This blog may take a more generic random turn, but if you want, keep on for the ride. Of course I’ll still be blogging about music and designs, but I think I’ll be writing about random stuff too.

Before I get into the personal boring stuff, here is a bit from the music and design side of things.

I just finished a nice poster for Ari B’s new group, Six Days of Creation, which should be in stores soon. I think I finally finalized the cover for the Ohel DVD cover, we are wrapping that up now. I’m officially starting work on the HASC 21 DVD and CD cover art, but don’t expect that for at least 2 months.

I’ll be meeting with a new artist later today to discuss possibly doing his cover. I’m excited about that, I hear good things about this guy and I like working with good people.

After that meeting I’ll be visiting a more established artist in the studio, but I’m probably not supposed to say who or what they are doing, maybe I’ll have some pics to post of that meeting. We’ll see if they let.

On the Benny Friedman front, Monday night we had an awesome session with Yaron Gershovsky, I’ve got chills just knowing that he is working on this with us. The man is a master of his craft and everything he touches sounds like heaven. Him being on this CD really makes me giddy with excitement.

OK - That’s it for the music …. now onto the boring stuff ….

I just got back from Postville, IA. My brother Shuky had a baby boy (Mazel Tov!), actually his wife Chani had the baby, but you know what I mean. I had already bought my ticket when I found out the baby was yellow and the bris was being pushed off at least a week and a half, so I decided to just go now and visit the little yellow newborn.

My Mother was there also, so we had a little min family reunion. I had to fly from NY to Chicago to La Crosse which is in Wisconsin. Then from La Crosse it’s about an hour and a half drive to Postville. It was quite an interesting experience. I’ve been to a lot of small town America type place. I was by Shluchim in Maitland, FL and Salt Lake City, Utah and even Nebraska, but Postville is VERY SMALL. We passed one town near there that had a population of 900 people. IN THE WHOLE TOWN. I think there may be 900 people just on my block in Crown Heights. lol

The airport in La Crosse is so small that there are only 4 gates. On the way back last night, I got to the airport late, 20 minutes before the plane was supposed to leave, but when I got there the plane didn’t even leave Chicago yet! So we waited, and when we actually left there were only 6 people on my entire plane. Sometimes they cancel the flight if there aren’t enough people on it, but there was a soldier on my flight coming back from Iraq who hadn’t seen his family in two years, so they promised him no matter what they will have the flight.

Then of course in Chicago - I was back on a normal flight, with over 150 people on it. I got into the airport very late, and enjoyed flying over NYC at night in the plane. It’s amazing flying over Manhattan. Especially Times Square which is so bright at night you can’t miss it. It’s like a blazing light shooting into the sky.

On the way TO La Crosse we flew through a lightening storm.

I’m a little all over the place, so forgive me. Driving into Postville, from La Crosse, we passed by the Minnesota border, so I texted Mr. Benny Friedman. We drove over the Mississippi River and drove along side a huge train that we intersected with on a bridge going over the river.

Postville itself is really very small, it’s amazing how people can live there. Growing up in Miami and then now living in NY I just don’t think I could get used to small town living. It’s too … quiet. Of course when the noise doesn’t stop late at night in Brooklyn, and the sirens blare at midnight, I sing a different tune. Still, I don’t think I can go to the other extreme. It’s a nice place to visit though, and at night you can actually see so many stars, I even saw a shooting star.

That’s it for now, thanks for reading, if you made it this far you must really be a devoted friend, or more realisticly my mother, lol.

I think this may have been my longest non article post to date.

I just downloaded wordpress to my ipod touch w/ wifi and I just had to try writing a post.

As far as what’s happening with me, I am working on 4 websites right now. Two are Jewish music related, one is for a shul and the last one is for a random business

Make sure you get your tickets for the chazzak show this summer. August 16th. The benny Friedman will be singing there along with fried, shlomo simcha & dovid gabay.

That’s all for now. Oh and one more thing, mazel tov to my little brother Shuky. He and his wife just had a baby boy!

Over and out!

I’ve got three offices. Well, four if you can’t the place we (Dov and I) do the podcast.

1) Sameach 2) my desk at home doing Designs by Sruly non Sameach stuff and 3) The Studio where we record for Benny’s CD.

So I spent the entire day at office number three today. You’d think hanging out at a studio recording music all day would be a walk in the park, but it’s not. For some reason I feel even more tired and drained then I would have just sitting at my desk doing Graphic Design at the office.

I’m trying to update the blog more often. We spent a LOT of time in the studio this week so I felt like I should update the blog (unlike some other people!)

Check out Jewish Lifestyles upcoming issue for a full page blog excerpt for an upcoming post here about Benny’s CD. Then keep an eye out at the end of the Summer for something very big about Benny’s CD in the September issue of Country Yossi Magazine.  I probably shouldn’t be saying this stuff but hey, what’s a blog for if not saying things you are not supposed to be saying!

