The Chasidic reggae singer\’s success has bred a whole new kind of dream among Jewish music acts. Even if most of them won\’t say it, one suspects that every one of them wants to be \”the next Matisyahu.\” Here are three gifted candidates for crossover success:
The records reviewed here are not all (or even mostly) High Holy Days music, but each of them is focused on their spiritual content as much as on the music itself. As a result, they seem an unusually apt group for this time of year.
The politically soaked title track from \”Viva la Guantanamera,\” a five-song EP by the Hip Hop Hoodios, is more than a hollow attempt at activism by a crew best known for celebratory Jew-tunes such as \”Havana Nagila\” and \”Ocho Kandelikas.\”
A musical New Year\’s greeting from the Rosh HaShanah Girl and Taglit-birthright-israel\n
Picks and Clicks
Talking with Dana Mase is like listening to her sing. Her gentle voice calms, even soothes, and you find yourself compelled to listen as she recounts experiences of her troubled childhood and her passionate faith.\n
Mare Winningham is about to make Jewish history. On Aug. 26 at the Eureka Springs Bluegrass Festival, the Torah will meet Southern spirituals when Winningham becomes the first Jewish cowgirl singer to headline the earth-shakin\’, soul-savin\’ \”Sunday Gospel\” show.
Has Orthodox reggae star Matishayu severed his ties with Chabad-Lubavitch? Is he a bad influence on religious youth? And is he still frum? Blogs have been buzzing over these questions since Matisyahu appeared to distance himself from Chabad last month.\n
It\’s Police-style power reggae as the Moshe Skier Band rocks \’Baruch HaShem\’
MUSIC VIDEO: Cockney Melody, Yiddish Ditty (British home movie) 43 secs.
