The Man Who Can Sing Anything | Shulem Lemmer | Backstage with Benny

Welcome, welcome to the brand new show, Backstage with Benny, where we bring you in-depth conversations with special guests, musicians, composers, all your favorite people, where we sing along and smoo along, and you are welcome to come along. This episode is brought to you by our good friends at Next Level Taste. Next Level Taste, nationwide gourmet gifting. If you're looking for a gift for your friends, for your family, for your co-workers, for your business associates, or for a complete stranger who just deserves a good gift, from boards and platters to unique gifting and hosting packages, if you're looking to send something guaranteed to be gone in seconds because of how delicious it is, visit sharenlt.com. sharen NLT. NLT stands for next level taste. Sharenlt.com. You will enjoy it. You will thank me. And now to the episode. Here we go. My hat. Welcome. Welcome to Backstage with Benny. This is a brand new podcast where we sit and we sing and we fab. We have special guests, honored guests, honored audience members. We have a band here under the leadership and directorship of Gamtat. And we have all of you are welcome to join us in the conversation. We sing and we talk and we fab all night. First guest straight out straight back from Yushalai right off of an airplane, the great Schulam Leur. >> Thank you. Thank you, Benny. It is such an honor and pleasure to be here, especially as the first guest. >> It means a lot. >> There's a lot of pressure on you right now. >> Very. But to be honest, if it would be with anyone, I would choose it should be with you >> because we have such great conversation, especially backstage. >> There we go. >> And sometimes I think, wow, if people would just join and listen to this conversation, it would be so entertaining >> and I thought about that many times. >> I have so much to say on this topic, very topic. But before we continue, before we continue, before we start every show, we start with giving like told before the gig to givea. So we should have in the podcast and everything we do. I give this to you. You could do with it what you like. >> Okay. I >> backstage. >> Now it's going to be a show a show of all shows backstage. You know, especially when there's like a long lineup of singers, >> right? I always think to myself, you know, if the if the audience would know that the singer that's on stage now >> can't wait to get back to the party that's going on backstage, [laughter] >> the the stage manager needs to come to the singer and go, you're up in two minutes. Go, what now? We're in the middle of such a good faban over here. >> So, this is what uh this is what we're trying to give a little bit of a glimpse for the oil and what goes on. >> So, guys, if you want to be a singer, it's not because of the shows. It's the backstage. the backstage >> and now we'll give you a little bit a little bit of a sneak peek. >> Anyway, the last time I saw you, we were in together. You you you go to every two weeks. I go every six months, a year, but the last time I was in together with you. >> Yes. And we we not just fab backstage. It was a whole Shabas. We spent the entire Shabas together. >> Shabas together >> and the rehearsals and the wait to the rehearsals and at the concert and before the concert >> and waiting for the Uber, >> waiting for >> sitting in traffic. Tel Aiv >> the entire but it was a beautiful >> and we sang a song that I never sang ever in my life before >> and now you sing it every night >> and now I don't know if I sing it every night. >> It's being sung every night. >> It's being sung ever since I sang it. >> You sing it every night. >> Yeah. [laughter] Ever since we sang it. >> Ever since we sang it, you sing it every night. But >> it was the first time I ever sang it and I made a fasla. I messed up the song. >> A small a small song. A small mixup. Nobody nobody noticed. >> Nobody noticed. That's what I always say to the singer. It's okay. Nobody noticed. >> But now I want to try it with you and hopefully I'll sing it correct. [singing] A souven [singing] [singing and music] a shame. Then I should [singing] [singing] know. [music] Oh, Amen. [singing] [music] [singing] [music] Yeah. [singing and music] Then I should [singing] then [music] [singing] [music] [singing] [music] aash Wow. So, here's the thing. Here's the thing about Schulam that everybody knows the the the uh the uh the big concerts, the philarmonics, they love Schulam. >> And [clears throat] you >> the the the here in Williamsburg and Burough Park and Lakewood and Tom's River, they love Schulam. the uh the Schlak in in in Montana who needs to make a show for his balabatim. They love Schulam, the the South Americans in the and in France and all across the world in every genre and Kazonus. Who could forget about Kazonus Moisher? How do you master so many different genres and and audiences? >> It's a very good question. When I was younger, I struggled with it. So, what am I singer? What am I going to be a? And then I I I let