Eviatar Banai:  Abba (Dad)

Eviatar Banai: Abba (Dad)

At the risk of sounding hackneyed, I think becoming a father has made me a better person in every way. It has also given me new insight into all the father figures I’ve known, and, especially at this time of year—to use appropriate prayer book parlance—into the...
Joey Weisenberg:  Nachamu Nigun

Joey Weisenberg: Nachamu Nigun

The High Holy Days have arrived yet again, the busiest time of a cantor’s year. I find that a song without words (Hebrew: nigun) puts my heart and mind at ease more than any other. When composing this one, my friend and teacher Joey Weisenberg was inspired by...
Bill Withers: Lovely Day

Bill Withers: Lovely Day

Oooh that opening bass line! I am finishing this week of Song o’ Days with a number that is one of my all-time favorite mood-elevators, Bill Withers’ “Lovely Day.” This classic cut from a giant of 70’s soul music is a gift that keeps on giving. Jerry Knight’s opening...