kosher Resort - July 8, 2010
Save Kutsher's. To many of the musicians we salute, it was the Madison Square garden equivalent of its day. The place is still stunning. Like taking a time machine back to 1962. Do it. Do it.
Click here to read the full story.
Mazeltov, Mis Amigos Rises Again - July 1, 2010
In 1961 the legendary jazz label Riverside Records released Mazeltov, Mis Amigos, an album of “Yiddish favorites in Latin tempo," by Juan Calle and His Latin Lantzmen. The band who performed these mid-century dance floor fusions was an only-in-America supergroup that wasn't as Jewish as their name made them sound. Juan Calle was John Cali, an Italian-American banjo picker and his Latin Lantzmen included some of the biggest names in 50s and 60s Latin music-- conguero Ray Barretto, timbales guru Wilie Rodriguez, pianist Charlie Palmieri-- playing alongside African-American jazz greats like Clark Terry, Doc Cheatham, and Wendell Marshall. Their album – with “Papirossen" showing up as a quick-step mambo, "Yossel, Yossel" dancing the cha-cha, and "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen" waking up as a meringue – stands as one of the great cross-cultural mash-ups of 20th Century American pop music.
This August 30th at Yoshi's in San Francisco, the Idelsohn Society, along with bandleader Arturo O'Farrill, will recreate the album in its entirety for one night only. Like last year's show at Lincoln Center, which drew several thousand salsa and hora dancing enthusiasts, the show will feature an amazing line up of special guest stars and a backing band that only San Francisco could provide. The show includes Fania recording giant Larry “El Judeo Maravilliso” Harlow, the brilliant Jeremiah Lockwood of The Sway Machinery, Mexican singer-songwriter Ceci Bastida, and many more.
This concert would not be possible without the generous support of the Koret Foundation.
Tickets will go on sale soon- follow us on Twitter and Facebook for updates so you don't miss out!
Black Sabbath Coming Out This September - June 29, 2010
The Idelsohn Society is thrilled to announce that our latest album, Black Sabbath: The Secret Musical History of Black-Jewish Relations, will be released on September 14. Hear Johnny Mathis croon Yom Kippur songs and the Temptations groove out on “Fiddler on the Roof”. Also featuring Aretha Franklin, Lena Horne, Cab Calloway, and others, Black Sabbath explores the myriad ways that Jews and African-Americans have coalesced and clashed, struggled against each other and struggled alongside each other.
This is the first attempt to gather the U.S. history of Black-Jewish relations into a selective pop musical guide. The historical, political, spiritual, economic, and cultural connections between African-Americans and Jewish-Americans have long been a reliable subject of rigorous attention. Books and articles focusing on the musical landscapes shared by Blacks and Jews have been equally numerous, indeed most general histories of American Popular Music even turn on the synergies of Black-Jewish creativity, influence, and exchange, be it Tin Pan Alley, Klezmer, the Yiddish Theater, Jazz, or R&B. Yet for all this attention there has yet to be a one-stop musical source of evidence and exploration, a single CD release that succinctly and selectively gathers together the key songs that speak to the vibrant and often dazzling musical back-and-forth between the two communities.
This collection moves from early Black performers like Slim Galliard singing about bagels and matzoh balls and Cab Calloway mixing Yiddish into his hepcat dictionary of jive to Sonny Berman making 40s bebop he called ''Beautiful Jewish Music," Johnny Mathis singing "Kol Nidre," and Aretha Franklin doing 60s take on "Swanee." Indeed, while much scholarly and media ink has been devoted to the Jewish attraction to Black music, this anthology—while surely demonstrating that—will also focus on demonstrating the long history of African-American interest in Jewish musical practice, performance, and composition.
The album will be accompanied by an exhibit at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, opening on August 26. Stay tuned for more details!
"Jews on Vinyl" in the LA Daily News - May 25, 2010
(Photo from LA Daily News John McCoy/Staff Photographer)The LA Daily News had a great piece on the Idelsohn Society and the "Jews on Vinyl" exhibition at Skirball (now through September 5th).
KPCC, Southern Califnornia's public radio, also interviewed our own Josh Kun last week about the exhibit. Listen to it here.
