0:00 / 0:00
NSN Kosher Halftime Show 2023 featuring Yerachmiel Begun and the Miami Boys Choir
6,530 views
Featuring:
Miami Boys Choir
Categories:
Music
Comments(0)
Transcript
Auto-generated transcript. Not time-synced to the video.
hello everyone and welcome to the not
home Siegel Network presentation of
coaster halftime show
2023. Believe It or Not our 10th kosher
halftime show brought to you by the
Rothenberg Law Firm at injury lawyer.com
today our coaster halftime show is a
much anticipated
long-awaited interview with your ahmiel
begun the founder conductor
choreographer arranger of the Miami Boys
Choir as many of you know a few months
ago Miami which has been so popular in
our community for decades they just
celebrated their 45th anniversary all of
a sudden went viral on Tick Tock and
other social media platforms your ahmil
has not spoken at length with any media
Source since that Viral explosion he
reserved that for us here at the home
Siegel Network so with great pleasure I
say hello and welcome
that is an unbelievable intro thank you
but you left that one thing and that is
composer sorry about that and to you
that's probably the most important and
definitely the most important part is
definitely most important part I started
as a composer right and then I didn't
know what to do with the songs I figured
once you have songs you know what you
get to do so I wound up through certain
people that directed me hey why don't
you make a choir the whole choir was
only a a what happened you for someone
to sing your song right I never thought
of singing myself I was in Yeshiva right
I was like a 17 18 year old boy Yeshiva
and I could become a singer so I figured
you know what am I going to do get it so
somebody said well make a choir and at
that time was the Toronto Pearce when I
was in Toronto so you know the composers
are starting but then I had to learn how
to conduct the choir and then I had to
learn how to make choreography and then
learn how to produce the shows but
started first and foremost that was the
driving thing and it's it's funny that
that's the one thing I left out when to
me as an observer of everything you've
done for Four decades
that's probably the thing I understand
the least I get choreography I get the
leadership when you're on stage with the
choir but trying to Fathom how one
composes a song I'd never been able to
figure it out I tell you sometimes I
feel the same way
I sold writer's block right that's
antibodies black but I just write well
writer's block is when it's not coming
out right and you say to yourself well
it makes sense why how am I able to make
it so much right but when you don't have
the writer's block and especially when
the song just comes you know like people
say the songs are in the air and all
those type of talks and but it just came
so how did that happen that I also don't
understand obviously it's the Minnesota
type of a thing it gives certain people
the ability to describe but their
emotions through music other people
describe their emotions by making a 40
million dollar business deal I guess
that's where they they channeled their
emotions other guy's an artist makes the
painting you know it's it's just a a ton
of to if you feel a certain way that
they can make it come out in a song and
if there'd be an original song even
better
why did you wait till now and believe
you me you know because I've said it to
you privately and now I'm saying it
publicly I'm honored to have this
distinction but why'd you wait till now
to make any public comments regarding
what happened a few months ago well in
September when this whole thing happened
and the calls were coming in from all
over from the Jewish media from the
secular media
so my feeling was is that
whatever I would say to these people in
first of all a lot of these interviews
were either by phone or whether they're
going to come down we're going to be
like a okay what do you think about that
what do you think about that and I just
feel whatever would be said would just
not come across right
would be like you know they're all
looking for maybe perhaps you know to
answer one or two questions and wouldn't
have the the the the the depth meaning
to say like this when I'm working with
you we've done stuff together for
30 years I mean maybe it's more but we
started say 40. 40 years when we're
sitting here now those 40 years are with
us the understanding we've spoken about
music we spoke about these things and we
have the the friendship that we
developed so I felt the comfortability
from a friendship point from a historic
point from a depth point and and I knew
that the type of questions that you
would ask would be appropriate so all
those things together made me feel like
let me not do any interviews and if and
when you're interested
um I'll be more than happy to do well I
appreciate that in the General Media
you'd have to and I'm sure this is part
of what you mean it'll give you an
opportunity to really explain things
well they they will take sound bites
that have no backgrounds and context and
that makes it very difficult for the
viewer and listeners to even understand
what's going on so right I appreciate
that you appreciate this forum yeah now
that was the that was the only way the
first time I would do an interview to
talk about this had to be if you know
with you you know it would be follow-ups
I don't know it will be but this I felt
and this is I must have turned down
you know between both Medias in the area
the 30 to 50 interviews so I'm happy
that you asked me to do this and during
this um Super Bowl time as a alternative
than watching what they're doing which
is really your concept yes which to me
is the big Mitzvah that you're doing in
that
um and this year I really hope people
are taking advantage because uh the the
NFL makes some some uh improper choices
let's put it that way and I won't say
anything first exactly so I I I think
it's unbelievable thing that you do this
thank you and that the world should know
more about what the it's not just a soup
it's not a Super Bowl intermission show
it's in a proper alternative Super Bowl
intermission show so I think that has
serves a great value appreciate that
um so many people are familiar with the
story that your son suggested to you
that there is this social medium
platform called Tick Tock and he had a
feeling and I can only imagine if he has
the same type of the same type of
feeling when it comes to these things
like his father does I can imagine that
