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Tuesday, November 03, 2009
For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Rachel Leah Cohen at Craig ‘N Co. 818-760-1077 or rachelleah@craignco.com.
Craig Taubman Releasing "Holy Ground," First New Album In Five Years
Follow-Up To "Friday Night Live" Available Tuesday, Nov 3, 2009
Los Angeles, CA - October 29, 2009: Craig Taubman is set to release Holy Ground, the follow-up album to his groundbreaking Friday Night Live, which revolutionized the Friday evening Shabbat service. Featuring 14 new songs, Holy Ground will be released on November 3 via Craig ‘N Co., Taubman's production company.
Back in the studio for the first time in nearly five years to record an album of entirely new music, Taubman looked to build upon the elements that made Friday Night Live so successful while incorporating new inspirations that he's gathered over the years. The songs on the album, including the title track, the rousing "L'Cha Dodi," and the sweetly pensive "Love Your God," reflect much of what has made Taubman's musical Shabbat services a worldwide phenomenon - drawing in the congregation close and bringing them to their feet, often within the same melody.
One particular new inspiration that Taubman brings to Holy Ground is the involvement of the community. "As a musician, you know that you wouldn't exist without your audience. So, why not put that inspiration into the actual album?" He did just that by bringing on over 150 individual sponsors: members of communities from coast to coast who have been supporting Craig Taubman's music for years. These "Holy Ground Sponsors" are recognized in the album's packaging.
Another deeply personal touch to Holy Ground comes from Rabbi Ed Feinstein, a close friend of Taubman's and the Senior Rabbi at Valley Beth Shalom in Encino, who contributed the liner notes for the album. "Craig is part of a renaissance of Jewish creativity, vitality, and renewal among America's Jews...(He) is the first voice of 21st century Judaism," writes Feinstein. Throughout the package, the Rabbi provides an anecdotal translation of Taubman's music, song by song. On "L'Chu N'Ranena," Feinstein writes, "And what is the opposite of religion? Not doubt, skepticism, secularity or atheism. The opposite of religion is boredom." Something you will not find on this CD.
"My family, my friends, my fellow musicians...they make me want to make music. And the more I do it, the more I appreciate those who make music and who support the arts." Indeed, many of Taubman's friends appear throughout Holy Ground. Text for several songs comes from contributions by Rabbi Elyse Frishman and Stuart K Robinson, and music for "L'Cha Dodi" comes from Taubman and frequent collaborator Alberto Mizrahi.
Holy Ground will be available nationwide on Tuesday, November 3 at http://www.craignco.com/, iTunes, and in Jewish gift stores and Temple shops across the country.