I wrote up a whole long post last week and then I decided to use it as an article instead. One of the Jewish Magazines was interested in publishing it, so look out in a few weeks for an excerpt from this blog. When it’s out I’ll post it here as well. The post was all about Benny’s CD. About workign on something so big from behind the scenes. It’s really exciting now that we have a lot of the music done for many of the songs. We did some vocals last week, we’re going to do more this week. I’m loving every minute of this experience. As we get closer to the end of the summer I’ll start unveiling some real hard cold facts. For now, you’ll just have to take my word for it. It’s amazing.

What else is happening with me? Nothing much, we’re painting in my house, we’re on week 3 so, ya, that’s fun. I’m meeting with a pretty big name in Jewish Music this week to work on his website. This will be my biggest website to date, it’s going to be H-U-G-E with some very cool features. I finished the Ari B Six Days of Creation booklet last week, that should be coming out to stores this week.

More updates coming later, more pics later from this weeks studio session. That’s all for now, hasta.

I don’t have much to write but someone commented I never post so I felt that I needed to post something. I just finished with Yehuda Green’s website. I really like how it came out. I’m also working on a bunch of other artists websites but not supposed to say yet. I finished Benny Amar’s artwork last week, it’s at the printer now. I’m in the middle of doing Ari Boiangiu’s new groups CD. Six Days of Creation. From what I heard so far it’s a really rocking CD.

As far as Benny’s CD is concerned we have 12 songs so far, and we’ll be recording the music very soon. We’re still not sure if we’re going to have more song but we are bouncing around the idea because there are a few great options still open.

I’ll finish this post off with some music comments. I’m still loving Gabay and 8th Note. Benny Amar’s CD has some really great material on out. Look out for Mikdash, Am Echad and Sova (and a beautiful Veashiva.) I’ve heard 8th Day’s Live album and its really great. It’s got a very authentic live show feel. Yosef Karduner is now in stores and his material is always so heartzig. Speaking of heartzig, I’m listening to Baruch Levine’s album and it’s out of this world. Baruch is an extremely talented composer and the album just sounds great.

That’s all for now, we’ll be recording a new podcast on Thursday (allegedly) and we’ll have tons of new music on it so keep an eye out for it. Oh and check out this “New Release” page I set up for Sameach. That way you can keep track of it all in one convenient location.

Sometimes I juggle way too many projects at once. I really want to work on this article I’m writing but I can’t find any quiet time to sit and bond with MS Word 2007. It’s really funny though because the more I write that article the more it turns into a behind the scenes peek into the Benny Friedman album. I have to decide which direction the article should take. What do you think? Do you think people would like an article talking about what makes Jewish music Jewish, or more of an inside look into the Benny album. Although the latter did inspire the former to begin with.

Aside from the article I’m working on a bunch of re-designs of old classic albums we now carry exclusively at Sameach. (Mostly Horahs, Dedi, Project X’s, etc.) If you didn’t see when it came out, I was the main designer on the last issue of the J.E. and what is now known as The Jewish Insights. You can download that issue here.

I’ve also been enjoying lots of great Jewish music. How about you? Here’s a brief rundown of what I’ve been listening to.

The 8th Note CD was really breathtaking. Yossi Green is just a genius. My favorite songs on 8th note are, Sefor, Anovim and Beshiftacha. Yossi Tyberg really out did himself, and that’s not just me saying that. I can’t wait for Yeedle to come out. Dovid Gabay’s CD was better then I’d have ever imagined. My favorites on the album are Brichos Avicha, Nagila, Tana and Zaroh. Again, another amazing producer, Avi, you are my friend and partner in many different projects, so people may think I’m just blowing smoke, but you are truly gifted.
I loved the Michoel Pruzansky’s Tasseh music video. I always say, do more videos, videos are great. Michoel also has my favorte Dov Shurin song on his album, V’lo. If you haven’t hear Dov Shurin’s music you have to. The guy is just out of this world talented. (He composed Zachreini Na also)

Has anyone heard the new Yossi Gurvitz CD? My favorite song on there is Hamelomeid (as anyone who listens to ShmaisRadio will know.) I also heard the Yoel Dovid CD available from L’Chaim. It’s not bad, not bad at all. Speaking of L’Chaim, The magnificent Shira Choir released a great album. Those guys are awesome. (Shraga is the best.)

I don’t know if I said this before but if you haven’t, go out and buy Yitzy Spinner’s CD. I heard one track off of Ari B’s new group album (which I’ll be doing the cover for) and it’s going to be so rocking. Ari is so talented, it’s great. Dovid Stein’s new CD is coming out Rosh Hashana time (as well as Menucha 2!!) and he released a clip, it sounds really nice. This should be an interesting album.

