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By Alethea Perez, October 6, 2011 9:20 am

Sometimes the unexpected comes with the daily mail. This recent addition arrived just in time for Yom Kippur. It  features Nicolas Jolliet a talented guitarist, sitarist,  and composer.

The Kol Nidre has fascinated composers for centuries. Now it has caught the attention of Guitarist and Sitarist Nicolas Jolliet. Using the sitar, surbahar, tabla, oud, dumbek and other exotic instruments, this CD was recorded on the Caribbean Island of St. Lucia, and evolves from traditional ragas into a seductive Reggae beat. The subject of a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation documentary, it was played at a Yom Kippur service held at a U.S. base in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

The Jolliet Kol Nidre was written in two parts. The first,  although  innovative, closely follows the original. The second part is a freer interpretation using the richly textured sounds of the East.  Click here to listen to this beautiful rendition of one of Judaica’s most iconic songs.

The producer, Harold Levy, has made the piece available free of charge on Soundcloud’s website.  Information on how to purchase this album can be found at Kolnidre.org.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, September 19, 2011 4:05 pm

New for the Holidays! This recently added album features music composed especially for the High Holy Days by Cantor Meir Finkelstein who also conducts the orchestra. It features the voices of Cantor Udi Spielman and his wife Varda.

Cantor Spielman and Cantor Finkelstein have partnered many times in the past with great success. Together they create a distinctive cantorial sound that is at once modern and traditional.

A Still, Small Voice Is Heard was recorded about a year ago with restricted distribution, mostly to members of the congregation of B’nai Torah in Boca Raton. The title of the album refers to the story of Elijah who did not hear the voice of God in the wind that whipped him, the earthquake that shook the mountain he stood on, or the fire which raged around him. But, in the calm after the fire Elijah heard a still, small voice and knew that God was with him.

Click here to listen to all of Cantor Spielman’s recordings.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, August 25, 2011 12:21 pm

It was the “last box packed.” Now it was the last box to be unpacked. After going through 156 boxes of Cantorial, Yiddish and English-language recordings from the collection of Chicago record producer Barry Serota we stared at this box and knew that once it was opened our job of unpacking would be complete.

However, our work organizing, describing and investigating the music was just beginning!

Barry Serota, had devoted his life to collecting great Jewish music and producing high-quality recordings. Although we knew that this was a wonderful donation to the Judaica Sound Archives, we really couldn’t be sure what treasures we would find. As it turns out, we couldn’t be more pleased!

Of the 1,513 LPs that were unpacked we found at least 100 that were still in their original cellophane wrappers. There were also a few 45 rpm records, over seven hundred 78 rpm discs, 101 digital tapes, and 1,443 audio reel-to-reel tapes.

Benedict Stambler, founder of the Collector’s Guild recording company, had been Barry Serota’s mentor and friend. We were delighted to uncover several test pressings from the Collector’s Guild Archives Limited Edition series. There were numerous other test pressings as well, a few of them acetate.

Test pressings include: an acetate pressing of a synagogue service  radio broadcast led by Cantor Dale Lind made in 1941, a live concert by Cantor David Kousevitsky that was recorded in 1968, and a concert of folk songs by Rosenblatt.

The JSA has now been able to create a special collection of about 60 albums on the Musique Internationale label. This rare collection of recordings by a dedicated lover of Jewish music can now be enjoyed around the world on the JSA website.

The Judaica Sound Archives has greatly enhanced its already extensive collection of Judaic music with this acquisition and we are delighted to be able to share it with you. Recordings that cannot be played on the website due to copyrights will be made available on the JSA Scholar’s Research Station.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, July 5, 2011 12:47 pm

In 1990 Jacquie Sussholz produced Yiddish Is Forever, a 3-CD album composed of 48 songs. From songs of praise to songs of love, from songs of heartbreak and sorrow to songs of celebration, Yiddish songs have a special quality that pulls at the heart-strings.

Jacquie Sussholz honors his heritage and recreates an authentic yet up-to-date sound with his music. “My style is soul with passion – I express the spirit of traditional songs, but in arrangements that are modern and exciting.”

Chassidic nigunim and Yiddish popular music often provided a sound track for the lives of Jews who were born in the 20^th century. Now fans of Yiddishkeit can enjoy listening to the music of Jacqui Sussholz.  The days of a vibrant Yiddish culture may be gone but the music can be preserved for the future so that it will never be lost.