it go. I'm like, I'm just going to sing from the heart. Before it was a song. So thinking of the song, I want to be like this. I want to be like that. How could you be so many? You just sing from the heart and then you end up becoming everything, I guess. >> But now growing up, I I grew up listening to a lot of Kazunas. My father loves Kazanas. I grew up with the Yankee, which is an amazing Khazan. >> Your brother? >> My brother Yankee. He studied Kazanis. And I remember coming home from the concert. So maybe eight nine and copying the who can all the note longer and higher and it was it was something we grew up with was in the bay. Well, so your b your basis your foundation is >> I mean as yes but also growing up we listen to to general um music Jewish music aan freed and David was was playing in the house every every single day every morning my mother used to that's how she woke us up with every new album that came out it was just playing it was it was it was there music was always playing in the house >> so growing up but it was always this and that and it was it was part of the same >> and is for blood was more my father loved it but to me I connected to it later on when I was like yes this was something that I mamish connected I loved it I love the the and the beat and I loved it so I I mamish listened to it so much and I remember slowing it down when they had the tape recorders you remember that went >> when you had this it's exactly what I listen to and I slowed it sound and that's how I learned it and I cut I remember >> well this is great advice >> that's a secret >> yeah we're telling this is backstage nobody hears us >> but they don't have these these tape recorders now >> but >> but you can slow down on >> you can slow down there's app certain apps to do it and I still do it from time to time when I need to learn like a real complicated and kazan people don't realize it's exactly every note of the d is part of the melody it's not like you finish at the same note No, no, no. You cheated. It's It's not like a song that Yeah, you sing it. It's Can we do Omar Omar Omar? [music] Hey, hey, hey. Oh. [screaming] Oh my [music and singing] [music and singing] [music] shore. [music] W. [screaming] [music] [crying] Sher. [screaming] Ell [screaming] [music] Yeah. Shadow [music] shar. [singing] [music] Morning. Ready. [screaming] Shalom. Shalom. Shalom. [music] Shalom. Shalom. [screaming] Shalom. Shalom. Shalom. Shalom. So, wait a second. You're not so rigid, Benny Free. This is Kazan. You got the Kazanas, too. >> Oh, thank you very much. >> Yeah. >> Let's do it again. [laughter] Let's do it again. >> Can everyone have a zoom in away the camera? The accomplishments of Reb Benny Freriedman. Look at this. >> Wow. Benny Freriedman for passing 100,000 subscribers. Do you know any other Jewish music star that has 100,000 subscribers on YouTube and >> Mazav on reaching 2 million streams on country? It's Mish. It's the accomplishments. I got first album. But I noticed another thing over here. All I was with the with the with the and the of course I know whoever knows Benny every time every makush and backstage in Israel be in inara or in local in over here he will try to finish and learn his things and and and uh it's beautiful. Mashid says I think people should know this about you. again. I see Yasa Rosenlot over there. >> Oh, >> so what's the hit in the corner? What's what's your >> Yasula is is the grandfather of modernic music. I just made that up. >> And technically you can say because that was in a way that was the popular music at the time. Everyone was listening to classical music and opera and that was the only recordings that were being recorded. Also some folk songs which he also technically recorded because that was also >> you know switching the >> What kind of folk songs did he record? Aid Shamama was a folk song. >> Yeah. >> You know Sham, people don't know this. Aideshama was recorded in English before it was recorded in Yiddish >> that somebody ripped off and and translated to Yiddish >> and now and it became a whole star. >> How many times does that happen? Did it happen ever to you that you recorded a song and someone recorded your song and it became a bigger hit? >> Oh boy. Oh boy. Oh boy. It's like probably I can't think of >> they came to and they said for the if you could please sing by >> right Shamay >> yes >> and he was the composer this is the joke he's the composer of the song and you have many times in in Jewish music for sure you have guys like let's sayu took songs that existed already that someone else had had uh released >> they sang it and it became >> I was just listening uh on my streaming device uh to the original with rabbi son singing like the original one the original it's a cover song it's a cover song [music] [singing] I am I >> [music] >> I forget [music] it's for [music] [music] >> [music] [music] >> I down. Oh yeah. You just came off a plane. >> Yeah. >> Mama, you're very hungry. So, I want to just tell you that we had in mind that you're going to be hungry. And