Album Notes

Nelle has been a performer for most of her life, actress, singer, poet and songwriter. In the last 5 years she has taken a detour from “love gone wrong” blues into exploring her Jewish identity through her music. The development of this music started with her study of Torah at Beth Shir Sholom in Santa Monica with Rabbi Neil Comess-Daniels.

“That Moment” incorporates her vocal gifts, writing talents and love of Torah to create a musical experience that is wonderful to hear with universal appeal in its contemporary commentary.

"As the lyrics came and the collaboration with Bob Packham and Peter Quentin developed, so did a kind of Shabbat service. I have listed each piece with its correlating part of the service in parentheses.

WISHIN' IT WAS SHABBAT BLUES (Shabbat Shalom) is about how good it feels to leave the grind of the modern work week and lose oneself in Shabbat. The making holy of a day with family and prayer and reflection about why we struggle to survive.

BIG BANG BLUES (Ashrey) really came from a conversation with my daughter, Aly-Rose, about how the Earth evolved and the controversy between science and Creationism. Here, they are not mutually exclusive.

FIRE AT NIGHT (Shema) speaks about the love of the Jewish people for God and God's love for us...the faith it took to make the journey from slavery to freedom.

MIRIAM'S BLUES (Mi Chamocha) is reflective of the feelings The Prophetess might have had after the joy of deliverance.

LORD WAKE ME UP (Hashkivenu) is a gentle lullaby recognising that God takes our souls at night and gives them back to us in the morning.

THAT MOMENT (Amidah) is any moment we, as Jews, take responsibility for being a Jew, as we did at Sinai and as we do when we become B'nai Mitzvot.

CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM (Shalom Rav) was written for an Interfaith Celebration of Songs for Peace. Why cannot the children of the same father and God live together on the same land, or, indeed, any land, in Peace.

ANYWHERE YOU GO (Haftorah) is from the Book of Ruth...a love song.

I AM A WOMAN (Kaddish) celebrates the sanctity of a woman's life and the inevitability of death.

NARROW BRIDGE (Adon Olam) recalls the words of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., with a nod to Bob Marley who taught us that to move forward together we must take risks, and we must not be afraid.

No words can express the great gratitude and love I have for those who facilitated this dream of recording my own music, in my own voice. These are special people who supported me for the love of music. And yet words must suffice. Todah rabah to: my producer Peter Quentin (the patient and multifaceted) for his guidance, time and talent; his wife Ellen Cox (the tolerant and hospitable) for her balance; my musical collaborators: Bob Packham (the oh-so-talented and self-effacing) for his melodies and his encouragement & Peter Quentin (the prolific and poetic) for everything; Roselee Packham (the loyal and true) for the joy of singing hers and Bob’s “Anywhere You Go”; Rick Kurshner (the quiet and direct) for the back beat and the swing; Bob Warford (the incomparable [Jimmy Paige called him the best B-Bender guitar player ever] and multi-hyphenated) for just saying “yes” and for the wonderful stories; Mike Stearn (the harmonious and wise) for the minor key that transformed “Fire at Night”; and, Barney Herrmann, whose mother will be happy he’s featured on a song about Passover.

Thanks also to: Steve Goodie for his advice, technical support and bass guitar; Dave Travis, for the late nights and his wicked guitar; and, Hershl Hartman for the Yiddish lesson. Also thanks to Rainbo Records and their sales and graphic design staff.

This CD is dedicated to my daughter, Alyson-Rose Mikaela Pingree, without whom I may not have survived the vicissitudes of life. She is my Torah and my Shabbat."