Saturday, November 29, 2008

One Simple Thing - LIVE in Cleveland

Click on the video below for faster streaming!



Amazing new web-show - Go Amy Poehler!

While I'm not sure how I feel about their sponsorship being from Barbie (aka: unrealistic figures, shapes and sizes of women - see The Tribe movie and you'll get it) I do LOVE LOVE LOVE the new series that Amy Poehler has put together.

Smart Girls at the Party!
I love the take of of the "charlie rose" type of interviewing that they do and that they're interviewing girls about being themselves!

It's awesome!
As a Jewish Chick Rocker who promotes messages about being yourself and being strong with your convictions and choices in life, I totally recommend that you girls watch these videos.

Rock on, Amy and Co.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Jewish Chicks Rock: Jew Spot Interview and Cleveland Rocks 11.23.08

Jewish Chicks Rock: Jew Spot Interview and Cleveland Rocks 11.23.08

Jew Spot Interview and Cleveland Rocks 11.23.08

Friends,
Jew Spot Blogger Monica Rozenfeld published the following interview today. It really captures the essence of why we're on this mission.

I'm just flying so high right now because I'm in Cleveland with some amazing folks - I'm here for Storahtelling's performance of Becoming Israel, but I had the opportunity to work with 50 7th - 12th graders today at Bnai Jeshurun Congregation.
Here's a short video clip:

One Simple Thing 11.23.08

Early one sunday morning in Cleveland, I had the opportunity to play for and talk with some amazing teens at Bnai Jeshurun Congregation!

Naomi Less on iLike - Add iLike to your MySpace



I was so inspired I was by the juniors and seniors. I sat with about 11 of them and played them the track Responsibility (check it out at www.naomiless.com) The song is about injustice and what happens when someone doesn't speak out - person to person injustice. What's your Response-Ability!?!?!

So I ran through the song and some discussion questions with the students, shared two suggestions for facilitating to them:
1. Don't be afraid of the silence - when you put a question out there, sometimes it takes 15-20 seconds for someone to respond.
2. Try to invite as many people to participate as possible and not have the same two people answering all the time.

Well, they teamed up with a partner and facilitated amazing conversations about justice, their schools and lives, when they've found it challenging to stand up for someone, the risks involved, etc. And did an INCREDIBLE job.
WAY TO ROCK IT, CLEVELAND!
My thanks to Rabbi Hal and Erika Rudin-Luria for making this happen!
More tomorrow...
Very inspired,
Naomi

Friday, November 21, 2008

Cool Jew-ess Rocked it last night...

Amazing gathering last night - seems the women are making a dent. There was almost an even split of female and male acts at Lisa Alcalay Klug's "Cool Jew" book launch last night at the JCC Manhattan.

We performed surrounded by old Jewish signs that are being featured at an art event - it's Rabbi Michael Strassfeld's collection! (I put together a band for his congregation, SAJ - come join us once a month on Saturday mornings!) Here's a picture:Fellow Chick musicians, Chana Rothman, Michele Citrin and Ladino rocker Sarah Aroeste (pictured in red) rocked in their unique and diverse styles along with Storahtelling's own Franny Silverman. It's interesting, all the male performers were observant Jews - two ultra-ortho-garb wearing (Yisrael Campbell - my favorite favorite hilarious chasid!! and Rav Shmuel as well as the dudes from Blue Fringe) and all the women rocked out to their own post-denominational version of Judaism - what do you think that means?

Jewish Chick Rock Street Team members Mara Berde (President) and Monica Rozenfeld (from The Jew Spot) came out to support the event and support JCR as a Movement.

Monica writes about it in her blog.

and now...
I'm off and running - to perform and work with some teens at Bnai Jeshurun Congregation in Cleveland! Talk about a rabbi who rocks - get to know Rabbi Hal Rudin-Luria...i mean FOR REAL!

AND, if you're around Cleveland on Wednesday this week - come on out to Vine and Bean Cafe where I'll be doing a solo set!

Peace and Midwesterners!

Sunday, November 16, 2008

JCR invades GoGirls NYC Music Fest 11.14.08

I love playing Jewish music for Jews - I love to see people connect to their heritage, culture, tradition and spirituality in a different way than perhaps they're used to.

I also LOVE playing Jewish music for secular, not exclusively Jewish audiences. I love to be reminded that Judaism is a unique and special take on the world - and quite exotic - as I've been told - in that it's so ancient yet consistently being renewed and reinterpreted.

This is the experience I had on Friday night.
The band played as part of a women's music festival at Hank's Saloon in Brooklyn. It was so awesome singing "Hashkiveinu" and seeing the whole audience vibing to the incredible beats that Glenn put out there on the drums. It was awesome hearing everyone say "Meshuga'at" knowing that they're speaking a language that's ancient and new all in the same breath!

I was terribly proud of Judaism at that moment!

Here's a little pic from the event.

Rock on everyone!

JCR and Avoda Arts on the Move 11.12.08

This has been a busy week for the project!

On Tuesday, Nov. 12th Avoda Arts on the Move invited the band
to perform for amazing students at Baruch College - it's a special program to bring more Jewish cultural arts to the NYC based campuses! Baruch student Elina Bank (head of the Jewish Women's Association and on the Hillel Board) worked hand in hand with Arts on the Move program staff and arts advocate Jackie Miller to create an incredible event.

Hillel Director Matt Vogel rocked out with Jackie Miller...(above right)


Event organizer Elina Bank with the band as well as the Hillel Student President Manashe!


This was the debut of bassist Jillian Laboi and guitarist Lisa Bianco!

(Also featured is musical director Glenn Grossman and me.)

Notice the great Israeli flag they put up - little did they know I'd be doing an acapella version of Shir L'Shalom (Song of Peace)!


What an amazing group of students and incredible set of organizers!