I’ve also been listening to one of Meshulam Greenburger’s albums. I am obsessed with it. If you don’t know who that is call Mostly Music or L’Chaim and buy it right now. It’s not as wild as Lipa but I think it’s really great. Last but not least, on the other side of the Jewish music planet. I have been listening to Momy Levy’s most recent album. It’s called Personal Import. I believe it’s available through Helicon music, but I’m sure Gal Paz sells it too. Momy is the arranger of the Hebrew and English version of The 8th Note song. When you hear the sound and production quality of that type of an album it really just blows you away.

That’s all for now, I hope everyone has a great Pesach. Enjoy the Matzah and don’t drink too much wine. Maybe in the next post I’ll have some studio pics to share.

(Visit these links to hear/see the albums I mentioned.)

MostlyMusic.com | Israel-Music | The8thNoteCD | The Jewish Insights |DovidStein | Pruz.com

I’m currently writing a new article about music. I’m looking for some comments from the music loving public. In two sentences or less, describe to me what music means to you.

Either leave a comment below, or more preferably, e-mail me at sameachmusic@gmail.com.

I’m not going to publicly discuss the details of this story, but I did feel the need to express myself somehow. I have been repeatedly surprised by the reach of this story. I’m so exhausted from explaining this story to friends and family members who usually don’t listen to or follow Jewish music. Everyone wants to know “what’s with this concert ban?”, and everyone is just shocked.
I really wish it would just go away, it’s just so upsetting. My heart goes out to all of the music professionals that were involved in this story. Music is truly the pen of the soul, what we choose to do with that pen, what story we attempt to compose is up to us. Don’t forget to support Jewish music and keep your spirits high, Purim is just around the corner!

Being in the business that I am in I often see covers and hear albums before they are finished. Growing up as a fan of Jewish Music I’d have loved the chance to see how an album is made. Couple that with my love of art, I’d have also loved to see album covers while they were still being fleshed out. Well now I am working in this industry and I have seen many covers in the process, and I’ve heard many albums before they were done. Let me just say this, it’s not pretty. Thats not to say they are bad, but creating is a messy process.

When i first started working in this industry I couldn’t wait to get my hands on music before it was done. But over the years I’ve changed my approach. Case in point, Dovid Gabay’s 2nd album, Omar Dovid. Avi Newmark (who I am working on Benny Friedman’s CD with) played me a few songs from Dovid’s album way back at one of our first meets with Benny. Since that time I was in the possesion of 4 of the songs from the album. As much as I loved them, I told Avi I didnt want to hear anything else new - until it was DONE.

I am so glad I went that route, because today Avi dropped off a finished master for Dovid’s album. I heard the other 7 songs, fresh, for the first time. It was actually a nice treat.  Knowing what goes into making these CD’s you have an appriciation for the finished product. But from where I stand, it’s hard to appriciate it “new” when you heard it in so many different versions. So to hear the rest of the album fresh - it makes for a great experience.

I have been working on the CD art with Avi and Dovid for the last two months, so what it looks like is no mystery to me. I’m so used to seeing that gold and green.

There isn’t any real heavy point to this post, I just wanted to share that with you. There is really something special about seeing, or hearing something for the first time in it’s completed, final stage.

Look on store shelves in about 2 weeks for Dovid Gabay’s new album. Both the art and the music has been done, approved and in the duplication process.

My favorite time of the year has finally arrived. Adar! As an added bonus this year there are two Adars. So you may be asking yourself why I like Adar so much. I’m a big believer in Simcha, and in Adar, Mishenichnas Marbim B’Simcha! That’s not the only reason of course. I love Purim, Shalach Manos, Hamantashen, Purim Music, Groggers, Megilas Esther and probably my favorite part of Adar - my birthday. This year though my birthday comes before Purim because of the leap year and the fact that I was born in a leap year on Adar Alef.

The next order of business today is to talk a bit about Benny Friedman’s album. I just helped Benny install his fancy shmancy new blog, and I was thinking to myself, why should he be the only one giving away all the secrets,

I can’t say too much, because Benny, Avi (Newmark) and myself all made a secret special handshake agreement not to give away too many juicy details. (Not really, but it sounds good.) This album is really starting to take on a personality of its own. We have 6 songs for sure, a whole lot of maybes, and more material still coming in. Moshe Laufer has now also been attached to the project, and that’s really exciting. We have heard a lot of really amazing songs from so many different composers. It has got to the point that we are turning songs down “great” songs, because we’re finding songs that are even better.

I know I am biased because I’m working with Avi and Benny, but I’m very confident in the product thats being created. We have only just begun, by the time this over maybe Benny and I can convince Avi to also start a blog. I believe it will be fun to read back on this blog after the album comes out. Everything changes so quickly, sometimes we sit on a song for 6 weeks, others 6 hours.

That’s all for now, I’ve rewritten this a bunch of times, because I wrote to much each time. I hope to keep this up on a semi frequent basis.

As far as the designing aspect of Jewish music. Keep an eye out over the next 2 months for a truckload of new work from me. Starting Monday with the Gabay 2 cover.

Kol Tov,

Sruly