there was some token to it there was
some he brought a good case to the table
let's put it that way yeah and he said
if we go ahead and explore this option
of promoting Miami and featuring some of
their videos on this platform it could
go somewhere and your reaction was well
my my son hananya he had a line that he
used when he mentioned it to me I think
we were sitting on these exact couches
by the way and um and we were
this after I had moved to Jackson you
know remember Brooke Brooklyn boy my
whole life Luther Jackson with a little
more liking the adjustment to make the
adjustments and he says tati he says
what do you think about
um this idea of putting it on the ticket
I knew nothing what Tic Tac was at all
right exactly on the social media that I
knew about was Instagram right and I
don't really didn't understand it I just
we put some pictures and some uh
understand exactly how this is working
how it's getting to people but it's
getting to people it's getting to people
you know but he's used a line
of my legacy he wanted to
the Miami his father's Legacy to be more
um I've got which word he used to meet
more robust to be a grander or put out
there the Legacy should be uh that's
some point of a legacy I remember the
end of this did he mean it
generationally that you you should be
promoted to a group that may not be as
familiar with you I didn't think he
meant that I'm not sure he meant that
but I said what's going to be the
topless what's going to be the purpose
you're going to go put on on to wherever
this Tick Tock thing who's going to
watch it I said the from people the from
people already saw it I didn't
understand where is this going to go
right so a bunch of from people instead
of watching it over here watching it
over there they're going to watch it
over there so what do you do no you
don't understand it could go viral I
understand we mean viral what does that
mean exactly it's funny that he sensed
that my son is more there's something
too he knows more that world you know
Young Generation right so I said you
know what you want to put a couple of
explain to me that they're short they're
shorter pension span today's world you
know all that those stuff okay you want
to put on let's see what happens so I
think that I I took the idea that he
presented said you know what you want to
try it you want to see mine you know
that's basically what it was you know
we're doing Miami for like I said 45
years
and um you know okay so let's go for
let's see what happens you know I I
believe it would just be like you know a
couple of only later that I find out
that there were other Jewish music
singers on Tick Tock already
and they didn't get that many views it
was not that much views some of them
have 8 000 on The View five thousand if
two thousand people in the millions
right there was nothing there there was
somebody talking there a lot of people
for whatever reason they use the
platform right so I that's what I
thought would happen therefore what's
the topless okay so that was my I said
but you know what
and it came after this word the Legacy
that that word legacy wound up really is
very interesting and then we'll talk
about it I think if we get to it I think
it really had
um a big not only an outgrowth thing to
the rest of the world but it really had
an effect even on the from Community
interesting uh and and therefore I think
he wound up in the sort of a backdoor
approach yes affecting the Miami Legacy
which we'll we can go into very
interesting
um when he went ahead and uploaded I
assume more than one video to Tick-Tock
uh did he give some thought was there a
process which videos and why these
videos or was it basically let's throw
it out there and see what happens I
don't know he he had his makshaba of the
ones that he felt were right then he put
his comments on he knew how to put these
comments you know him and I gave him all
the Miami videos there's like 20
full-length Miami videos concert videos
hours and hours of videos here it is do
what you want you know you know and he
went he started to pick certain things
originally and it it was interesting
what he picked I watched it I didn't
know how to get to it so he explained it
you know get to it and get the app and
the thing and then the couple was going
on and then and then the first one got
like 3
000 and 4 000 and 5 000 and I I couldn't
even understand those numbers by the
what five thousand how did five thousand
people find out about it so fast right
yeah he couldn't understand this so fast
you're starting to understand what viral
men yeah what do you mean what do you
mean five thousand I mean our Market got
to put it in the juice press gotta go in
the knuckles show and then we could talk
about maybe I hope that maybe you'll
retry that some people I understand what
do you mean by that so but I figured
okay there's some from people there I
don't know they spoke to each other
and they found out you know
let's stand without
he put another one it increased a little
bit got the thirty thousand footies and
so that's how it's not why do you think
the yirushalayim one which I have to
assume as a casual Observer is the most
popular one why do you think that one
was the one that went viral I I mean
that's the the the like they said a six
million dollar question why that song I
know that the ones he did before that I
thought were pretty good videos and it
was pretty good and then there was this
video and another one and another one I
think it was like this must have been
like the 15th one wow I think so and the
numbers are going up on the other ones
they weren't going into the millions
they were like a hundred thousand this
one right made a rose so I think I think
why it had it erosion and again
this is only my theory of the immediate
erosion there was not we're not going
into the idea of why uh this Jewish
music video would have affected people
worldwide that's a you guys question
about the specific or for months yeah
why was it this one so I think this
video she picked something which had
four soloists start with four soloists
and I think that the that the world as a
whole can identify with individuals more
than a quarter ah two abramowitzes a
hershco it's in a bender right and they
were close-ups right so all the other
ones were a little bit from a distance
acquire and this type of thing very nice
sounds good
and the heat suddenly did something to a
wheel uptight close thing and people are
into the individuals sure even in the
