JDub Records

Many thanks to David Israel for this clip of Hidden Melodies Revealed LA.
Happy New Year from Team JDUB!!!

Last Thursday night, on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, The Sway Machinery rang in 5770 one night early with the wildest and most exuberant experience a Los Angeles Temple (and crowd) has ever experienced.  Over a year in the making, Hidden Melodies Revealed was unlike any Jewish or cultural event ever held in the City of Angeles - from the diversity of the crowd, which included septuagenarians with walkers, tattooed hipsters, Israelis, and Adam Levine of Maroon 5 - to the location - the Historic Piness Auditorium at Wilshire Boulevard Temple’s Eastside campus, soon to undergo mass renovations including takeover of the full city block, to the music - a reimagining of the Jewish New Year with afrobeat, blues, and stories of frightened cantors hiding in cellars.  We had plenty of adventure behind the scenes as well, with last minute beer runs to BevMo and Trader Joe’s (Thanks @bruin!), abuse of our secret service ear pieces, and sushi runs in Little Tokyo followed by poser time on the roof of The Standard.  All in all a good time.

Between the event here and 2 nights later in San Francisco, both of which required JDub to bring in sound, lights, generators, caterers, and huge security guards, on top of our normal team of event producers, publicists, marketers, and sponsors - this was one of our largest productions to date.  With 1,000 moving pieces, I have to give huge props to JDub’s own MC Tater Tot for holding it down and leading the team, and JCUB for having his back at all times.  And of course to our funder, the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles and our sponsors, Myspace Music, Reboot/10Q (jump on that!), Jewish Federation of Los Angeles, Tablet Mag, and The Six Points Fellowship for Emerging Jewish Artists.  Click the pics for the full set.

We just noticed that there is a Craigslist missed connection from the Saturday night Hidden Melodies Revealed performance in San Francisco.  Rather than let this poor lovebird go on possibly unnoticed, we of the JDub ilk are going to help by posting his plea on our blog.  Can you help M. find his beloved?

We made eye contact several times outside Emanu-El on Saturday night. I wanted to tell you that you were so cute and looked amazing in that dress… I wish I would have. I saw you dancing with your friend during the concert, and I thought you were adorable.

I was wearing brown, and I have glasses and a short beard. If you think you remember me, let me know. I’d love to take you out!
- M

In lieu of a roundup, I’ve decided to leave you with this video (via MyJewishLearning) of The Sway Machinery’s Jeremiah Lockwood doing a rousing rendition of “Hineni”.  Otherwise, have a very happy holiday, and we’ll see you all next week!

PS.  In San Francisco?  Go see The Sway Machinery’s Hidden Melodies Revealed TOMORROW night at Temple Emanu-El!

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Jeremiah Lockwood, of The Sway Machinery, has a post over at Jewcy where he takes the reader through 4 vibrant vignettes related to the upcoming New Year.  I have included one below!  Check out the rest HERE.

2. Like every Jewish boy, I was born out of a rupture in history, at a special moment when the past had been either intentionally discarded or else appropriated by weak-minded, self-appointed guardians. Those who broke with the past completely sought a new world of order and beauty in the cultural achievements of Western Europe. Those who clung to elements of the old ways lacked the breadth of spirit needed to re-imagine their history flourishing in a new world. As I grew, I was consumed by sorrow and rage because I perceived that there was a vacuum in my world where once there had been a spherical wholeness of culture and spirit. I heard ghosts speaking to me from out of the emptiness and I clung to them and invited them to enter into me.

Above is a video of Jeremiah discussing Cantorial music for MyJewishLearning.  What can I say?   The man really loves Rosh Hashanah!

JDub Records Presents:
The Sway Machinery’s Musical Extravaganza “Hidden Melodies Revealed:
A Celebration of Rosh Hashanah” 

Thursday, September 17th, 2009 in Los Angeles 
@The Historic Piness Auditorium, Wilshire Boulevard Temple
8PM Open Bar, 9PM Show, FREE
Free Parking on a first come, first serve basis + Pay lot across the street from the temple.
Made Possible with support from Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles

RSVP with full name and # in your party to info@jdubrecords.org, with LA HMR in the subject line. Entry is first come, first serve. 

Saturday, September 19th, 2009 in San Francisco
@The Sanctuary at Temple Emanu-El
9PM Open Bar, 10PM Show, FREE
Parking available at JCC of San Francisco (3200 California St.) and UCSF (3333 California St.)
Made Possible with support from Richard and Rhoda Goldman Foundation & Koret Foundation 

RSVP with full name and # in your party to info@jdubrecords.org, with SF HMR in the subject line. Entry is first come, first serve. 

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW AT HIDDENMELODIES.COM

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Are you upset that this year’s NFL schedule will interfere will Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur? Clearly not as upset as this guy.

I really like California.
I am in San Francisco for 42 hours. I am staying in the Mission, steps from the best ice cream on the planet and an almond croissant to die for, not to mention the Mission Minyan and many good friends. I’m here to meet with current and potential JDub funders and to scope out venues for The Sway Machinery’s Hidden Melodies Revealed Rosh Hashanah event for September ‘09. As much as I love NYC (my home for over 10 years), there is something in the vibe of the Bay Area that feels as if life is savored here in a very different way. Maybe its the views, or the mix of urban culture and accessible natural beauty. Maybe its Amoeba and Rasputins, Dolores Park, or the feeling that you don’t need to keep moving at a constant 90 miles per hour. Or maybe the grass is simply always greener… Whatever it is, every time I come to SF, I don’t really want to leave.

Lucky for me, JDub will be back, many many times in the near future and beyond. The Sway Machinery and Golem play the Independent March 17th, Sabo, from Soulico, will be in residence for 2 months beginning in late April, and we’ll return for a Rosh Hashanah event the likes of which this city has never seen. Much more to come about that.