Velvel Pasternak (head honcho at JewishMusic.com) sent me a 3 cd set of some of the great master Cantors of the golden era of Hazzanut, and I was listening in the car. At first, I was overcome with joy, hearing these brilliant artists do their thing—even yelling out in sport metaphors like: “Bring it Yosseleh!” […]
Last shabbes I was in terrific voice. I realized this during the torah reading, while preparing to re-vocalize for musaf, by method of single malt throat lubrication. After the liquor, I chased it down with a few coffees and a very cute raspberry rugelleh. I wasn’t the least bit hungry, but had to eat something […]
In March of ’56, I was playing the outfield in a game of punchball on the cement grounds of Etz Chaim Yeshiva of Brooklyn, a school for boys,when Perry Horowitz punched a moonshot in my general direction. I screamed, “I GOT IT! I GOT IT!!” at the same time as a car horn blared. I […]
[youtube http://youtube.com/w/?v=eW-B-FMjasE] Some years ago, a beginning student came to my office for his first coaching session in Cha’za’nut and announced: “I want to study Glantz!” I told him: “You need to be able to walk, before you compete for Olympic Gold.” Notice I didn’t say run… As a child, I was reared listening to Cha’za’nut. Mordechai Hershman, Yossele […]
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A famous Cantor called from Israel to congratulate me on a recording I did of Hoshanos, (a prayer recited on the holiday of Sukkot) composed by my teacher, Moshe Ganchoff. He said: “Jackie, Jackie, I heard your recording of Ganchoff’s Hoshanos, and I had to call you to say how incredible your interpretation was. Not […]
In march of 1972, I auditioned for the Cantorial post at Temple Beth Torah, of North Miami Beach. This came about because the president of the Shul, a Hyman Katz, or HAAAAAAAAmen, as he called himself with his southern accent, recruited me, kind of like a ball player. Hy was an aficionado of the cantorial […]
Kwartin is noted for his rolling coloratura. Karniol’s coloratura is of the more “funky” variety. In this Kwartin example: Kwartin singing “V’al Y’dei Avodecho” one notes the simplicity of the coloratura. It’s mostly made up of figures of three, with the accent always going on the first of the three. The final result has a […]
I can’t believe I’m coming into the 21st century! But by gosh, I’ve done it! I hope you will enjoy my blog!