Jewish music world we have so many
singers people identify with the singers
identifying with the choir is not as not
as easy because who are you really
following am I following the choir you
know the younger the kids they're not
following me they're following the choir
so there is a a social media thing and
the viral and the following you know
this guy's eating lunch and these things
he's eating lunch on his Instagram and
he's walking to school and he's coming
back from this is all following the
person but he following a choir and I've
never over the years really featured the
kids right something that we've
discussed right many many times right
what would happen if someone approached
a member of the Miami Boys Choir and
asked for an autograph right and my
policy throughout the years absolutely
there's no autographs there's no I in
team we are a team
correct and what's proper and I don't
think that kids have to see themselves
as part of that not as individuals and
start to get to their head and by the
way autographs is yesterday's selfie for
those watching who may not know right
what autograph fits right right exactly
so that type of thing was always General
policy and and foreign and that led
itself to a certain divider from what's
improper and all that so I I think that
the the the idea of you know
that that they were individual for kids
I think that when it came out to the
belt and it came out to the non-ferment
people and into the uh into the
non-jewish that was the impact of that
video and he wrote some very smart lines
on top of the four so was and the way
that was video and the song started with
that that I think had a high impact and
then of course they sang great right but
I think that was I think might have been
it how ironic and maybe that's the wrong
word
that you shallian ends up being the
theme of what goes viral because you
have to admit if there's something that
we want the world to recognize and pay
attention to and celebrate one of the
concepts or you know one of those things
is going to be Jerusalem yeah well
there's a plus I can tell them called
the beginning of Taylor says Hashem sits
in shamayam and you suck he smiles or he
laughs this I think falls into the gets
a kick out of it something of that sort
I think the front should go a little bit
different from something but yeah
I think this is definitely you have
people who never heard the word
Jerusalem singing yerushalayim right the
fact is the first million people or
start to go viral and it went viral very
close to Rosh Hashanah it was a million
a day at that time I don't even think
anybody knew what it was from out in the
world correct and then some people
started to say what does this mean what
does this mean people started to
translate and all that and eventually I
saw that Ben Shapiro put out a video and
he said so this is however ironic this
is you know but I I think that it was
something that uh when a coach Burke who
decided to like I said at the Hask show
pressed the button and decided to make
this happen because there wasn't any of
my effort I did nothing as the story is
clear
um I think that by
this song became the thing that
was like obviously it's it's a message
for the world if they want to know what
it means right right and uh he said it
very smartly Ben shapiri said not only
is it a message that uh about you shall
I mean and that Hashem surrounds the
world but it sounds your surrounds you
shall I am but all that there is a
Hashem in the world and all these
multiple messages are in this sentence
but yet it didn't really offend pretty
much 99 of the comments were all
positive all right and more than that
pro-jewish and Pro this and very heavy
statements so I think that the fact that
it was you Schwan if the song would have
been about something else it sort of
caused this multi-dimensional thing and
that became an unbelievable factor that
the song was about yushalayim more with
your begun coming up after this
commercial break keep it here at the
kosher halftime show we're here in
pimonte this is the area where all the
truffles come the black truffle the
white truffle even the dog say we go
side let's go
oh wow
[Music]
now you and I have had only one
conversation on this topic since Rosh
Hashanah
um in fact if I knew this was going to
happen back then I wouldn't have had any
conversations well I can't remember
anything so we have one conversation on
the phone where I called you and
basically as a friend said you know just
tell me what you're going through with
this whole thing right right right and
in that conversation you and I
from different Avenues we sit in
different places in the Jewish music
world
basically came to the same conclusion
and that conclusion was you know the
question is
this going viral what's going on and the
answer we came up with
was that there are people out there
thirsting for meaning and thirsting for
appropriate funny we say this during the
kosher halftime show thirsting for
appropriate entertainment and
appropriate atmosphere and there's no
doubt in my mind I'm sure you feel the
same way that even a simple Hamish
well-produced Jewish music video can
bring people into that type of
atmosphere and feel like hey there's
something good about this there's
something really nice and pleasant about
it yeah we talked about it I think that
we touched upon I'll say it if you don't
feel comfortable saying it is that
listen the world the way it's developed
over the list
you know 30 and 40 years and more God
less and less spirituality and more
focus on secularism and all that type of
thing and anything goes in life and all
these type of things
that all this song came along and
reached these millions of people that
are not part of the firm world and these
people are are touched by this and
they're being
they don't even know why they're touched
by it that was the question the question
is what is it in this music that's
touching them and that's filling
something spiritually
and they decided to make videos of it
and the comment on the imitating but but
the bottom line is the general comments
through work this is doing something for
me this is doing something for me right
by everybody
and I want to be Jewish because of this
in the thousands and thousands such
comments and people who are not Jewish
people who are Jewish said now they want
to go to Minion and people didn't put on
Films those comments are what is the
what is the shot what did why did this
happen