To celebrate the music of "Jews on Vinyl", Skirball is hosting a "Get Down, Moses" listening party on June 3 and a "Mazel Tov, Mis Amigos" listening party on July 8th. We'll see you there!
Dawn 2010 Idelsohn Society Mix - May 17, 2010
At the May 15th Dawn Festival in San Francisco, the Idelsohn Society provided this soundtrack of old, archival, vintage recordings, mixed that in with some contemporary remixes to get the crowd moving. The Barry Sisters, Machito & his Afro-Cubans, mixing up to bands like Soulico, from Israel, as well as a kind of crazy, eight-minute, classic eighties house version of “Hava Negilah”. Plus a number of cuts from leading African-American artists that are on BLACK SABBATH: THE SECRET MUSICAL HISTORY OF BLACK-JEWISH RELATIONS, coming out this September. The album will be occampanied by an exhibit of the same name at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco.
Click below to listen or download it for free here.
Dawn 2010 - Idelsohn Society Mix by The Idelsohn Society
Ez-Learn Piano- Irving Fields
Exotic on the Speaker- Soulico feat. Rye Rye
Holiday Mambo- Machito & His Afro-Cubans
Ye Ye What Will Be- Ha'Shmenim Ve'ha'Razim
Dunkin Bagel- Slim Gaillard
Adir Adirim- Balkan Beat Box (Nickodemus Remix)
Kale Kale- Avram Grobard
Swanee- Aretha Franklin
Im Ze Los Mat'im Lach- Tahles (Assaf Oren Remix)
Sha! Shtil!- Gucci Vump (L-Vis 1990 Remix)
P'Sach Lanu Sha'ar- The Sway Machinery
Malkat Haclipper- Fishi Hagodol & Piloni
Middle Eastern Freak- Soulico
Hava Nagilah- Musicmakers Ltd.
Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen- Tony Martinez Quintent with Dorothy Loudon
Freylekhs Fun Der Khupe- Solomon & Socalled
Halevai- Moishe Oysher & The Barry Sisters
Where Can I Go?-Marlena Shaw
She's A Woman- The Churchills
Pobrecito Salomon- Pablo Beltran Ruiz
Cha Cha No. 29- Irving Fields (MIS remix)
Nadine- Fool's Gold (Memory Tapes remix)
Ragtime Cowboy Joe- The Barry Sisters
Click below to listen or download it for free here.
Dawn 2010 - Idelsohn Society Mix by The Idelsohn Society
Ez-Learn Piano- Irving Fields
Exotic on the Speaker- Soulico feat. Rye Rye
Holiday Mambo- Machito & His Afro-Cubans
Ye Ye What Will Be- Ha'Shmenim Ve'ha'Razim
Dunkin Bagel- Slim Gaillard
Adir Adirim- Balkan Beat Box (Nickodemus Remix)
Kale Kale- Avram Grobard
Swanee- Aretha Franklin
Im Ze Los Mat'im Lach- Tahles (Assaf Oren Remix)
Sha! Shtil!- Gucci Vump (L-Vis 1990 Remix)
P'Sach Lanu Sha'ar- The Sway Machinery
Malkat Haclipper- Fishi Hagodol & Piloni
Middle Eastern Freak- Soulico
Hava Nagilah- Musicmakers Ltd.
Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen- Tony Martinez Quintent with Dorothy Loudon
Freylekhs Fun Der Khupe- Solomon & Socalled
Halevai- Moishe Oysher & The Barry Sisters
Where Can I Go?-Marlena Shaw
She's A Woman- The Churchills
Pobrecito Salomon- Pablo Beltran Ruiz
Cha Cha No. 29- Irving Fields (MIS remix)
Nadine- Fool's Gold (Memory Tapes remix)
Ragtime Cowboy Joe- The Barry Sisters
Lena Horne - May 10, 2010
"How can I go on singing about a penthouse way up in the sky," Lena Horne once asked, "When, with housing restrictions the way they are now, I would not be allowed to rent that place? I can’t get up in a nightclub in a thousand-dollar dress and start singing ‘Let My People Go’…I never had the right. I didn’t choose it to be that way but it was the illusion that Hollywood gave me."
