By the Reverb of Babylon Word from: Jake

In conjunction with New York Jewish Music Festival
Jewish Poetry as Music and Music as Poetry
(concept heavy)
Some of your favorite Mima'amakim poets and surprise guests!!

NMTG & Jewtube Word from: David

Matthue Roth, who has been slammin' at Mima'amakim readings for some time, published 'Never Mind the Goldbergs' last January. That's right, a 360 page softcover book with Amazon reviews. Despite my respect for Matt, I didn't think I'd like his book. I have little patience for teenage girls, punk music, or sitcoms. An interest in any of these subjects will enhance the reading experience, as the protagonist is 18-year Hava Aaronson. A junior at a private school in Manhattan, Hava gets a sudden invitation to go to Hollywood and appear in a sitcom, starring a fictional Brooklyn family called the Goldbergs. Unlike another fictional Berg family that appeared on American television half a century ago, only Hava has first-hand experience with Orthodox life. Life will never be the same...

Writing about Orthodoxy is a challenge that too many authors spoil with incorrect research or the reverse-trying too hard to explain customs at the expense of the fundamentals that every story needs. These include a brisk plot with interesting charachters and the occasional mediation on human nature. Roth has explored the issues of gender and religion for a while and his decision to inhabit a young woman is (forgive me) a ballsy one to make. An entertaining, well-crafted novel with a busy plot 'Never Mind the Goldbergs' is a worthwhile read and I'm not just saying that because Matt & his lovely wife were my shabbos guests. Teenagers will love it, but older readers will also enjoy grappling with the questions of Jewish identity, publicity and perception.

Everyone is having their ten minutes of fame on YouTube and this includes many members of the tribe. YouTube's premise is very simple-letting anyone post their videos, whether they were taken at a concert, taken from a file-sharing site, videotaped straight from television or done in the privacy of their home. One to sift through a lot of dross to find quality stuff but that's part of the fun.

Matisyahu being interviewed for Portugese TV? Sim.
On CNN? On stage with Sting? Yes.
(Honestly, 'Yahoo sounds a bit incoherent off-stage in any language.)
That underground 'Lecha' video? Yup.
Idan Yaniv, a recently popular Israeli singer? Ken.
Lipa Shemelzter rollin' in a limo singing in Yiddish? Ja!
A Regina Spector music video? Da.

Be sure to recommend other videos in the comment section, and artists are encouraged to try YouTube or Google Videos for themselves.

Barrow, Cohen & Wurtzel Word from: David

Barrow, Cohen & Wurtzel are not a law firm but rather three very different creative figures with little known ties to Jewish observance.

Rapper Jamal Barrow is better known as Shyne or Po. Born in Belize, raised in Brooklyn, Shyne had moderate success until he was imprisoned for shooting another patron inside a nightclub. In prison, he has changed his name to Moses Michael Leviy, perhaps inspired by his Great-Grandmother an Ethiopian Jew. Only time will tell if and how Judaism will influence his gangsta rap. The only sure thing is that Shyne is now the toughest Jew to ever hail from Flatbush.

Leonard Cohen, who Jake discussed in the previous post is not only a Cohen (surprise!) but has a lot to say about the religous experience and his Litvish roots. This interview is a must read and here's a tidbit.

"When I read the psalms or when they lifted up the Torah, that kind of thing sent a chill down my back. I wanted to be the one who lifted up the Torah. I wanted to be in that position. When they told me I was a Kohen, I believed it. I didn't think it was some auxiliary information. I wanted to wear white clothes and go into the Holy of Holies and negotiate with the deepest resources of my soul. So I took the whole thing seriously. I was this little kid and whatever they told me in these matters resonated, and I wanted to be that figure who sang, "This is the Tree of Life."

It's always nice to an artist be known for their ability to touch the world at large rather then their roots alone. Another good example of this is Elizabeth Wurtzel, author of 'Prozac Nation' a book that has it's own merits, and unexpectedly touches on Orthodoxy.

"While we didn't keep a kosher home, I somehow managed to win the school Brochos Bee, the Jewish equivalent of a spelling bee, five years in a row. Instead of spelling words, I had to know what blessings to say on different foods. I retired from this rather odd competition after winning the national contest, against boys with earlocks and girls who wore long sleeves and thick tights in June."

She later goes on to discuss her difficulties with the concept of Batel B'Shishim. Arguably, Wurtzel's deeply individual account of life on the Upper West Side, of divorced parenting and anomie should be added to the library of American-Jewish classics. Mental health is a crucial theme in our contemporary literature, be it Woody Allen's humorous look at neurosis, endless books on the mental impact of the Holocaust on survivors and their offspring, to say nothing to of the compulsion to learn and to steal in 'Bee Season.' I can see it now-a curriculum starting with Gluckel of Hameln and ending with 'Prozac Nation.'

P.S: Katyushas are nothing to sing about. Or are they?

I'm Your Man (says Leonard Cohen) Word from: Jake

If somebody told me I'd be watching a movie that involves Rufus-Martha Wainwright, Nick Cave, and U2, I'd flip out, unquestionably. But! Last week I happily sat through I'm Your Man, a documentary-meets-concert-film piece, celebrating the work of Leonard Cohen. In 2005, there was a tribute concert, with all the aforementioned musicians singing maestro's songs; the footage of the concert is interspersed with interviews and biographical bits. A really well-made film with all sorts of pleasant surprises, which I won't spoil for you. I'll mention a few brief details. One, it was fascinating to see the way Cohen's songs were covered: such respect was given to the lyrics that you could hear most distinctly every single word. That's very rare for the contemporary pop. Two, Cohen contrasts Montreal's art scene to NY art scene, massively unfavorable to the latter. In NY, he says, everybody is trying to get ahead, and there's an unhealthy competition, pressures, etc. While Montreal scene is much more authentic, hence blossoming. Three, turns out that the proverbial Chelsea Hotel No.2 (I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel... giving me head on the unmade bed) is about Janis Joplin. Go Leonard!

While I liked the film, there definitely had been mixed opinions out there: the Village Voice bashed it mercilessly. They're probably right saying that Bono made an idiot out of himself (as usual) but calling Cohen's heart-wrenching Tower of Song a graveyard smash? How insensitive! (but funny...). The Times had a much more respectful, balanced review.