what was this music touching them
and to me it was sort of like this is
what we spoke about but that there is a
a spirituality in the music based on
my Torah upbringing but my my turbine
but my music is a contemporary blend of
that but it still has a
um you know I'm from the Yeshiva World
so it has a toradica
um
feel where it comes into and that is
what they're feeling that's what they're
hearing but they never heard anything
like that think about it that before
this these millions of people which now
that one video is
12 million and the amount the videos
that are now have been seen
Through The Tick Tock uh universe that I
have a hashtag of Miami Boys Square
it's now up to
261 million if you look under you can
see it when you go search
under Miami Boys square and it gives you
a choice it's what it's called hashtag
you hit the hashtag and it says now it's
up to 206 when it first started was 100
million now it's 261 million now
views two interesting views of Miami
Boys car videos not only this video
other videos what is it why are they
watching this if anything they should
say oh it's not for me
it's not for me they got all this other
the answer has to be that's touched the
nerve such a spiritual nerves and
something in them
and that's had that effect there's a
wholesomeness there that they are
gravitating to even if they don't
realize that they're grounded right
right it's good Melody well-performed
professional impressing people about the
Jewish people which is wild and comments
over there which are have shocked me
about you know uh well if this would
have come out
under Nazi Germany it must be hundreds
thousands than that never would have
happened right I mean what is why what
is this about what makes someone say
that it's so
it's touching them in a way and
impressing them which we took for
granted because we have this for 45
years in our field so that alone should
be
a lot for thought
is it a good song
is your slime a good so what does it
rank in your Alpha meal beguns uh
hundreds and hundreds of songs maybe
thousands I have to be honest it's a lot
better than it was
because honestly and you know that I'm
very honest with you right
it's not your best song no it's not it's
not in fact I would put it as you know
kind of nice intro yeah has a great hook
as the as the kids would say right and
you know right
it is
um a a shocking thing that a song that
was a secondary song at that time right
uh yeah javo and you had the galley and
you had uh talk about that term 2008 and
mashiach but I'm not talking about songs
it's actually on the Machine album right
right uh then you have the yovo album
and the other video I mean you know we
when we talk about Miami songs people
told oh the great Miami song Sunshine
and the hair and you know whatever other
songs so it is surprising so if you're
doing the ranking of let's say 400 songs
that I made on albums it ain't gonna be
near the top it's gonna be now I mean
now somewhere in there but it would have
been somewhere around maybe uh 150 200
exactly so so it is so it is
unbelievable that that song and then
other songs
which have now gone on to and spread out
there have not gotten the 12 million
they've gotten some have gotten 2
million one million 600 000 which is
also viral but nothing has gotten that
amount to that alone is you know needs
needs to be uh understood but it's funny
that your salaam is from the mashiach
album because the mashiach album is not
your conventional Miami album I did a
little bit of research and there's uh
some guest stars on a studio album which
is really unusual for for what Miami was
doing all those years yes and there were
medleys of songs that were not Europe
began songs which is also very unusual
so isn't it funny that that so song is
representing Miami to the world and it's
really from a source that's so different
from your usual that's a very
interesting point in fact it also will
tell you something that when did I
compose this song
when was each line composed and I'll be
able to answer that now
what happened was is that in 2005 we put
out the revok album right and every once
in a while we put it into him albums but
our greatest hits we do other type of
things
around them being you know really
unbelievable but the next album was yovo
in 2008. now now in 2006 or 2007 I was
invited
to come with the choir before Purim to
Earth Israel to do a show there in the
yadolio
and it was about show
so I figured okay I need a messiah song
right and they wanted to fly out and
we're gonna do like I don't know 40
minutes on the show it was in Galileo
and it was like flying in and out in two
days because the kids had school and put
him before him so we took the show and I
went out there with only with soloists
like with um
I think seven or eight kids it was the
first time I had gone out with seven or
eight kids to do a concert as opposed to
a full choir right we had at that time
uh you know much many more kids
so I said you know what let me try I'll
go with seven eight kids
which means each kill have his own
microphone
the whole idea of every kid having is a
microphone really visually only starting
the Yellow Album all the previous videos
they're standing by I remember the first
night you did it in Brooklyn right the
yellow was the first one that everybody
where did that come from
um the Royal microphone was an idea I
had for years before but I practically
uh there was a problem with the
technology everybody on their own
microphone but eventually they got
better
so we went to do the Heritage Trail show
at the Chabad show in Yana Leo I made
this machine got it arranged had it
taught it to the kids
and that's how the Michigan was made
went to use July went there I just went
to Tel Aviv and I was there for a couple
of days I was in Irish alive for a day
or two that's when I made the usual I am
song now you show lives always made at
that time when I went to Heritage Israel
either on when I went to your slime or
on the plane whatever they slimestone so
I had I didn't sing it at the concert so
I came back and and the Michelle so when
they went crazy of the song it was like
a wild wild and we did it at that show
at that show we did it twice once when
there was at 12 o'clock they were
closing the lights we did a second then
one earlier and then I came back I said
you know what I gotta put out the song
and then I had a pesach concert with
other singers and other things and I
figured you know what I have this thing
I have some other singers some other
