The Night Before Rosh Hashonah…..
September 17th at the Wilshire Boulevard Temple
“The Sway Machinery Makes The Ancient Modern And The Mythological Real”
– Village Voice
On the heels of their successful New York
City events in 2007 and 2008, JDub Records Presents America’s only indie
rock/Jewish cantorial music group, The Sway Machinery
www.swaymachinery.com
http://www.myspace.com/theswaymachinery
bringing one of the most unique celebrations of the Jewish new year “Hidden Melodies
Revealed – a Secret Celebration of Rosh Hashanah” to Los Angeles for 2009.
This multi-media concert event celebrates Rosh Hashanah in a presentation
that is part ritual, part rock concert. The performance is scheduled for
the night before Rosh Hashanah, on September 17. “Hidden Melodies Revealed”
will also include storytelling and compelling animated films.
The event will take place at 9:00pm
at the Wilshire Boulevard Temple
3663 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles
and admission is free.
An Open Bar Reception including wines from
Wente Vineyards, will be held in the courtyard of the temple prior to the
concert at 8:00PM.
The Sway Machinery’s unique musical vision re-contextualizes Ashkenazic
Jewish spiritual music, the soulful vocal Cantorial style most often heard
in American Jewish synagogues, into the broader spectrum of world music. The
band finds inspiration for new versions of Cantorial classics in African
popular music, Eastern European folk music and American blues. Their ever
rotating line-up features an incredible roster of musicians for the Los
Angeles event; led by blues guitarist Jeremiah Lockwood of Balkan Beat Box,
along with John Bollinger of Barbez on drums, noted tenor sax player Matt
Bauder, Kelly Pratt of the Beirut and Arcade Fire horn sections (and his own
acclaimed project Plan B) on trumpet, and touring member of The Arcade Fire
and frequent Tom Waits collaborator Colin Stetson on bass saxophone. Other
exciting musical guests are expected and will be announced as they are
confirmed.
Hidden Melodies Revealed will also feature a screening of Guggenheim fellow
Shawn Atkin’s animated short film depicting the dawn of monotheism, The
Akeidah.
Rabbi Steve Leder of Wilshire Boulevard Temple is pleased to welcome The
Sway Machinery to this historic Temple campus noting, “Along with our
ambitious renovation and expansion that symbolize the reversal of the Jewish
exodus from the eastern part of Los Angeles, we are pleased to host events
like Hidden Melodies Revealed to connect with and welcome the young, indie,
Jewish and multicultural audiences from the hip eastside neighborhoods we
are expanding to serve such as Hollywood, Hancock Park, Los Feliz, Silver
Lake and Echo Park.”
The Sway Machinery’s sound stems from Lockwood’s rich musical relationships
with his grandfather Cantor Jacob Konigsberg, and with his mentor, the
renowned blues player Carolina Slim, who fondly guided Lockwood’s musical
development. Konigsberg, one of the last great exponents of Cantorial
singing, led Lockwood into an understanding and love of the soulful and
ancient heritage of Synagogue music. Lockwood’s deeply personal relationship
to these two musical traditions helped him to forge a unique musical
language of his own, as he learned to move from singing in his grandfather’s
study to playing with Carolina Slim in New York City subway stations. The
Sway Machinery was borne out of this dichotomy.
Though The Sway Machinery carefully cultivates Lockwood’s deeply felt
relationship to his musical roots, his accomplished colleagues bring to the
table the sounds of afro-beat horns, unassailable rock beats and an astutely
contemporary musical sensibility. Lockwood layers the haunting notes of his
Cantorial-influenced vocals over the energetic, celebratory rhythms of
afro-pop, hard-hitting drums and the blues. “Hidden Melodies Revealed”
showcases pieces based on mystical texts taken directly from the Jewish High
Holiday prayers and reconfigures them in a startlingly new musical
landscape. Lockwood’s ambitious melding of styles results in what The
Village Voice has called a most “joyful synthesis.”