we got you a gift >> from our good friends at Next Level Taste. >> Oh, this got to be next level. >> Oh my goodness. >> Oh, it's heavy. That means it's got a lot of food in it. >> Oh, yeah. >> Next level taste. They do >> meatboards. They do next level taco kit. Reuben tostada kits. If you're looking for a gift for a friend, for a business associate, for your whatever it is, sharenlt.com. They deliver all across the country. And uh you don't have to wait for uh the straight of Hormuz to open up like we uh >> Which one did you get for me? Let's see. >> This is the number one thing on their menu as far as I'm concerned. It's flesh. >> Yeah. >> If you need a meatboard or any kind of gift for a friend, >> next level. This is very thoughtful. >> We're going to eat it, but we don't want to eat on camera. >> Yeah. >> Just know this thing doesn't stand a chance against us. >> A [laughter] we're going to we're already splitting it how we're doing it. 50 >> That's very thoughtful. I really appreciate it. But >> take a look, take a smell, take a taste. >> Can I look? It doesn't say next level smell. It says next level taste. >> It even comes with a little fork. >> I I I wouldn't use a fork. I don't know. That's my personal [laughter] opinion. I would just go full steam ahead. Sharenl.com. Share next level. NLT stands for next level. Sharen NLT.com. You get whatever you need, whenever you want it, wherever you need it. Check them out. >> We have so much to discuss. Oh my goodness. I can't believe we have such a limited amount of time. >> And we were thinking, what are we talking about? Now all of a sudden we have so much to talk about. >> So when I heard that that you signed a deal with Universal >> Mhm. >> So I my first thought immediately was oh somebody at Universal heard you sing. So you know but then I read the article and says no he heard you singing. >> Yeah. Interesting. [laughter] >> It's unbelievable. >> It's so funny. Yeah. Cuz also when when you know by interviews people always say so what what was the big break? What was your big break in your career? What was the the big break? So to me, I it depends who you ask. It's so weird. Some people It depends which crowd, which place, which October rain that's the first time I heard you. >> I wanted to ask you what you learned from your experience with with with Universal and you know the big big world of music that we can learn from. >> So what we could learn from it? Once one of the things we we learned we just discussed and which led into this conversation is about you know ownership or or or of a song and stuff like that and there's structures there's laws and and everything needs like a legal process in in the way it's done and technically technically every time legally a song is being played even at a wedding every time it plays in a restaurant technically it's another penny another penny every it's played in the radio gets paid again we have We have a very No, we have a very We're not into that system. We're not integrated. There's a big system. We're not integrated in that system. I'm not saying that we should be. >> I mean, >> what are you saying? But in develop in the grace of goal, anytime somebody plays a song at a at a at a non-Jewish wedding, somebody's getting paid. That's the >> Yeah. They have to clear. >> So, who tracks it? >> They have there's there's a way there's a system. Also, when there's a there's a let's say in a restaurant, so they can't track every single song or karao, whatever. They buy a book. They buy a book of something. And the way the calculation works is based on the amounts of a popularity in the on the radio. So the radio charts define how popular that song. So based if you bought the book of a thousand songs that you're going to play this month it was >> so they don't song by song. It's like they make they make an assumption if you're doing a wedding you're probably playing 10 songs >> something like and on the live things it probably works differently. I don't know. and and it's not negated to us. So, I don't I just know when I did certain um shows or certain performances or certain appearances, you I want maybe I do this song. I'm like, it's a great song, but it's not cleared. You can't We need publishing rights. >> For real? >> Sure. I can't do can't even on a show like this. I can't do it if it's not if it's not cleared. >> What song do you think we could get the most trouble for singing? [laughter] >> Well, people have to treat recordings as assets. It's like what? you recorded a song you don't have advertisements anyway or people be like what I you gain from it that I'm singing your song it's like you're right you're right all these things are right but still it's an asset people have to realize they treat it as a real asset >> well the different different like you know what I mean it's different from like if I can live in your apartment >> I people come over sometimes Baham especially by weddings or concerts I as my if I can copy the CD and I told if I get permission from I said why would they even encourage