stuff I had the machine
song and I'll put this album out and
that came out the mashiach album that
came out I had a different version of
your slime had Yoshi Bender in the
beginning and that's how the meshiach
album 2007 a year later we put out the
Yellow Album which had all those other
songs
was not on that album right and we did
the video of that concert and then we
did use shalayam juried that event on
that yeah that's how that answers the uh
that's funny because it's sort of it's
sort of that that huge Limestone was
created by accident when you think about
it yeah or it wasn't planned at least
um so I'm sure plenty of people are
curious
um
obviously for the last 45 years you've
always had a plan going forward with
Miami uh you and I have always discussed
how in both of our Industries we've
adjusted really well thank God every
time we get into a new era so to speak
and there have been a lot of eras in our
in our careers at this point
um does this change your plan not at
this viral sensation has occurred is is
your I don't know your your calendar of
future projects or in general your
attitude towards future projects any
different than when you started 2023
well that's a great great Point
um I think I have to be split into two
parts one is
you know promoting the Miami music to
the world that's through obviously
through social media and continue to do
that
old videos new videos of the choir a new
song or whatever
so that's like part one part the second
part is to our regular from world to our
world that we've been working for 45
years now this whole thing
had an effect on the from world right
because the film world now said oh wow
what happened in Miami of course we've
been following Miami but so a lot of
people in the from World took a second
look at Miami which they had not maybe
looked in for a while right some people
had right well these you know and they
start to hear these songs a lot of
people that didn't even know a lot of
the song from yovo who didn't even know
those things the stuff that was being
viral and suddenly they would say wow
these songs you know and then people
started to listen on the Spotify and all
these things so the firm world started
to give a a stronger re-listen got tons
of emails and letters from people
from people as well as none but saying
you know I really didn't appreciate till
now and now I appreciate what just the
songs are and then this and then the
co-host and spirituality and
where was this person
the last 20 50 years right where was
this person they went elsewhere they
went down so all of a sudden you know
NBC News is appreciating you they've
they've turned more attention and this
Lent itself to reevaluating
I had all my new songs all set at the
end of the summer all recorded for an
album that would likely be released when
which was going to be released the
latest
before pesach now in the next few weeks
that was the original plan maybe even
early it might have been a mechanica but
when this happened in September and this
whole fool out my feeling was one second
you know is now the time to be releasing
a new album in the middle of this to me
it's just like I have a new album
I have a new album all these songs are
now all the old albums are new album
this became new so it seemed to be
almost like would be the wrong time so
what is your timetable now so now
because when I was last visiting with
you right you were alluding to the
possibility of it being out before Purim
is that now not going to happen I think
that I became very busy with this and
um you know I didn't compose any more
songs because I'm very happy with the
songs that were there I really really
happy with these 10 12 songs that I have
it wasn't like oh I have all this extra
time now I'm going to compose new songs
no I I really I really like the songs
and we did them in concert we did four
or five songs in concert
and well received but I didn't give to
the audience the real kanaka deck of
songs I didn't even give that out and
the songs were well received and um
you know right now
you know I can't say that it's something
that I would I would be able to put out
now earliest log Bomer it sounds like
earliest
um I think that right now I have to let
this new album ride
you know we have a new album right now
there's a feeling of this I might put
out a single right I might put out a
single in the middle now
maybe before maybe before a new custom
that's developed that we never had
you're right the singles world right
which I don't totally understand that
either but that's the world we're in
um and the uh so so we have to see
exactly in the meantime while all this
happened new boys entered the choir
right and the popularity of the choir
has to assume among those kids who want
to be in it is and I recorded the choir
before the summer on their on the songs
right so now becomes the question of a
lot of news and the choir a lot of new
kids now do I want to include them in
the recording of that so it's a little
bit of a modification I spoke about this
new popularity which I certainly
appreciate
um
were you on stage between September now
at events that you probably would not
have been on stage for if not for this
viral sensation well there's no question
that the call is coming in
high volume they want Miami right and uh
not only from the from world but from
the
um less from world or the whatever the
amount of Orthodox to the to the
Federation and Jupiter on and on and on
and calls that I don't think anybody
ever got to perform
unfortunately a lot of those shows we're
talking about let's say 40 to 50 calls
for shows but a lot of these shows I
can't go with the kids they're in school
right so I can't just run off in the
middle of the week or go here I can't do
it so it's very very few so times and
Slots that we can go run around out of
town
I can't just run off to Portugal and do
a show man I'm not going to do that yes
during the summer but it's not really
possible to do a lot of these shows so
there were a lot a lot of calls and a
lot of these calls I told them it just
was not possible maybe another time
maybe another thing right so there were
a lot but there are a lot of shows and
even the shows that we did do have been
quite busy uh since then which shows but
picked out the ones that make sense well
I was in LA they were talking about your
performance I was on stage with you at
Hask they got a tremendous reception
right and uh and the receptions are have
been pretty strong right sometimes
