Breathtaking instrumental interpretations of familiar Jewish melodies that pick up where the words leave off, from virtuosic avant-garde guitar compositions to a haunting trance duet with howler monkeys.

9 MP3 Songs
WORLD: Judaica, NEW AGE: Meditation



Details:
"So few notes... So many ways to play them. Greg approaches each note with an elegance and creativity that allows the listener to hear old melodies again for the first time."
- Craig Taubman

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"Inspired music infused with the spirit of the Divine"
- Rabbi Art Donsky

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"Siegle is a young acoustic guitarist, a virtuoso in the John Fahey-Leo Kottke vein, who has turned his quick, expressive hands to Jewish music... The result is a very pleasant diversion that should make its way onto a lot of turntables as a prelude to sundown and the holy days.
Rating: HHHH stars."
- George Robinson, The Jewish Week 9/23/05

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"Takes melodies traditionally sung during Shabbat
services, removes the words and dicovers their
hidden potential"
- Jill Cueni Cohen, The Jewish Chronicle 7/7/05

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Notes (from Back Cover): "Words are the pen of the heart, but melody is the pen of the soul" - Rabbi Schnuer Zalman
Music is the vessel that makes the same centuries-old Jewish texts reflect peace or restlessness; strength of conviction or yearning. The instrumental arrangements on this CD are explorations of the vessels. The pieces slip back and forth between familiar melodies and interpretations that begin where the words leave off.

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A portion of the procedes go to Temple Ohav Shalom in Alison Park, PA.

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GREG SIEGLE is a unique presence in Jewish music. An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, his style blends the percussive two-handed guitar sounds of Michael Hedges and celtic stylings reminiscent of Pierre Bensusan with articulations characteristic of the most ancient Jewish music, including microtones and arrhythmia. Siegle once again proves that he is equally at home on the guitar, mandolin, and even the banjo on this CD.

Long time musical partners from the band KOL HAKAVANAH join Siegle on this primarily instrumental tour de force. SHARA TAYLOR's flute lends lush backdrops and intense melodic structure on four tracks. Cello virtuoso JEFF BORREBACH's improvisations on Oseh Shalom bob and weave around Siegle's guitar creating a meditative yet stirring whirlwind of energy. JULIE NEWMAN's haunting multi-layered vocals on the Cracow Niggun perfectly complement the staccato two-hand tapping guitar arrangement in an ecstatic, powerful, and seamless blend. The only words on the CD are sung by SHIRA KLINE (of ShirLaLa fame - www.shirlala.com) at the climactic end of L'Cha Dodi, allowing the arrangement to build to a peak only the human voice can reach.

Melodies:
Mizmore Shir - Carlebach
Tzadik Katamar - Maslo
L'Cha Dodi - Chassidic & Carlebach
Hashkiveinu - Taubman
Oseh Shalom - Hirsch
Cracow Niggun - Carlebach
Kaddish Shalom - Chassidic / Barash setting
Adon Olam - Aloni
Hodown La Sultan - From 19th century Hodu Lasultan