a daer if you want a free come to my house I'll give you a free CD I think I it's not the money I I'll give it to you I'll give you two free CDs come I'll mail it to you give me your address I'll mail it to you but encourage aer meaning to say something that's that's really not okay and you're going to try to find a hat from it what do you want to accomplish you want to accomplish to copy you want to accomplish to get an album ask me if I'll send you a free CD >> yeah it's unbelievable >> yeah again it's not a free so many times contact chulam [laughter] >> he's sending out free By the way you still print CDs I don't know. I I wouldn't I don't think >> I did an album. I I don't think I >> even the USBs I think is No. No. Yeah. >> What's your uh what's your uh vocal warm-up process? >> Oh, so this I got to people that don't know this. I come backstage, you know. Um I come with my stuff the ins. usually come with also just because I'm always behind in the I people think why you always with the I think it's and I just can't keep up with I but he always comes with the the the soft pages what do they call it >> the malus and he sits there and learns but always make sure [clears throat] do you mind do you mind if I make some noise say no problem I put my ear pods on puts on a recording of a vocal warm-up every single concert. >> There you go. M every single show. >> This doesn't come just, you know, from this is this is hard work. >> Yeah. And every time I listen to it, I'm like, I need to be much better at this. And I I do warm-ups. I I try and I do I go out and test, you know, a certain you can you can know your own voice, but uh I've seen Benny sometimes come with a whole humidifier, like a big thing. Yeah. >> Puts it on. >> Especially off of an airplane. >> What? >> Yeah. If [clears throat] you come straight off the airplane where it's very dry, >> winter it's dry. Yeah. You should mamish take care of your boy. Can I not? >> So, here's how it go. You come to the show and and uh and Shulam says I'm not feeling good. You know, and then he goes on the stage and he knocks out a kazonish thing with a high C and a and a and a and a high uh G and a high uh Q and R. It's unbelievable. Speaking of the Kazonus, I want to play a game with you. Here's what we're going to do. >> Okay, >> this game is called can or caner. You know what they say? Uh [snorts] uh a singer's sing and caners >> can't >> I love that one. That's a good one. [laughter] Very good. >> You can have it. It's not mine, but you can have it. Like somebody there's a there was a composer who who says I compose a song and then they send it to to production and they give it to somebody and he deranges the song. [laughter] Very good. >> There you go. So, we're full of puns today. Okay. Can or can take turns. Uh, we're going to pick a song on these cards. We're going to have songs written out and these are popular pop songs and we're going to try to see if you can sing it as a kazon piece. Take a song like Lamos audiotov and sing [music] it as though this was done by uh by uh by Helgot. >> Oh, wow. That is a contrast of nice [music] [singing] Beyond your territory. Fore [singing] guitar. [screaming] Ialdic and a standing ovation from 10 million viewers. Unbelievable. >> I think you give me the Oh, now we're going to Okay, [laughter] now I feel like I'm in a stickle trouble. >> Ooh. Can I uh can I include myself in I think. Okay. Could you sing >> and you sing the song, so I want you to sing it a little bit differently. >> Okay. >> You know the song. He looks a little bit nervous. >> Yes, [laughter] my heart is pounding. I don't know if this is a game. I don't know. >> It should always be pounding. >> Oh man. >> Um >> Aman hearts clapped. >> Hearts clapped. Clapalas. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> I'm just Is that a line or just >> It has a song as >> Oh yeah. >> Okay. The song. >> Okay. >> As shulmer. [laughter] But I didn't make it up. The the challenge is >> see this is why it's so difficult because Schulum Leur, I don't know if you know about it, has so many different styles. So now you're saying aulum leur. One second. Are you saying shulum leaz the singer? Schulam leur the yiddish theater the >> you can choose whichever one you want. >> Oh boy. Oh boy. So first of all it needs to be in the in the rhythm of >> Oh okay. I need the key. Meas. [music] >> [music] >> Okay, from now on if I'm not available I can say listen I'm not available but Benny's available if you want. >> Wow. Oh my goodness. I don't know why I double the price. [laughter] >> Very good. Can I a good this I like this. This a good >> sing what is it called? October Rain. Sing October Rain in the style of Slommo Carlbach. Oh, >> and with that I mic drop the cards. [laughter] >> Listen my dear brothers and sisters and all the beautiful people. We've been so we've been through so much so much so [music] much. Too much especially especially my dear beautiful people in this devastating day on October October the 7th. [music] And that's why we dash and sing along