When we heard that the world had lost Lena Horne, like everyone we were floored with sadness, but also like everyone, we took it as an opportunity to learn from a remarkable life and an unforgettable career, to learn from a woman and an artist whose work never strayed from the joyous pleasures of entertainment while facing up to the dramas of American race and the struggles against social injustice.
In recent months, Horne had been much on our minds as we finished putting together our new compilation Black Sabbath: The Secret Musical History of Black-Jewish Relations (out in July). Instead of a yet another treatment of just how invested American Jews have been in the music and culture of African-Americans, we set out to explore the opposite theme: the investment of African-American artists in Jewish music.
We knew about Horne's great, and multiple, collaborations with Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg (as well as other Great American Songbook wizards), but we were blown away by her song "Now!," written for her in 1963 by Jewish Broadway greats Betty Comden, Adolph Green, and Jule Styne. Comden and Green wrote her lyrics that were a scathing indictment of anti-Black racism and lying American democracy and Styne set them to the most unlikely music of all, "Hava Nagila." Horne performed "Now!" at a pair of benefit concerts at Carnegie Hall (she co-headlined with Frank Sinatra and sent her proceeds to the Gandhi Society for Human Rights) and then went into the studio with conductor Ray Ellis to cut it as a single. Variety wrote that she sang of "new worlds to come." She wanted to share profits from the song with the NAACP and the Congress of Racial Equality but its radical lyrics kept it off the radio and "Now!" never had the impact Horne had hoped for. She included it on the Here’s Lena Now album for 20th Century Fox, alongside her takes on Bob Dylan’s "Blowin’ in the Wind" and Arlen and Harburg’s Bloomer Girl call for equality, "The Eagle and Me," (Horne sang it on Broadway in the 40s: "free as the sun is free/ that’s how it’s got to be").
"Now!" did not entirely fade from view, though. It soon found the ears of Santiago Alvarez, an experimental Cuban filmmaker who used the song as the score to his own "Now!," a landmark 1965 newsreel collage of black civil rights struggles that is considered a classic of Cuban cinema.
We can't think of a more fitting and powerful testament to the range of her legacy.
When we heard that the world had lost Lena Horne, like everyone we were floored with sadness, but also like everyone, we took it as an opportunity to learn from a remarkable life and an unforgettable career, to learn from a woman and an artist whose work never strayed from the joyous pleasures of entertainment while facing up to the dramas of American race and the struggles against social injustice.
In recent months, Horne had been much on our minds as we finished putting together our new compilation Black Sabbath: The Secret Musical History of Black-Jewish Relations (out in July). Instead of a yet another treatment of just how invested American Jews have been in the music and culture of African-Americans, we set out to explore the opposite theme: the investment of African-American artists in Jewish music.
We knew about Horne's great, and multiple, collaborations with Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg (as well as other Great American Songbook wizards), but we were blown away by her song "Now!," written for her in 1963 by Jewish Broadway greats Betty Comden, Adolph Green, and Jule Styne. Comden and Green wrote her lyrics that were a scathing indictment of anti-Black racism and lying American democracy and Styne set them to the most unlikely music of all, "Hava Nagila." Horne performed "Now!" at a pair of benefit concerts at Carnegie Hall (she co-headlined with Frank Sinatra and sent her proceeds to the Gandhi Society for Human Rights) and then went into the studio with conductor Ray Ellis to cut it as a single. Variety wrote that she sang of "new worlds to come." She wanted to share profits from the song with the NAACP and the Congress of Racial Equality but its radical lyrics kept it off the radio and "Now!" never had the impact Horne had hoped for. She included it on the Here’s Lena Now album for 20th Century Fox, alongside her takes on Bob Dylan’s "Blowin’ in the Wind" and Arlen and Harburg’s Bloomer Girl call for equality, "The Eagle and Me," (Horne sang it on Broadway in the 40s: "free as the sun is free/ that’s how it’s got to be").
"Now!" did not entirely fade from view, though. It soon found the ears of Santiago Alvarez, an experimental Cuban filmmaker who used the song as the score to his own "Now!," a landmark 1965 newsreel collage of black civil rights struggles that is considered a classic of Cuban cinema.
