Album Notes

The TishTones are the all-member band of Beth Shir Sholom, the progressive, reform synagogue in Santa Monica, California. Led by our cantor and rabbi, each TishTone volunteers his/her musical skills and enthusiasm in celebrating our one-of-a-kind Shabbat experience: the Shabbos Tish.

The band began in the early 1990's when Rabbi Neil Comess-Daniels set our Shabbat evening service around a table in the shul's social hall for a celebration weaving together music, prayer, study, dance, meditative moments and poetic expression. In the beginning, two or three musicians joined Rabbi Neil on guitar, violin and piano. Over the years, the band has grown in size and repertoire, featuring new pieces from composers in the band and using our "ten thousand opinions" to create original arrangements drawn from our rich tradition of Jewish music. We continually strive to wed the music to the meaning of the text in order to heighten the spiritual experience of our congregation while giving each musical setting a unique TishTone spin.

The TishTones are thankful to the Beth Shir Sholom volunteer adult choir who join us on four songs arranged for the band and choir by David Shukiar. We are also grateful to the leadership and congregants of Beth Shir Sholom for being "the eleventh TishTone" for so many years, bringing community and sincerity to every new note we play.