The Jewish Music Show

I can’t believe it’s been almost 4 months since I last blogged. I can’t tell you how many times I want to post and then don’t end up doing so.

What has happened since my last post? I see it was about my trip to Iowa, for my nephews bris that didn’t happen for almost a month later. The name was Benny, for the record.

I think this post will be more about designing than person goings on.

Let’s start with Sruly Werdyger’s CD cover.

I think if people saw the original version of this cover they would be surprised. Sruly and I worked on the first version for a couple weeks and after many early morning coffee meetings at his new home we finalized a beautiful, classic, very Jewish cover. It was that it was typical, but it had strong vibes of the Baal Shem Tov and after lots of debate, both from outside and inside our circles, we decided it would lead people to think it was a Niggunim CD, and not brand new songs. So after weeks working on a cover we went back to the drawing board.

While I was looking for ideas I had a thought that since we are talking about a CD that is titled Bayis Neeman, maybe I could use a blueprint somewhere in the CD. I wasn’t sure how that would work and while I was searching through some photos my wife (who is also a designer) suggested without knowing what I was up to, the same thing. I figured that was a good sign and we started on the path that led us to the final cover.

A lot of people came up with a lot of good ideas to help give the cover all the depth it ended up with. I ended up photoshopping a lot of the original blueprint photo to remove all the English labeling of the rooms, as well as a bathroom. Funny story, the original photo I bought had the blueprint plan for the bathroom right in the middle of where the cover would be. Of course every home has to have a bathroom, but we didnt want people being reminded of bathrooms when they picked up the cover. So I photoshopped the beis hakeesay out of the diagram.

I removed all English labels and replaced them with brochos for a bayis neeman, many of which are found in the chorus of the title track. Next, there were real measurements from the original blueprint, and I erased them all. Then I counted up the gematria or Bayis Neeman B’yisroel and divided it up into many parts and put them all over the cover. So if you add up the measurements they add up to bayis neeman b’yisroel. Next I put in peoples initials who worked or sang on the album in the front of the cover. YT (yossi tyberg) SF (Shua Fried) SW (Sruly Werdyger) GM (Gershy Moscowitz) Etc …

It was a fun experience and I loved working with Sruly Werdyger, he is such a wonderful guy and it’s a pleasure to find such people in the business I work in. I didn’t just get a new client and a job, I also made a new friend.

Another job I’ve been working on for a while now is the new website for Yossi Green. It’s been in talks for months, but I finally assembled a fantastic team and we are building it now as we speak. Yossi approved the front and style of the website. It’s going to be the largest collections of information for any Jewish producer and composer in the history of Jewish Music. This website will feature every single CD Yossi has produced or even had a song composed on. we are talking 100′s of CD’s here.

There will be a full biography and time line of Yossi’s career as well as a place to buy stuff, download sheet music, and catch up on what Yossi’s working on right now. I can’t wait until it goes live.

I am now also working with Avram Zamist on a string of things. I just finished the main body of his website, Sheer-Simcha.com, and I created a video promo for his Ohel concert this year.

I also just finished the poster for the Queens College, Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills concert.

This was a lot of fun because it was my first official CONCERT poster. I’ve been looking to expand my resume for a while but I didn’t know anyone who wasn’t attached to a regular designer for their shows. Now that my buddy Avram Zamist is doing a lot of shows, he was more than happy to take a risk on a concert poster newbie. Our first attempt was much more conservative. Yes, you are seeing a running theme here. I think I am afraid people won’t go for the more wild progressive stuff so I hold back and aim low. While the first poster was really cool, it lacked the boldness that this poster has.

Honestly, I thought they would say it was too bright and too many colors and not good for a Jewish concert. I only made it for myself. I worked on it and played with the coloring and trying to make the singers stand out in a while they don’t usually in Jewish concert posters. I sent it, and they loved it. Not only did the producer and concert coordinator love it, Avraham Fried loved it, Baruch Levine loved it, 8th Day loved it, and I got two concert poster jobs from Eitan Katz. Although, he hadn’t even seen it when he hired me, but I guess that works either way.

I’m also helping the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hill concert coordinators advertise the concert, so if anyone runs a Jewish news website or blog and might be interested in exchanging advertising for tickets to the show let me know.

I’m excited about this show, I actually was the one who campaigned for 8th Day to be on the show and I think people are going to be for a real treat. They are a lot of fun in concert, if you want to go to the show go to JewishTickets.com and buy your tickets TODAY.

As I just said, I did a poster for Eitan Katz’s Chanukah concert, you can see it here. It’s in two colors, red and blue, I don’t know which he has gone with yet, maybe he should print it in both colors.

I’m in the middle of doing CD covers (and the booklets) for Six13′s newest CD. I’m also almost finished with the (Yochi Briskman produced) Acheinu 3 CD cover, which I hope will be online soon as well. I’m working on two other covers right now but can’t say the details. I don’t know if one will work out and the other is a Chazzanus CD.

The Ohel CD/DVD artwork I’ve been sitting on for almost two years should be out by Chanukah. I know this has become something I’ve said now for two years, but it isn’t me. The art has been fiished for ages, it’s the video editing, it’s been dragging, but I think it’s done now.

I think that’s enough information to chew on for now. I think I made up for the absence in content and post length, is that correct? I hope to post again soon once a few more jobs are made public.

OH – and watch out for the Shea Rubenstein website and music video coming very soon. I’ve seen the video and I don’t like to hype up expectations but the song will bring tears to your eyes.