We can't think of a more fitting and powerful testament to the range of her legacy.
"Jews on Vinyl" opening at the Skirball - May 5, 2010
On May 12th, our "Jews on Vinyl" exhibit will be opening up at the Skirball Cultural Center in LA and will remain up through September. We cannot think of a better way to stay cool during the long, hot summer than relaxing in a recreated 1950s living room and listening to some classic Irving Fields gems.
To kick off the exhibit, our own Josh Kun and Courtney Holt will be speaking about the music and the Idelsohn Society mission on Tuesday, May 11th at 8:00pm. Click here for more details.
And stay tuned for announcements about special listening parties at the museum (June 3rd and July 8th) and our MASSIVE concert for August 19th. Details to come.
Tanz! - April 16, 2010
Great piece by Alexander Gelfand at Tablet today about the legendary Klezmer innovator and clarinest Dave Tarras who fused the music he had learned as a kid in the Ukraine with the Tin Pan Alley songs and jazz he was exposed to in New York. For those who want to rock, enjoy his version of Branas Hassene.
Last Chance to See Jews on Vinyl in San Francisco - March 31, 2010
The Jews on Vinyl exhibition at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco is closing this June and moving to the Skirball Culutral Center in Los Angeles. If you're in San Francisco and you haven't checked it out yet- go now! And if you've seen it before, well go see it again and bring the kids.
The exhibit was written about in the National Endowment for the Arts blog, Art Works. Read it here.
Intimate gig with Avram Grobard - March 30, 2010
Avram Grobard, iconic Israeli folksinger and former owner of the "El Avram" nightclub in Greenwich Village (1967-82), will be playing an intimate show in South Orange, NJ on May 2. Avram is a good friend to the Idelsohn Society, an amazing performer, and a great man. Those who remember Avram's performance at our Joe's Pub gig last winter will know this is a can't-miss event. Details below.
When: Sunday evening, May 2, at 7:30 PM
Where: Oheb Shalom Congregation
170 Scotland Road
South Orange, New Jersey
Admission $5. Refreshments will be served.
Sponsored by the Israel Action Committee of Oheb Shalom.
Exodus 2.0: The Idelsohn Society Passover Mix 2010 - March 23, 2010
A special Idelsohn mixtape to help you celebrate Passover. Perfect for any seder.
It's a taste of what's to come on our June release, BLACK SABBATH: THE SECRET MUSICAL HISTORY OF BLACK-JEWISH RELATIONS, featuring Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Mathis, & many more.
Click below to begin!
Exodus 2.0: Idelsohn Society Passover Mix 2010 by The Idelsohn Society
Tracks:
Richard Tucker, "The Kiddush"
Darondo, "Let My People Go"
Socalled, "The Four Questions"
Moe Jaffe & Henry Tobias, "Passover Time on the Range"
G-d Is My Co-Pilot, "Dayenu"
Steven Bernstein, "Manishtana" (vs. The Wonder Kids)
Bas Sheva, "Caravan"
Joy Division, "Passover"
Rabbi Kahn, "Your Passover Seder" vs. Flying Lotus
Harold Stern, "Jewish Cowboy"
The Carter Family, "On My Way To Canaan's Land"
Charles Mingus, "Freedom"
Nina Simone, "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free"
Gershon Kingsley, "What Does It Take (The Ten Plagues)"
Socalled, "Dayenu"
Egyptian Lover, "Egypt, Egypt" vs. The Malavsky Family
Ray Barretto, "Exodus"
Benjamin Lapidus, "Las Cuatro Preguntas"
Ray Charles, "Where Can I Go?"
James Harman Band, "The Four Questions"
The Velvet Underground, "I'm Set Free"
Roosevelt Charles, "Let My People Go"
The Cantor's Union rocks Madison Square Garden - March 22, 2010
Click to enlarge
Above is a photo from the 60th anniversary concert of the Jewish Ministers Cantor Association at Madison Square Garden on December 5, 1960. Look closely and you'll see number 82, a young Cantor Solomon Zimelman- better known to us as Sol Zim, legendary recording artist and good friend to the Idelsohn Society. Sol, as his fans may remember, brought the house down at our Joe's Pub gig last winter- check out our recap here and a photos below.
