In 2008, Leonard Cohen thrilled his fans by announcing his first tour dates in 15 years. He’s gone on to play in virtually every corner of the globe, with performances that were hailed as some of the best of his career. “Songs From the Road” collects twelve performances of some of Leonard Cohen’s most iconic songs from across all of those many miles and performances.  The album’s opening track “Lover, Lover, Lover”, was taped at Cohen’s unforgettable show at Ramat Gan Stadium, Tel Aviv, Israel, on September 24, 2009.

Clare Burson recently stopped by Relix and performed “Goodbye My Love.” You can watch the video here.

Clare is on tour supporting her new album “Silver & Ash” out on September 14:

Sept. 13: Los Angeles, CA @ Hotel Cafe
Sept. 16: New York, NY @ Joe’s Pub
Oct. 13: Birmingham, AL @ WorkPlay
Oct. 14: Decatur, GA @ Eddie’s Attic
Oct. 15: Nashville, TN @ 3rd & Lindsley
Oct. 16: Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar

Full details on the Tour page

September 14, 2010 (Tuesday), 7-9 p.m.

Galeet Dardashti’s The Naming CD Release Party - NYC.

With full band, SYREN Modern Dance, and video art from Lustre.

Mycale –the all-female John Zorn Vocal Project– (Basya Schechter, Ayelet Rose Gottlieb, Malika Zarra and Sofia Rei Koutsovitis) opens the show

Le Poisson Rouge
158 Bleecker Street
New York, NY

The Naming is the new multi-disciplinary work (original music, dance, video art, storytelling) by Persian Jewish vocal innovator Galeet Dardashti. Dardashti draws on the Eastern music deep in her bones to transform the ghostly outlines of Biblical women into full-blown flesh-and-blood personalities. She unites her grandfather’s iconic Persian classical music with a deep connection to Jewish poetry and song, creating lush electronica-edged Middle Eastern music in Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic and Persian.  Dardashti’s music not only brings Biblical women to life but also gives voice to today’s Middle Eastern women.  The Huffington Post calls the album “a heart-stopping effort.”  The CD launches in September 2010 with release parties in NYC and Philadelphia.

Tickets

Galeet Dardashti
www.galeetdardashti.com

Today JDub digitally released the debut self-titled album by Israeli hip-hop duo Axum.

JDub fans might already be familiar with Axum’s work with Soulico. They sing on the tracks “Bo Be Easy” and “Pitom Banu” from Soulico’s 2009 JDub Release “Exotic on the Speaker.” “Axum” is an in-your-face album that has broadened Israel’s definition of Hip-Hop, Reggae & Dancehall.

You can download “Axum” today on iTunes and Amazon

Join Axum on Facebook

JDub seeks a part time (12 – 15 hours a week) coordinator in Los Angeles to support JDub’s local programs and build the organization’s presence in the arts & Jewish communities.  JDub is a not-for-profit forging vibrant connections to Judaism through music, media, and cultural events. JDub promotes Jewish music and artists through a record label, national event productions, and an artist fellowship and instigates conversation and community via Jewcy.com.
 
We are looking for an entrepreneurial, self-motivated teammate who enjoys being a part of new Jewish culture and can help us expand the Los Angeles Jdub community .  The coordinator will work with a team primarily based in New York to develop 3-5 unique events in LA over the next 12 months.
 
Our ideal candidate has experience in concert/event production and/or marketing/communications and is engaged with digital media and social networks. Candidates should be familiar with new Jewish culture, enjoy networking and be comfortable jumping into new experiences.

Responsibilities may include:
Scouting new venues for potential Jdub/Jewcy events
Assisting with event creation and production
Attending community meetings
Strengthening and/or building new relationships with Jewish community lay leaders and professionals
Participating in weekly staff meetings (via phone)
Acting as an ambassador for the Jdub /Jewcy brand

Ideal candidates will have:
BA or experiential equivalent
1 – 2 years experience in an office environment (internships or entry level)
Availability for up to 15 hours during normal business hours Monday through Friday, but also have flexibility to occasionally participate in evening events (meetings, concerts, programs etc)
Proficiency in Microsoft Office
Energy, a sense of humor and an outgoing personality
Knowledge of music/entertainment a plus!

Please send your resume and cover letter to Dan@jdubrecords.org with “LA Outreach Coordinator” as the subject line.

The music publication NME is featuring this Can!!Can video for the song “Wife to Die” from their JDub digital release, Monsters & Healers. Download the album today!

The Huffington Post recently interviewed Jesse Rifkin on the Wailing Wall and reviewed his new album, The Low Hanging Fruit.

Joshua Stanton writes:

Within the mellifluous chords of The Wailing Wall’s indie music, we hear the discord of a ukulele jamming with a guitar, a trumpet vying for airtime with a bass, and a harmonium and pipe organ on stage with a trash can. This beautiful, organic pandemonium again puts us in touch with the creative origins of Jewish prayer.

That’s Jewish rebellion at its best. That’s real ‘bad.’

“No Old Country kitsch fest. Rather, Rifkin goes deeper and broader, invoking the Bible as an anchor but opening up beyond the standard Judeo-Christian axis. Influences here include Qawwali drones and Hindu chants to go with his folk-rock echoes of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.”

Holy Shit, they compare him to Leonard Cohen, and Bob Dylan, that’s one hell of a compliment!

But the review gets better:

“There’s an undeniable poetry to Rifkin’s words as well, which certainly helps convey the personal nature of this particular musical journey. Admittedly, when it comes to pop culture, religion is the ultimate low-hanging fruit. A sprinkle of theology can easily, lazily convey a hint of import or profoundness even where none exists. But for all its time-tested signifiers, Rifkin’s struggle to find meaning in life rings honest and compelling.

What’s more impressive than Rifkin’s introspective voyage, however, is the confident way he flits from tabla and sitar vibes on “Bones Become Rainbows” to the austere guy-with-guitar of “For C.M.R.” (where he manages to out-nasal Dylan), or from the sunny folk-rock of “Dandelion” to the harmonium bliss of “Fear No Apple, Fear No Flood”. These songs flow together with convincing inspiration. If the results themselves are ultimately less inspiring than they are admirable, that likely has less to do with Rifkin’s craft and more to do with the album’s meditative nature. After all, he’s the one on the road to revelation. We’re just the spectators, curious to learn where he finally ends up.”

The Pitchfork approved Low Hanging Fruit is available from Amazon and iTunes and JDub

We’re working on a short documentary about the Gangsta Rabbi, but for now you’ll have to settle for this cover of the Buzzcocks’ “What Do I Get?”

More Gangsta Rabbi:
Buy DiKtatoR17
Download “Obama-Rama Yeah”

An interview from the Pitchfork Music Festival, which according to Michael Showalter was the best music festival in Chicago that week.