pretty even stronger than usual because
you have to admit the reception's always
been strong for Miami but yeah you know
when you had a reception like you know
uh you know when I first put out a donut
aluminated the crowds were wild you know
was a different type
of
wild a different type of almost the
difference here it's important how many
shows did we do songs we had these big
hits and ended with the big hits ended
with the revoc and with that don't Alum
that the crowd was wild right but but
here
there was an element mixed into this
few elements but one of the elements was
the life of the crowd was almost like
with a pride a certain Pride right that
this music has become worldwide but it's
really our music you know from different
world so it's like a prime that the
crowd has a pride in it
and almost like a like a almost like a
um a spiritual there's a word for it I
forgot the word it's almost like you
know where everybody is like an epiphany
right and that together with that wow
but I could see it in the eyes of the
people I could see in the thing there's
a like a happiness of this thing that
they know it's out there we're doing it
here so it's different than you know
okay a big hit song from the past right
and again you know we'll do a show now
we say view slime for the end right but
right which is to become the Encore
right right that's part of the new album
there you go a few moments ago we
mentioned that you were at the Hass
concert with uh with the Miami Boys
Choir just a couple of weeks ago we
actually have footage from that event
take a look at this
[Music]
foreign
[Music]
[Applause]
myself
foreign
[Music]
use your life
[Music]
foreign
[Applause]
[Music]
yeah
so uh there's some Curiosities that
people have I know as an Insider that
your and we discussed this earlier with
some of the policies of the choir I know
that you're very careful about the image
of the choir to say the least and
rightfully so
um how did you think the four soloists
from yesteryear handled the entire
situation some of them decided to do
low-key to be low-key
um
depends on what they are where they are
in life you know are they in Yeshiva are
they not Yeshiva they are being a
businessman already you know these
soloists since 2008 so now it's 14 years
later so if at that time they were 12 or
13 right you told about 26. well
if somebody's already out there in the
world and what his background was also
you know what kind of background he had
so but as a whole I would I would say
they've been respectful they've they
spoke with they've got called by
newspapers and by this and that they
spoke with me respectfully about about
it and I think they've handled it pretty
good
um I uh you know I I'm I I do like that
the music should speak for itself I'm a
big believer in that you know you know
like okay and that's part of the reason
why I didn't do an interview let the
music speak let it be let it be you know
give it a chance to breathe yeah you're
gonna go right away well I was this and
I was that and I was let it be now we're
sitting here in January with a
perspective
from September October to 77 for five
months a different field different
perspective not like so I I I I'm a big
believer on let it be let the music
happen
so um so I think they did okay it sounds
like generally yeah they acted like
Miami people I think so to a degree they
have that training to know what to say
and what not to say because Miami is not
just being trained in music or in
harmonies or how to grab a microphone to
be a soloist right there are other
components to it as well and part of it
is the the image that they project and
right you've made that obvious over the
years I mean part of what we've spoken
about many times is the is they um I'm
to be to be mature to know what to say
how to be take uh take ownership of your
responsibilities what to do and to be
more self-aware and all those things
come to besides the vocal training and
the musical training that's part of it
you ask any producer and they'll tell
you the key to success is great songs
right that's what it comes down to uh
all the other stuff is you know nice
add-ons
um is that the success of Miami is the
majority of the sets of Miami because
hey the bottom line is that from the
beginning they've just been great songs
well my father all of a seldom would
definitely say yes
my father was a very big believer and
it's all about the songs now there are
stories of great songs that have been
sung by certain artists that were not so
good that didn't make it until it was
re-sung by the different artists right
so
um I think that the Miami's Foundation
are the great songs
that and then that I was that I was
mozoka to write but then making a great
singer on top of it I look at Miami as a
singer right it's an entity it's a
singer the singer is the choir the
harmony of this forget about the
choreography forget about the stage
training them for real singing live in
concert how to sing how to breathe how
to this how to sound like a mature I
think that the combination
is really where it came across that
takes it over level if you have the
great song but it's not gonna it's just
not gonna make unless it sounds
you know an A1 thing so I I think that
the foundation is definitely the song
There's no question about that
with that in mind before
this Maya album came out there were a
lot of great songs that you were
responsible for both Miami and you know
through other venues but it seems to me
that that album all the way back in
1984. is now viewed as a landmark
revolutionary album the number of great
songs on it the variety The Incredible
potpourri if you will of both fast and
slow songs so many of them that mean so
much to the to the Jewish World all
these years later discovered by
youngsters who you know who were not
even a thought when this album came out
is is it is it looking back historically
was that album as vital as I'm
portraying it or Miami would be where
they are right now even without a
landmark a musical event of that era I
believe that that album
was a change in music
meaning it was the yeshivish sound with
a contemporary sound with great songs
simple Arrangements
and very nice singing that contemporary
sound with my sound
was something that the believe it or not
had not been there before 1984. if you
look back before 1984 shlama Karbach
sounds and Sean McCabe was doing more of
a European
sound I mean your motor it's not a
contemporary up sound with national Deca