UPDATE: Albert Cohen - March 8, 2010
A big thanks to our reader, Avi, who was nice enough to translate Albert Cohen's wikipedia page for us:
"Albert Cohen (Born 1932 in Bulgaria) is an Israeli theater actor.
He was educated at the Stanislavski Music and Drama Academy in Sofia, and performed at the national theater of Sofia. In 1949 he immigrated to Israel, and joined the Southern Command troupe (a military entertainment troupe) as an actor, singer, and accordion player. After three years he finished his military service and joined the "Hamatate"(broom) theater.
In the early sixties he appeared together with Ya'akov Banai and two other theater actresses in the "Hazarkor" (spotlight) troupe. At this point the article lists some "famous" song that the troupe had.
Since 1966 he has been part of the Cameri Theater. In addition he appeared in many other theaters. He has also dubbed many movies and TV programs.
He currently appears in "Oliver!" and an Israeli TV series."
Albert, if you're reading this, be in touch!
The Beatles Translated and Improved - March 5, 2010
We only know one thing about Albert Cohen: He Rocks. This magical two minute nine second version of Hard Days Night translates the original scouse into Hebrew. If any of you know about Cohen and can give us more information about his biography, we would love to hear it. In the meantime, here are some Israeli chewing gum wrappers from the period which show the influence of American and English rockers on the nascent Israeli state.
The Sway Machinery Rocks The Desert - February 4, 2010
The Sway Machinery, good friends of the Idelsohn Society, recently performed at the Festival of the Desert in Essakane, Mali, quite possibly the most unique and difficult festival to get to on Earth. They were the first performers representing any aspect of Jewish culture to play at the festival in its ten year history. Their journey and performance will be the subject of an upcoming documentary- but you can get a sneak peak below. Here's The Sway Machinery, jamming with the Super 11 band in Mali.
Old Man River, now in Yiddish - February 1, 2010
Stan Daniels, a writer and producer from the Mary Tyler Moore Show and 8 time Emmy winner, was born to Jewish parents in Toronto and brought up around vaudeville. Here hs is in front of the camera, reciting Old Man River in perfect Yiddish to get the crowd pepped up before the show (some time around 1975). Listening to the audience howl makes you realize just how canned the canned laughter really is.
Miami Nagila - January 27, 2010
The Idelsohn Society was named after the composer of the Jewish classic, Hava Nagila. We have been collecting scores of versions of the song. One of our team spoke at the Miami Beach Senior Center this weekend and we were blown away by the sterling valor of this rendition. Gets the blood pumping.
Celebrating Clark Terry - January 21, 2010
Jazz legend Clark Terry was one of the "Latin Lanzmen" who played behind "Juan Calle" on the 1961 Mazel Tov, Mis Amigos album we re-issued last year. He couldn't join us when we brought the album back to life at Lincoln Center, but his legacy was felt in every note and every solo. He turns 90 this year and we've just learned that, as part of the upcoming Grammy Awards, he will receive the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy. A much deserved honor. Please join us in sending our deep congratulations to one of jazz's greatest figures
Click here to read more about Clark Terry.
The Birth of Pop - January 15, 2010
In the spirit of yet another season of American Idol....
Want to know the secret to writing a hit song?
Here's some pre-American Idol advice from Tin Pan Alley great Harry Von Tilzer. The son of German-Jewish immigrants, Von Tilzer helped shape the modern recording industry by mixing exquisite song craft with old-school business hustle.
Check back with us to learn more about a new Idelsohn comp in the works that will showcase some of Von Tilzer's tear-jerking pop genius.
and for more on Von Tilzer and his Tin Pan Alley cohorts, check out this terrific new book from David Suisman.
Want to know the secret to writing a hit song?
Here's some pre-American Idol advice from Tin Pan Alley great Harry Von Tilzer. The son of German-Jewish immigrants, Von Tilzer helped shape the modern recording industry by mixing exquisite song craft with old-school business hustle.
Check back with us to learn more about a new Idelsohn comp in the works that will showcase some of Von Tilzer's tear-jerking pop genius.
and for more on Von Tilzer and his Tin Pan Alley cohorts, check out this terrific new book from David Suisman.