Click here to listen to all 48 songs.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, May 31, 2011 10:50 am

Coming from a long line of distinguished cantors it probably should be no surprise that Cantor Deborah Katchko-Gray has devoted her life to the cantorial arts. Her understanding of the special challenges for female cantors, along with a desire to encourage others, resulted in her organizing the Women Cantors’ Network in 1982. At that time there was a great need for mutual support as female cantors generally faced exclusion from the cantorial community. Although women cantors, today, are accepted into all liberal cantorial schools and organizations the WCN continues to offer encouragement and support for women who want to participate in cantorial music.

Today Cantor Katchko-Gray carries on her family’s tradition at Temple Shearith Israel in Ridgefield, CT, where she has been cantor since 1999. Incredibly multi-talented Cantor Katchko-Gray has a repertoire that ranges from traditional liturgical solemnity to light-hearted songs for children and comedy.

Cantor Katchko-Gray honors her family heritage by adding her voice to those of Cantor Theodore Katchko and Cantor Adolph Katchko on the album Three Generations of Cantorial Art.

The Judaica Sound Archives features five of Cantor Katchko-Gray’s albums. Please click here and enjoy them all.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, May 5, 2011 9:18 am

In celebration of Israel’s Independence Day (May 9, 2011) the JSA has compiled a special Israeli music mix to honor the spirit of the pioneers.

During the 1960s and 1970s the State of Israel produced Vistas of Israel, a series of original half-hour broadcasts which were aired on local radio stations throughout the USA. The programs featured popular Israeli performers of the day, topical discussions, and interviews with prominent government officials and academics.

The Judaica Sound Archives has been fortunate enough to acquire an extensive collection of these Vistas of Israel radio broadcasts. Over 400 of these recorded programs will eventually be available to you on this website.

The music and topics on these recordings represent an important time in the history of Israel and remind us of the eager pioneer spirit that founded the country.

This special JSA collection of songs from Vistas of Israel features the voices of Hendl and Eliran, Shoshana Damari, Theodore Bikel, and Yafah Yarkoni. Unfortunately, the specific dates of these broadcasts are not known.

The songs in this Israeli Music Mix are from the following Vistas of Israel broadcasts:

VZL 2: Folk Music of Israel

VZL 6: Folk Music of Israel

VZL 7: Folk Music of Israel

VZL 8: Folk Music of Israel

VZL 12: Folk Music of Israel

VZL 26: Folk Music of Israel

VZL 76: Songs of Israel

VZL 166: Folk Songs of Israel

VZL 172: Folk Songs of Israel

VZL 173: Folk Songs of Israel

VZL 199: Folk Songs of Israel

VZL 236: Songs of Israel

VZL 280: Songs of Israel

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By Recorded Sound Archives, April 8, 2011 8:37 am

What makes this holiday different from all other holidays?

Growing up in a Jewish home has given me wonderful memories of the Passover holidays we celebrated when I was a child.  Weeks before Passover my mother would start liberating the Pesach tableware from the nooks and corners where they had been stashed since last year. The whole house had to be cleaned. When we were done, of course, not a crumb of chametz remained. And the cooking and baking!  I can still close my eyes and imagine the wonderful aromas that emanated from my mother’s kitchen. Matzo meal cookies were my favorites.  It was my job to stick a finger in the center of  the cookie mixture and then fill the indentation with a bit of strawberry jam.

Now my grand-daughter helps her mother make the cookies. The cast has changed but the play is the same. One generation passes customs and traditions on to the next.

Music helps us to remember the past  while celebrating the present. The JSA has compiled this special mix of holiday songs for you to enjoy. Many of this year’s tunes were on last year’s Passover Music Mix, but there are also a few new  ones.  These songs were selected from albums on the JSA website.  They are for your listening pleasure only.  They may not be copied, reproduced or sold.

All of the songs in this music mix can be heard on the JSA website all year long. Selections from the following albums were used to create this 2011 Passover Music Mix.

Around the Table – A User-friendly Haggadah by Gadi Elon

Celebrate with Cindy by Cindy Paley.

Haggadah Songs by Chaim Parchi.

Psalm Songs from Rock Creek by Cantor David Schneyer.

Mostly Matzoh by Fran Avni.

The Passover Collection by Safam.

Passover Seder Service by Cantor Samuel Malavsky and the Family Choir.

Passover Sing-a-long can be found in the Children’s Village record label collection.

A Singing Seder by Cindy Paley.

