Listen Up!
"LISTEN UP! is Chicago's uniquely compelling Jewish vocal group. What came across in every moment of their set was an adoration for singing, but not simply singing the same songs in the same old way, but turning these melodies and harmonies on their heads to come up with something unique and full of freshness and appeal when redefining musical rules, it helps to be good, and these four are very good - they lack nothing in imagination and the ability to sell their vision of a song."
The Chicago Tribune, December 1997
LISTEN UP! is the world's only Pop-Klezmer-Jazz-Yiddish-Hebrew-Country-Western band with no instruments!
LISTEN UP! provides dynamic Jewish and secular entertainment for any event, from a large concert or fundraiser to private parties. Since this vocal group uses no musical instruments in their performance (although you'd never know it), LISTEN UP! is the perfect choice for Sabbath events. LISTEN UP! has performed for a wide variety of audiences over the past seven years. Some of their credentials include: - UJA National Student Leadership Conference - Hadassah International Conference - USY International Conference - Jewish Youth Director's Association National Conference - Midwest CAJE - Council for a Parliament of World's Religions - Mayor's Office for Cultural Affairs (Chicago) - Community Foundation for Jewish Education Artist-in-Residence Series for Preschool through Grade School (Chicago) - Winner, Best Arrangement in the Midwest Semi-Finals of the 1998 National Harmony Sweepstakes Competition.
LISTEN UP! is routinely hired for a variety of events including Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Weddings, fundraising concerts, Community Artist Series, Shabbatons, Private Dinner Parties, National and Regional Conferences, Music Education Programs, and Public Festivals. LISTEN UP!'s eclectic repertoire spans both the Jewish and secular realms. Their 90 song repertoire includes a dizzying array of styles including Do Wop (Hebrew-wop?), Jazz, Swing, Klezmer, Rock 'n Roll, Country-Western (believe it or not!), Ska (ask your kids), and Reggae to name just a few. These styles are applied in a most refreshing way to a wide spectrum of Jewish music including liturgical melodies, Yiddish favorites, Israeli Chalutzi (Pioneer) songs, American Jewish Folk Music, Israeli popular music, and hilarious Jewish parodies of popular secular songs (i.e. "Jewish Food Jive" for the 1930's hit "Java Jive").
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Oy Mame Bin leh Farliebt Etz Chayim Tzena Yom Shabbaton al Kol Eileh Tzaddik Katamar Bei Mir Bist du Schoen Under The Chuppah Hineh Ba HaShalom Tum Balalaika Nisayon Hatikvah |
Although Listen Up! has two excellent recordings, "Shimu Na" and "Al Hanisim," in our catalog, weÕre happy to welcome their latest CD, "Jewphoria," to the Primarily A Cappella label. Listen Up! is Rebecca Singer, Moshe Mann, Michael Mendelson and Steve Singer. Here are 12 fresh and appealing, often funny, mostly Jewish doo-wop songs: "Oy Mamme Bin Ich Farliebt," "Etz Chayim," "Tzena," "Yom Shabbaton," "Al Kol Eileh," "Tzaddik Katamar" (w/violin accompaniment), "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen," "Under the Chuppah" (a takeoff on "Under The Boardwalk"), "Hineh Ba Hashalom," "Tum Balalaika," "Nisayon" and "Hatikvah." What comes across in all songs is a love for singing, a lot of talent and a sense of fun & celebration<ETH>an im-pressive third CD. Listen Up!<ETH>we want to hear more!
Listen to "Oy Mame Bin leh Farliebt" and "Tzena"
| 2945 CD $14.98 |
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Tov L'Hodot Ner Li Dreid'l Maoz Tzur Shabbos Nap Shir Mizmor L'David Utzu Etza Vashti's Song U-Mordechai Yatza Chag Purim Al Hanisim |
When the world's only pop,klezmer,jazz,Yiddish,Hebrew,country,western
band (with no instruments) has too much time on their hands, there is cause
for concern. True!! They wrote that on the back of this, their second CD. Vocal
inventions are of increasing importance such as the vocal calliope and violin
with hand clap metronome on Ner Li. Then there's the four-square gospel version
of "Maoz Tzur" which has you wondering just what in the world is going on just
before the medley transition into "Rock of Ages." Unusual juxtapositions of
musical styles and forms are the delight of Listen Up.
| 2226 CD $14.98 |
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Hineh Ba Hashalom Under The Chupah Jewish Food Jive Chai Arise My Love Dodi Li Yerushalayim Shel Zahav Tum Balalaika Ki L'Olam Chasdo Hatikah |
To use the term crossover for Listen Up is a little bland. How
about we use extreme crossover? That comes closer to describing a group whose
Jewish roots are found in Hebrew chant, whose rhythmic roots are Klezmer, whose
environmental roots are doo-wop, and whose goofy roots are country. Thus we
find a liturgical blessing mixed up with "Under The Chopah" (if the Drifters
performed at a Jewish wedding), "Jewish Food Jive" which stereotypes most of
the traditional cuisine, and back and forth among the religious and secular
leavened with with a heavy dose of humor throughout.
| 2225 CD $14.98 |
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