with me everyone. Every day I'm losing my mind holding on [screaming] in this mysterious ride. Dancing in the storm. >> Now I forgot the words. I'm so >> into would never forget the words. He would just make it up. Pick it up right. I'm so in the zone. I'm like I'm completely not even singing the song. >> Okay, so let's let's change the song but keep the singer. So let's do I don't need your beck as Carl. This is too fun. The smallest little angel here my sweet friends. He didn't have his backy. Do you know what it's like? [singing] Do you know what it's like not to have your brand new kitchen? But you know, my dear friends, you know, you don't need your backy. He doesn't need your backy. Only thing he needs is you. You, my beautiful souls. Please give me some sweetest harmony. I don't need your bagage. I don't need your bagage. [singing] The only thing I need is you. >> I don't need your bagage. I don't need [singing] your bagage. The only thing I need is you. [singing] >> There's a there's a belt of Yiddish songs that exist that uh that I think >> I mean I'm not uh I aulum le but I think that there's a Yish songs that could come back. >> Yeah, for sure. that have and a lot of these songs were just just expressing something showing seeing something that's happening and just singing about it. There's some and not complicated stuff we're going to write about, you know, there's a beautiful message of, you know, it's gorgeous. It's amazing and it's good and it gives sometimes you just think about the mundane things and make a song you know and uh I don't I'm trying to get inspiration of Ababa you see Ababa over here this Baba >> and you baba she she encouraged you to sing >> she encouraged all of us to sing absolutely that's a freed's mother she encouraged a freed to sing and she encouraged all of us to sing she encouraged me to learn how to play piano I didn't listen >> when is she alive >> spiritually >> spiritually when did you pass I think did I No, I didn't meet her. Did I meet her? >> It's possible. >> I think I did. I think I met her once. >> My grandmother passed away at the age of 101. >> Wow. >> Um, a few years ago. >> So, this is a song actually people that are close to the Baba. There's the paints a beautiful picture of a little boy that sees the Baba and he thinks that this is that she's sending the Shabas away. >> That whenever the Baba says, the Shabas goes away. He's begging. Give me the G minor. See if we can do that. [music] >> [singing] [singing] >> and he continues on. But that that's just like a beautiful thought. >> Are you thinking about bringing back Yiddish songs the Yiddish songs? [clears throat] >> So I do I but at my shows I I sometimes if I see an older crowd and I start singing the Yiddish and I I continue I can continue. I I I remember once I had an event and uh they said I want only all the other songs. I'm thinking to myself, okay, what I'm going to do after five, six songs. And I realized >> five sixes sounds like a lot already. >> Yeah. And I realized I went on for an hour plus only songs on a band. It was just more I sang the more I remember. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. I shrine in my something that just does so basic paints a picture nothing just >> I want to give a very special shout out to my friends at Aika the finest noniron what I'm wearing wearing today from Atika. If you could see it, you can see it if you're listening. I'm wearing the sky blue Londoner dress shirt and the runway four-way stretch pants and they are very comfortable. If I may even say very, very comfortable. I went to the Brooklyn store in Crown Heights a few weeks ago and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable and they took very good care of me and to help me with everything that I need and I'm sure they will do the same for you. Just walk in over there. There's a special deal. Now, listen very carefully for our listeners at Backstage with Benny. Three shirts for $100. Make sure that when you go on the website atikamman.com, you put in the code benny 100 benn000 and this will get you three shirts for $100. Check them out. You will not regret it and you will be swimming in comfort. Aika man. Oh, what what when we hear that sound, you know, you can't go too long a period of time without learning Toyota. You hear that sound? We have to pick a a card from here from this pile. And it has over there a little. If you want to grab it, I can grab it. You can grab. >> I'm sure I can grab it. >> Just pick one card. And what does it say over there? says, but it says [clears throat] it's important for people to get used to saying the loudly on with their voice. Why? Because the the voice is the to have in mind what you're saying. If you're saying sometimes you don't think, but if you're saying it loud, you're automatically going to think of what you're saying. And we could apply that actually to Davening as well. Why do you need no is and sometimes not directly [snorts] from your own call when you hear somebody else saying [screaming] How could you not have a