Songs My Bubbe Should Have Taught Me by Lori Cahan-Simon can be found in the JSA participating performers collection.

Songs of the Haggadah by Cantor Benjamin Maissner.

Canciones de Pesah/Passover Songs by Gaston Bogomolni can be found in the JSA participating performers collection.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, March 25, 2011 10:20 am

Separated from other Ashkenazic Jews in 18^th and 19th century Eastern Europe, the Chassids developed their own distinctive music traditions, which included chazzanuth, folk songs and nigunim.

Nigunim are unique musical expressions of Chassidic religious thought and grew out of the belief that the experience of exuberant joy was a religious duty.

Since it was felt that words interrupted the pure stream of emotion, most early nigunim were wordless. Instead they employed special syllables to carry the tune (like ‘bim bam’, or ‘yadi-da-di’). Often these syllables became distinctive signatures which allowed musicologists to specify the region that a particular nigun had come from.

The nigun has inspired secular Israeli music, klezmer and even Chassidic jazz. Please explore the world of Chassidic music with the Judaica Sound Archives at FAU Libraries.

Click here to listen to this special JSA collection of Chassidic music.

Click here to browse JSA’s online collection of Chassidic music.

Click here to listen to this special JSA collection of Chassidic music.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, March 14, 2011 10:11 am

Children love Purim. And so do adults. It just might be the most fun holiday in the whole Jewish calendar!

Here are just some of the reasons why Purim is a holiday favorite.

The Story: Who doesn’t love a good story? The story of Queen Esther’s bravery has drama, plot twists, and the thrill of good winning over evil.

Costumes: What child (or even a grown-up) doesn’t enjoy dressing in costume? This Jewish version of a costume holiday (like Halloween or Mardi Gras) is filled with a variety of colorful characters.

Entertainment: Purim is the time for children and adults to put on plays, talent shows and parades celebrating the story of Queen Esther.

Noise: Children love to make noise. Usually this gets them in trouble. But… on Purim children are encouraged to make as much noise as they can whenever they hear Haman’s name.

Food: Most Jewish holidays are celebrated with special foods and Purim is no exception. Hamantashen, everyone’s favorite Purim cookie, is a delicious way to remember the downfall of Haman.

Music: The songs of Purim often teach children about the holiday. tell the story of Purim, and give thanks.

Click on the albums and songs listed below to hear some of your favorite Purim music.

Purim Festival in Town Hall by Sidor Belarsky

Purim Party by Shimon & ilana Gewirtz

Songs for Tu Bishvat and Purim by Cantor William Wolfe

Akh Ze haYom Kiviti – Fate Onore Del Bel Purim Wal Viva Nostro Burino – Alabemos by Ramon Tasat

Ani Purim by Cantor Benjamin Maissner

Ani Purim by Judy Caplan Ginsberg

Chag Purim by Cantor Deborah Katchko-Gray

Haynt Iz Purim by Marsha Benya

Lo Kol Yom Purim by Fran Avni

Purim by Ohel Moshe Children’s Chorus

Purim Lid by Marsha Benya

Purim By Der Seeda by Kandel’s Klezmer Orchestra

Purim iz der bester Yom Tov by Pesach Burstein

Purim Lied by Werdyger Children’s Chorus

The Purim Parade by Safam

A Gut Yontev Yidn by Lori Cahan-Simon

Wecome Purim Fun by Seymour Silbermintz

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By Recorded Sound Archives, February 3, 2011 12:42 pm

Rouhama Danto, long-time friend of the JSA, stopped by the Wimberly Library during a recent visit to South Florida. Mrs. Danto told me how pleased she is with the work that the Judaica Sound Archives is doing to preserve her husband’s legacy and how much it meant to her to be able to share his extraordinary and beautiful voice with those who were not fortunate enough to have heard him during his lifetime.

She reminded me that she had recently donated a two-disc DVD of many of her husband’s public appearances. “Is there any way you can put video on the website?” she asked.

The Judaica Sound Archives collects sound recordings exclusively, so we do not usually have access to videos or permission to use them.  During her visit, however, Mrs. Danto chose three excerpts from the DVD to share with you. We are grateful to Mrs. Danto and very pleased to be able to share these clips with you.

Prayer for Queen Elizabeth, Toronto (1984)

Mi Par Dudir Ancora, Moscow (1989)

Dos Yiddish Lid, Budapest (1989)

Click to browse the JSA collection of Cantor Louis Danto’s recordings.