FunkeyMonkeys
Jewish 'Til You're Satisfied
Jewish classics seriously funked up behind a children's chorus of delight. From Funky Fiddler on the Roof to Afrobeat Hasidic to 70's Israeli AM Gold, and Old Testament Spiritual Rags. You don't have to be Jewish to love it.
JEWISH 'TIL YOU'RE SATISFIED is the 6th album from the FunkeyMonkeys; the NYC-based funk supergroup for children and families. Created and produced by Dora the Explorer composer, Josh Sitron. It is the follow-up to 2004's JEWISH FUNKEYMONKEYS CD.
Done in the spirit of inclusion, you don't have to be Jewish to thoroughly enjoy JEWISH 'TIL YOU'RE SATISFIED. And if you are Jewish, you might not. 17 eclectic Jewish classics are remade in an irreverent and ecstatic mix of children's choruses dancing atop styles from electro-funk, to 70's AM gold bar mitzvah disco; and old testament ragtime spirituals. Though primarily aimed at children, there is stuff in here that only the adults can truly appreciate.
The original inspiration for Jewish FunkeyMonkeys came in 2000. While recording music for Dora the Explorer with Boots the Monkey (the then 8-year old, Harrison Chad), Mr.Sitron started spontaneously jamming on a funny and funky version of 'Ma Nish Tanah: the Passover Four Questions song' in the recording booth (while waiting in between takes of Dora dialogue: 'bridge, gate, big red hill'.)
Frustrated with the corporate constraints and agendas of big-time kids TV, Josh soon left and created the FunkeyMonkeys project. The 1st FunkeyMonkeys album, in which a chorus of children funk their way through children's classics remade in house, disco, funk, hip hop, techno, reggae, and jazzy styles. The album was a hit, so Josh decided to do a Jewish one. Enlisting a dozen kids from the Ramaz school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, along with the incomparable Carey White on lead vocals, Jewish FunkeyMonkeys was recorded in the fall of 2002.
Repeated requests to hire the virtual 'band' for live performances, led to the creation of the FunkeyMonkeys live band / show, which boasts 6 members including a horn section which also counts membership in TV on the Radio, Antibalas, and the Davy Jones band.
Three albums of original, secular material from the FunkeyMonkeys, SING, DANCE & UNDERPANTS, TASTES LIKE CHICKEN, and MUSTACHE were created from 2002-2007. JEWISH 'TIL YOU'RE SATISFIED continues the madness.
JEWISH 'TIL YOU'RE SATISFIED: SONG BY SONG
1. Esa Enai - Lift Up My Eyes:
(Shlomo Carlebach) Transcontinental Music Publications.
Lily Shoretz - Vocals. Josh Sitron - Guitar, Bass, Synth, Loops. Kevin Raczka - Drums. Eric Biondo - Trumpet.
Afrobeat with electronic flourishes.
2. Hallelujah - Sing A Song
(Shimrit Orr, Kobi Oshrat) Intersong-USA, Inc.
Carey White - Vocals. Lily Shoretz - Vocals. Josh Sitron - Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Piano, Banjo, Organ, Drums, Percussion.
Steve and Edie made this Israeli made, international 70's hit. Rainbows and lollipos.
3. Rise and Shine - Children of the Lord
(Traditional)
Josh Sitron - Vocals, Piano, Bass, Loops, Drum Programming. Carey White - Vocals. Rosie Yadid - Vocals. Stuart Bogie - Tenor Saxophone. Eric Biondo - Trumpet.
4. Chag Purim - Purim Time
(Traditional)
Josh Sitron - Vocals, Keyboards, Bass, Drums, Loops, Percussion. Mike Gold - Vocals. Andrew Salazar - Vocals. Rosie Yadid - Vocals. Carey White - Vocals. Josh Bierman - Vocals.
Monkey Mike Gold makes an appearance as Haman in a mid-song skit.
5. Dayenu - It Would Have Been Enough For Us
(Traditional)
Carey White - Vocals, Josh Sitron - Keyboards, Synths, Drum Programming, Percussion.
The original, Passover smash, done like we always imagined it: bubblegum techno.
6. Let My People Go
(Traditional)
Josh Sitron - Vocals, Piano. Carey White - Vocals. Lily Shoretz - Vocals. Brian Carter - Drums. Eric Biondo - Trumpet.
We're all children of Israel, in bondage, to a certain extent.
7. Tsena Tsena - Go Out, Go Out
(Issachar Miron, Julius Grossman) ACUM
Carey White - Vocals. Josh Sitron - Synths, Drum Programming.
Pete Seeger and the Weavers had a top ten hit out of this Israeli folk song. Get up and dance to this disco house version.
8. Od Yishama - Carey’s Wedding Bedecken
(Shlomo Carlebach) Pub. by Shlomo Carlebach Music, Neshama Carlebach.
Stuart Bogie - Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone. Eric Biondo - Trumpet. Josh Sitron - Guitar, Bass. Brian Carter - Dumbek, Tambourine.
An impromptu jam in the FunkeyMonkeys new studio, The Playground, recorded as a gift for Monkey Carey on her wedding day.
9. Ma’oz Tsur - Rock of Ages
(Traditional)
Carey White - Vocals. Josh Sitron - Wurly, Organ, Bass, Drums.
The FunkeyMonkeys horns have played with members of the Amy Winehouse / Sharon Jones & Dap Kings classic soul resurgence, whose influence is felt on this track.
10. Hanukkah O Hanukkah
(Traditional)
Carey White - Vocals. Rosie Yadid - Vocals. Josh SItron - Piano, Synths, Drum Programming, Percussion.
11. I Have A Little Dreidel
(Michael Gelbart) Transcontinental Music Publications.
Carey White - Vocals. Lily Shoretz - Vocals. Josh Sitron - Wood Flute, Guitar, Rhodes, Loops, Drum Programming.
12. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen - To Me You Are Beautiful
(Shalom Secunda, Jacob Jacobs, Saul Chaplin, Sammy Cahn) Warner Bros. Music Corp.
Carey White - Vocals. Josh Sitron - Piano, Synth, Drum Programming. Stuart Bogie - Tenor Saxophone, Harmonica. Eric Biondo - Trumpet.
Monkey Carey loves this song, and made an impromptu performance of it at Sammy's Famous Roumanian Steakhouse in NY's lower east side.
13. Chad Gad Ya - One Little Goat
(Traditional)
Josh Sitron - Guitars, Tambourine.
14. Ein Keloheinu - There is None Like Our God
(Traditional)
Rosie Yadid - Vocals. Stuart Bogie - Tenor Saxophone. Josh Sitron - Drum Progamming, Synth. Rob Jost - Bass.
Electro-gospel. Pointer sisters anyone?
15. Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho
(Traditional)
Josh Sitron - Vocals, Piano, Drum Progamming. Stuart Bogie - Tenor Saxophone. Rob Jost - Bass, French Horn.
Another African-American spiritual, inspired by the Paul Robeson version from the 1930's.
16. Sunrise, Sunset
(Sheldon Harnick, Jerry Bock) R & H Music Co. OBO Mayerling Productions, LTD., Jerry Bock Enterprises.
Rosie Yadid - Vocals. Andy Sitron - Vocals. Josh Sitron - Guitar, Bass, Rhodes, Drum Programming, Percussion. Stuart Bogie - Tenor Saxophone. Clark Gayton - Trombone.
Funky Fiddler on the Roof.
17. Salaam - Peace
(Moshe Ben Ari) ACUM
Josh Sitron - Vocals, Piano, Organ. Lily Shoretz - Vocals.
Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease, let there be peace already.
:)
Spiritual: Judaica