Well, after a busy week and no updates we are back. Let’s start this weekend with a post on the multi talented Jewish rabbi Mr. Tzvi Gluckin. You know I have a thing with interesting names and I should admit that his name was the first thing that intrigued me (and you know I am obsessed with grassroots jewish music for the last months), but after some quick research I’ve come across a very interesting figure.

His style is unconventional and humorous, his message is powerful and focused, and the experience is inspiring and transformative. Tzvi Gluckin lectures extensively to English speaking audiences internationally on a wide range topics. He has served in the Israeli Army, holds a B.M. in Jazz Studies from the New England Conservatory of Music and received his rabbinical ordination from Rabbi Noah Weinberg at Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem.

Nice, eh?

I don’t know why I like Jewish music this much, It may be because I’m from a Middle Eastern country and our cultures have been together for so much time that most of the Jewish scales are already in Turkish / Arabic music as well, so I’m really familiar with the music, or simply because the music is so beautiful ? :)

Mr. Gluckin’s music has no chanting or singing, it’s traditional Jewish music with a quartet including percussions, bass, Jared Sims’ lovely clarinet and Tzvi’s guitar. I felt in love with the songs instantly, most of them really have the grassroots feeling, the funk, and the dance spirit, they also feel like soundtracks from 1960’s Turkish movies, you should definitely listen to this music if you liked the Jewish twists of Solomon Schwartz, this in a way has the same spirit as those songs.

Photo credit : Claudio Edinger