Benny Friedman - It Sounds Like Chanukah 55 Musical tracks on USB
A Hasidic Jewish singer who fuses traditional messages with a modern sound, Benny Friedman makes music that expresses his pride and respect for his heritage, but does so with a sense of fun, using music that draws on contemporary rock, pop, and electronic styles. Though he occasionally sings in English, the sizable majority of Friedman's repertoire is in Hebrew, and he looks and dresses like the rabbi he is off-stage, while performing with an energy and enthusiasm that speaks of joy and a celebratory mood, especially on 2022's It Sounds Like Purim! Friedman made a striking debut with 2009's Taamu, an eclectic set that made room for rock, pop, and even Latin flavors, while 2020's Whispers of the Heart was a powerful set of a cappella numbers, and 2017's Fill the World with Light introduced his signature song, "Ivri Anochi (I'm a Jew and I'm Proud)."
Benzion Hakohen "Benny" Friedman was born in 1984 in St. Paul, Minnesota, where his father was a rabbi and a Chabad Shaliach, a Hasidic outreach educator who shares the teachings of his faith with the world. Friedman was exposed to Hasidic music at an early age -- he's the nephew of Avraham Fried, one of the world's most popular Orthodox Jewish vocalists. Fried's music was heard regularly in the Friedman home, as well as Moshe Yess and Mordechai Ben David, and Benny grew up singing with his family at Shabbat. At the age of 15, he traveled to Israel to study becoming a rabbi, and after he was ordained, he served as a Shaliach in Arizona for several years. In the midst of this, he devoted his spare time to performing at Orthodox summer camps in the Catskill Mountains, and performing in Israel and the United States.
As word spread about Friedman's talents, he took lessons from vocal coach Seth Riggs (whose clients included Prince, Stevie Wonder, and Madonna), and in 2006 he toured the West Coast with a show he conceived, "Judaism: The Song and the Story." Popular demand meant Friedman staged several more tours with the production, and in 2009, he issued his first album, Taamu, produced by Avi Newmark and Sruly Meyer. The record was a critical and popular success in the Orthodox music community, and Friedman was soon juggling a busy schedule of concert appearances and wedding gigs. His second LP, Yesh Tikvah: Dawn of Moshiach, was another hit, and it introduced the song "Yesh Tikvah," whose message of faith and perseverance made it an oft-covered favorite among Orthodox artists.
Friedman detoured from contemporary sounds into traditional material with 2013's B'nei Heichala: A Shabbos with Benny Friedman, a collection of Jewish hymns. He was back in more familiar territory with 2014's Kol Haneshama Sheli, a collection of upbeat rock and dance tunes as well as smooth ballads. Friedman scored one of his greatest successes with 2017's Fill the World with Light, a canny match of pop production with Friedman's soaring voice and heartfelt messages, and "Ivri Anochi (I'm a Jew and I'm Proud)" became one of his most requested songs. Electronic sounds dominated 2019's Kulanu Nelech, though it also included three songs recorded in Hungary with the Budapest Art Orchestra.
When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down his live appearances, Friedman responded with 2020's Whispers of the Heart, a collection of a cappella recordings featuring only his multi-tracked vocals, with the songs reflecting the somber recognition of Sefira and the Three Weeks. The album was well-received, and a follow-up, Whispers of the Heart 2, was released in 2021. Friedman was in a more festive mood when he recorded 2022's It Sounds Like Purim!, a mix of 59 short tracks for the celebration of Purim, one of the most joyous holidays on the Jewish calendar. ~ Mark Deming