but great songs fantastic songs very
heartfelt and easy to sing and easy to
sing but it's a completely different
world you galsalek from London School
Jerusalem had or european feel also a
little more theater some of the song
Somewhere up
but as a whole it was more of a strain
wasn't this up contemporary Yeshiva
thing that people could be David was
doing a Hasidic band or whatever he was
doing so when this came along and the
early Miami apples wasn't that the early
hours was something else this came
across with this blend I think that
blend and those songs was the tremendous
Swedish now what I'm trying to say is
like this there are some people that say
those were the best songs and that's it
whatever I've done for the last 30 40
years oh it was very nice now but I
don't believe that way I believe that
that was such a see this and such a
breakthrough and so different that it
took its place but when you go back and
look at those on some great songs there
yeah but there's some great songs later
too but it was such a um important album
and such a breakthrough album that had
such a high impact again some people
might disagree they'll say wow there's
nothing like who and there's nothing
like uh right but I would turn around
say one second how about when how about
sunshine how about this how about uh
keep going so what what so what does
that mean but the impact of that album
was from the from the freshness of it
from the Breakthrough of it to the
degree that I was told
by somebody maybe you that when that
album came out you were in why you as a
disc jockey and you played the whole
album straight or is that on your
regular radio station I'm not sure no it
was probably a boy and that you played
the whole album straight now nothing to
take away from every song there's some
songs in that album which are okay not
every song is fantastic but it was an
unusual practice right that's what I
believe what that album did and then I
continued that tradition and just you
know composed differently or whatever
but the show Rich was the same show it's
moving forward my conversation with
rahmiel begun continues after these
messages keep it here at the kosher
halftime show
[Music]
thank you
[Applause]
[Music]
foreign
[Music]
any different now after this whole uh
viral video sensation do you feel a
responsibility you know what uh and by
the way we discussed this a drop when
Hanukkah came out when your Hanukkah
album came out because you viewed that
as you know what there are people who
may not be strictly in the from world
who may pick up this album or may be
attracted to it because of its theme
after all it's Hanukkah do you feel a
responsibility when you sit at the piano
now and start composing you know what I
really should compose something that
will have a Mass Appeal not not for
commercial purposes but a Mass Appeal
just to get more and more people into
this genre let them appreciate our
tradition even more
to be straight about that question
that's a great question is that like I
was telling you Mr sham the new album
will come out right and those songs are
finished but
but it was hit it was there was a
certain call that came in I don't want
to mention yet to do it to perform at a
certain event
and this event is
like a tremendous Jewish event
um big
whether I'm going to wind up singing the
or not I do not know and the person was
calling me trying to convince me to take
this job
to bring the kids and was talking about
what they do and it's developed like a
big care of event but very
and when I got off the phone
my feeling was you know what if I wind
up doing this and I want to make a song
for this event specifically that has
this sort of
you know as something that these people
a message for the event with 20 000
people I mean we'll see whether we wind
up doing it
will be like something that they'll be
able to identify with
within English it will be in English and
certain type of things so I am thinking
a little bit about making something that
could sort of but it would be something
that the firm world could also yeah of
course that has greater message I'm
thinking about that I do have a certain
idea in mind I think an important idea
I'd admit the song yet but in my mind I
hear it I didn't have time to sit down
and make it I did sing it once a little
bit to myself but I didn't record it but
I I think I know but I think yes this
muck them for that but I got to be
careful with that that it still has to
have the authenticity right ask them the
authenticity and the spirituality you
got to be careful if you start to
compose for that world right
but I I can't lose some of its flavor
right got to be careful and get that
that balance right uh there are some
amazing Jewish music stars on the scene
today who are Miami alumni
and you must take great pride in that I
can only imagine they learned a lot of
their stage presence from you in fact I
think you and I once had a conversation
um I think this was an Xavier
conversation where you said to me when I
was comparing one performer to another
you said yeah obviously he's better on
stage he did 200 weddings before he was
ever on stage the other guy never did
weddings and you and of course that was
a big lesson to me about what experience
is all about ten thousand hours etc etc
do you get the same type of nagas from
composers who are Miami alumni
um I tell you beyond I don't know that
many composers
a lot of singers right but I'm saying
the composing World there are a couple
out there
[Music]
um
I think when I think the answer to that
question if you don't mind I will sort
of make a house suffer add-on to regard
to the singers or the composers who are
Miami
if they are going in a proper way and
the type of singing or the type of songs
is a spiritual or a terroristic away a
proper way
not in a suggestive way but a proper way
then I'm proud of it
if it's not going to be that then I feel
like you know they went off they have
the skills if it fits the Miami rubric
you're happy about it I'm happy there
are composers out there that I think
you'd agree I followed that yes there
are there are a few right that compose
and a few right so I'm I'm I'm I love
that and I love to keep a connection
with them and they keep connection with
me so but when they're going off in
their life I call uh selling their souls
a little bit for what they think the
world wants and it's going away from the
icker of what Miami is but what I've
meant to do and to bring it these 45