About the Presenters and Sponsors:
Presenter:
JDub is a non-profit dedicated to innovative Jewish music, community, and
cross-cultural dialogue. JDub artists include Sway Machinery, Balkan Beat
Box, Soulico, and Michael Showalter. www.jdubrecords.org,
http://www.myspace.com/jdubrecordings
Made Possible with Support From:
The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles: Established in 1954, the
Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles is the largest manager of
charitable assets and the leader in planned giving solutions for Greater Los
Angeles Jewish philanthropists. In 2008, The Foundation and its nearly
1,200 donors distributed more than $65 million in grants to hundreds of
organizations with programs that span the range of philanthropic giving.
CoSponsors:
Reboot: Reboot is a catalyst to catalysts – a growing network of
thought-leaders and tastemakers who work toward a common goal: to “reboot”
the culture, rituals, and traditions we’ve inherited and make them vital and
resonant in our own lives. 10Q is the brainchild of two rebooters:
filmmaker, Nicola Behrman and New Yorker editor, Ben Greenman, who make Rosh
Hashanah and Yom Kippur meaningful with their online series of questions,
one a day for ten days at www.renewyear.com
Nextbook Inc.: Nextbook Inc. is a nonprofit organization that promotes the
discovery and discussion of Jewish literature, culture, and ideas. Through
Nextbook Press, it produces the Jewish Encounters book series with
Schocken/Random House, and it also operates Tablet Magazine, a daily online
magazine about Jewish life.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles: For nearly a century, The
Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles has been fulfilling the sacred
mission of tikkun olam, the repair of the world, by supporting and funding
organizations which serve the ever-changing needs of the community.
Six Points Fellowship for Emerging Jewish Artists: The Six Points Fellowship
supports individual artists developing new projects with a Jewish focus,
theme or element, and is a partnership of JDub Records, Avoda Arts, and the
Foundation for Jewish Culture, made possible through funding from
UJA-Federation of New York. Hidden Melodies Revealed was originally created
as a Six Points Fellowship Project.
Wilshire Boulevard Temple: Founded in 1862, Wilshire Boulevard Temple is a
Reform Jewish congregation in Los Angeles that values both tradition and
innovation. Temple operations span three campuses and include an elementary
school, early childhood centers, a religious school and summer camps in
addition to worship services. Its landmark sanctuary is listed in the
National Register of Historic Places. For more information, visit
www.wbtla.org
MySpace Music: MySpace Music includes a vast catalog of premium and
promotional content, a wide selection of user-to-user sharing tools, and
e-commerce opportunities for artists. MySpace Music aims to empower artists
to monetize their content through multiple revenue streams by allowing the
MySpace community to stream premium content in an ad-supported environment,
purchase MP3s and ringtones, create and share playlists, and purchase
merchandise, concert tickets, and other digital and physical goods. MySpace
Music also connects artists and fans in the offline arena through various
concert series and live events including Secret Shows, MySpaceLIVE!,
Transmissions, The Release, Front to Back and The List.
Wente Vineyards: The country’s oldest continuously operated family-owned
winery, Wente Vineyards is led today by the fourth and fifth generations of
the Wente family. More than 125 years of committed stewardship to the land
has led to the development of Wente Vineyards’ Farming for the Future, a
system of sustainable viticultural practices designed to produce the best
quality wines with the least environmental impact. This philosophy extends
to all aspects of winery operations, where energy efficiency, waste
reduction, recycling and social responsibility are all integral to the
culture. In 2007, Fifth Generation Winemaker Karl Wente spear-headed the
launch of “Discover The Wine, Discover The Music,” an innovative promotional
partnership with breaking artists, providing wine/music fans experiences not
possible with conventional sponsorship. Located just east of San Francisco
in the historic Livermore Valley, Wente Vineyards is recognized as one of
California’s premier wine country destinations, featuring wine tasting, fine
dining and championship golf. For more information, visit