Album Notes

Larry Fogel and Mindy Burns are a popular part of the American folk music scene in Israel. Both Floridian born, they immigrated to Israel with their families in their teenage years.

During his mandatory military service in the late seventies Larry was a self-appointed "one man band" with a guitar always ready for social entertainment. After his army duty, Larry began performing in clubs in Tel Aviv doing songs by Simon & Garfunkel, Don McLean, James Taylor, Bob Dylan, Jim Croce, Dan Fogelberg, Gordon Lightfoot, Crosby Stills Nash & Young and more. Afterwards, Larry dropped performing for many years to build a management career and to raise a family. In 2003, he returned to the music scene, and started performing at Folk Clubs around the country, where American folk music is played and sung, including performing regularly in the prestigious "Jacob's Ladder" annual folk music festival.

As a teenager Mindy was a lead singer in a Jewish music group that performed all over the USA and Canada. Throughout her adult years singing remained her love and she performed at parties and functions of friends and colleagues, doing songs by Simon and Garfunkel, Carole King, Bread, Harry Chapin, Barbra Streisand, and more.

Mindy and Larry met at the beginning of 2006 and happily combined their musical and song-writing talents to create original compositions in a folk rock style uniquely theirs. From the fun loving "Let's Grow Young Together", where you just can't help but smile and tap your feet, the gorgeous acoustic guitar solos and heartfelt lyrics of "Words, Words, Words", the haunting "Preacher", the lovely Brazilian sound of "Our Love Will Burn", the rambunctious “Fan Song”, to the peaceful walk through nature of "Waterfalls of Diamonds", "Two Hearts One Beat" is a journey of the heart and soul not to be missed.

For Larry Fogel and Mindy Burns it was "love at first listen" - you are sure to feel the same upon hearing this heart warming debut album!


CD Review of Larry & Mindy's "Two Hearts, One Beat"
By Harold Jacobs, "Folk Notes"

Barreling straight through Miami and Ft. Lauderdale from where Larry Fogel and Mindy Burns hail, I-95 also known as Interstate Highway 95, is the same airport road that launched them both onto an Israeli “collision course” trajectory whose impact blossomed into a rainbow of love and music. Upon first listen to this refreshingly unique CD “Two Hearts One Beat” you will easily recognize a rare duality of intensity and softness that projects from this couple’s lives and music; it’s indeed a passionate gift to the listener and about 98% schmaltz-free too. “Two Hearts, One Beat” makes you feel that it’s Valentine’s Day on every listen except for a song called “Preacher” that has about four times more rage and retribution than Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain”. It’s so painful that I (an incorrigible softie) often skip the track just to stay upbeat, but it is such an intense indictment of a relationship gone wrong that is only fully recognized through the eyes of the healing process of today’s subsequent rehabilitative true love. On those other days when I’m in combat mode, “Preacher” will evoke an encouraging and cathartic “yo girl”!

There is something so naturally tight, smooth and subtle about the instrumentation (all arranged and played by Larry) and the vocal harmonies that are sometimes multiple overdubs reminiscent of my all-time favorites: Marvin Gaye and CSN&Y. The CD opens with driving good CSN&Y-type harmonies in “You Can Come to Me” which is a song of love and support even when things are bad. Larry and Mindy also have a knack for taking commonplace environmental sounds like their dog howling or the ceiling fan clicking and incorporating them into their music in such a unique manner. Truthfully I like to listen to music at great volume and I wasn’t prepared for the sudden canine howl in “The Fan Song” - it sure got my adrenaline pumped. What best expresses what is going on here is a joyous duet “Let’s Grow Young Together” that goes: “When I met you, couldn’t forget you, yeah you set my heart on fire.”

The whole album was recorded in Larry and Mindy’s idyllic home studio named “Heaven” and the song “I Want Heaven to Be Perfect” invites us for a guided peek into their personal attic living/work space. The great keyboard-based arrangement is so exhilarating that during the instrumental solo I could only dream of joining-in on harmonica. The good news is that once you’re hooked on this CD, you won’t have to wait too long because Larry and Mindy are already working on their next album, and if you still can’t wait, I warmly recommend you catch their next live performance of “Two Hearts, One Beat” somewhere at a folk venue near you.

I guarantee that their music will put a smile on your face and will warm your hearts.

~ Harold Jacobs, "Folk Notes"