years to the the fun world and now more
if they stay within that
I'm very proud of it nice
um people are curious about family
members uh there are people in the world
of Jewish music entertainment Etc
um who have children that
you know can do can do and often do
similar things
um it's it's well known to this point
that you know you have some children
that are certainly dabbling if not
completely in this Arena what do you
think well they've got all the town from
their mother by the way those who know
your wife would agree with you you know
I don't know where the talent comes from
you know I probably my genetic thing is
a little a little bit but I like to say
that that you know from my side it's all
for my father I like to give my father
the credit who was very familiar with
the world of entertainment and
presentation right my father had a
tremendous feeling of History right my
father was right before Covenant before
covert which everything is a blessing
right it was going to happen but the
bottom line is that um I give him
tremendous uh credit but but and uh his
understanding of music and what makes
the hit so long and understand your
performance I mean he gave over to me
tremendous and understanding of life
and um so I I feel that the kids were
yorish sort of from both sides
you know even my wife's father of Baron
Russia Shiva he was a rashiven much for
you all but he was a very worldly person
talented person he's saying he loved
music like I just felt that they got
this normal Yeshiva contemporary
combination it came from both sides and
my kids today have okay they're doing
their own blend they're doing their own
way
yeser and my daughter rohummy and now
she got married recently so now her
husband calls her Hammer but later I'm
still coming but the point is they all
are doing recordings and stuff they put
out songs and my daughter now is a choir
of her own High School choir called
regish and Eliezer puts out songs they
just recently put out very very nice
song so I couldn't even playing on jam
and the am yeah really okay that's good
and then and then has his yti that he
does so they're all doing their thing
um and I I believe that uh you know it's
in there
in there and they just bring it out in
their way
finally we mentioned earlier uh that as
much as your Brooklyn boy you now find
yourself in the Lakewood area
Jackson with Jackson yeah I know the
difference right everyone's very
sensitive right Jackson so with that in
mind is it possible that there'll be a
lot more choir members from this area of
New Jersey that's a great point but the
question is where's the choir rehearsal
going to take place if the choir
rehearsal takes place in Brooklyn like
it's been and the boys come from the
arabican first New York New Jersey they
come from Long Island so that's what
still goes on still goes on or the the
choir rehearsal is going to be somewhere
in New Jersey here and then the Brooklyn
Boys Olga and that whole world's gonna
have to come out to Jersey so that you
have an hour and 20 minutes hour and a
half issue here
so
um I don't think that the Lakewood world
when I say Lakewood I mean Lakewood
times we have the Jacksons is yet
developed
like the Brooklyn Long Island New Jersey
other side of the world is when I say
developed I mean
you know
people living here a lot of years but
the rush of people that have come here
now is really in the last five to ten
years right you know now it's
unbelievable with the housing and
everything so I'm not sure I've
auditioned kids here and I found you
feed them but it just seems to me like
it might be a little early
for me to find myself over here 30 boys
that you know when a boy comes to try on
to audition I always say
that that where did he get this coccus
from is it comes from whatever his
parents or whatever
parents have a certain their experiences
of life and their depth and that's in
their genetic kids genetics and it's not
just the kid it's the whole thing
grandparents and a lot of times the
other kids will say you know oh my
grandfather was a cousin this is and
over here it just feels early
just feels a little early I don't yet
sense that
um I don't sense that development yet
interesting and um my feeling is that it
will be Mr Shaman time it might be very
very soon I did start doing some
auditions here and I did find some great
kids and some kids are traveling into
Brooklyn which is quite and they've
asked me to drive them in oh it's that
fun they're driving back you know so I
became like a ride but which is okay you
know to some degree even though you know
you're a meal when you moved here to
Jackson New Jersey and you started to
gather up some of the old material did
you find any videos that you want to
share with the public I certainly did in
fact getting that all together and
getting all that stuff together I have
an example of something back from 1998
from the simple song that album never
came out in video we did something
called the simplator and the song on the
album called Tila sashem and we
never been seen before and it's amazing
to see it was done really with only one
or two cameras we call it from The Vault
I love it let's take a look at that one
[Music]
foreign
[Music]
thank you
foreign
[Music]
tell me
[Music]
you're off Melba gun I can't thank you
enough for doing this uh I hope you're
satisfied that you had an opportunity to
really in an in-depth manner explain to
everybody what's the last few months
have been like it was one of the only
times in my life that I could say that
it was what I expected but exceeded
expectations appreciate that very no it
was uh my gut was to do this interview
with you
and uh it was not always a correct but
by a lot more was it correct because
um you know it's just as all the reasons
I said in the beginning
those were all there and I'm happy that
you asked to come together over here and
that I could share with the with the
world
um my feelings on this on the whole
situation and I want to thank you a lot
for that and thank you and continued and
we have we have no reason not to expect
even bigger and better things from
Europe we got in the Miami Boys Choir
thank you very much okay thanks uh a big
thank you to all of you for tuning in
kosher halftime show 2023 brought to you
by the rothenburg law firm at
injurylawyer.com a big thank you to the
rothenbergs a big thank you to all of
our sponsors and a big thank you to all
of you for tuning in thanks for
listening to the Malcolm single Network
foreign
[Music]
[Applause]