mind? We know talking about obviously the but also >> sing a lot. Sing a lot. >> Sing a lot. You're learning. >> I love it. So recently you recorded a duet with Yonathan Razelle. >> Yeah. >> That song is everywhere. Everybody wherever you go, people want to sing that song. >> I remember uh I was talking to Yonatan because we've done You did one show with him as well. >> Sure. >> Yeah. We did the show in Israel, the big >> philarmonic show where he conducted, but people don't know this about him. He's so talented. He writes, he conducts, he has a music school. Actually, he teaches his music school. Um so we we continued conversations as sad and uh he told me has a song that he kind of wrote and and uh it's good message if we can do it together. I listened to it. I loved it. I loved it was was pretty raw. It was you know telling a story and I think it started with a conversation he had with your uncle freed and he was saying something about you know we have to be mak that dance there should be one more dance when mashia comes. So the concept I think came from Raml um but it was it was very uh needed some work and I said let's do it. He wanted to do it for October 7th. Let's do it for October 7th for sukus for some and I said it needs work. I want to try working on it. I try I sat down. I tried working on it. The melody the words I couldn't I couldn't and I it was it was too late. I said forget it. I can't I can't do it under pressure. So okay let's wait. I went to Israel. we met and and I worked on it for a long time and and uh together we came up with the whole with the words and and uh so I feel a lot more part of it. It's the whole even the melody in the beginning and then the the words for sure again it was his idea his structure his everything but we worked on it a lot together. E right. [singing] You remember the time? You remember the sky? Jerusalem morning. Suddenly [music] [singing] silence broken. A distant voice. In ancient prayer, children [music] climbing narrow stairways. Hearts were singing, lips were praying. Beneath us, the ground was [music] shaking. How can we dance? How can we sing? The golden sky above [music] us [singing] burning. We dream of better days. We know that they will [music and singing] come. We will dance [singing] again. One more [music] dance. We're praying for one more dance. A dance that will never end. Together as one [singing] high, [music] higher, and higher. One more song. Oh, I prayed for one more song. A melody from high above will sing and rejoice forever and ever. Ooh [singing] de [music] time has passed. The world so different. We saw [singing] angels lived with [music] miracles. We feel your presence in every step. Return to us. We are ready now. We dream [music] of better days. We know that they will come. [screaming] We will dance again. One more dance. Oh, we're praying for one more dance. A [music] dance that will never end. Together as one high, higher and higher. One more song. Oh, [music] we're praying for one more song. A melody from high above. We'll sing and rejoice forever [singing] and ever. Forever and ever. Unbelievable. Shulam they say about you >> that it doesn't matter what you sing anything you sing it sounds amazing. So we're going to do a test now against against your will they say even if you would sing if Shulam sing doesn't matter if Shulam sings Mary had a little lamb. It sounds amazing. So I would love for you here on this platform B backstage with Benny to do a rendition of Mary Had a Little Lamb. >> Oh yeah. It goes back to our game. >> Yeah. Yeah. But >> lame is our game. [laughter] >> Listen, but Mary had a little lamb as shulmer. >> Marry Miriam because Mary >> Yeah. Exactly how you would sing it. >> Okay. >> The lamb could be a carbon. >> Exact. I was going to get there. Oh, >> this is what I was thinking. So, imagine you have the whole Mishbaka. You have Moa Khani and Miriam, little Miriam with her little lamb. Miam had her [singing] little lamb. Her little lamb. Miriam [singing] had her little lamb. She walked it up the hill. Miriam had a little lamb. Her [singing] little lamb. Her little lamb. had her little lamb. She walked it up the hill. Then Mary took her little lamb. Miriam took her little lamb. [singing and music] Mary took her little lamb and she it for everyone sat and ate the car pesa. Ate the car pessa. ate the car and everyone [singing] ate [music] the car just like we all wish now. >> Amen. Now, if you've ever said that Lemur can sing anything and it will sound beautiful, >> you were right. Welcome back. >> Thank you. Thank you. This is I feel like this is part one. We didn't even get started. It's always a pleasure, Benny, with you. And uh tie it right to where we started. This is what we do backstage every single concert and it's mamish a pleasure and and I want to thank you for that experience. >> Thank you for making time over here on such a busy day in such a busy life. You should have uh you should always travel for >> Amen. And you can be continue to to to be >> so many people my hat. >> [music] [bell]