"Music accompanies me in all that I do — music is a language my soul speaks fluently”
A self-styled music enthusiast living in Jerusalem, YAAKOV BROWN has become quite an expert on the industry, especially on the history of the “oldies” — at least according to the avid following on his Jewish Musical Notes chat (the members of which include a number of musical personalities as well). “I’m not the biggest know-it-all when it comes to musical factoids. It’s just that music accompanies me in all that I do — music is a language my soul speaks fluently.”
Yaakov decided to combine his exhaustive audio library with his passion for writing in order to share the beauty and magnificence of Jewish song with anyone willing to listen. What started as a small email list of family and friends, quickly turned into a much larger crowd. “My wife suggested an official WhatsApp group to go along with the email list (for those without WhatsApp). And so I began ‘Jewish Musical Notes,’ and the response has been simply amazing.”
I believe that everyone can experience music deeply, as long as they really listen with their heart. On the group, I try to open doors for people to connect to music in a more meaningful way. When we know more about the words and their meaning, the composer and the singer, we become more emotionally invested in the niggun. My second intention is to introduce a younger generation to the priceless sounds of yesteryear, and similarly, to reveal to the more seasoned ear the beauty that exists in the music of today. I’m also trying to help restore the lost value that our Jewish music industry has suffered these past couple decades. If we can somehow regain the admiration and appreciation for music, then maybe we will stop financially sabotaging musical careers.
I get a lot of nostalgic comments from our “Oldie of the Week” choices, but the “Behind the Notes” series seems to be a favorite. In this series, we go behind the scenes and get a closer look at what inspired the composer. We’ve covered songs such as the original “Odcha Hashem Elokai” (a still-popular niggun often used at chuppahs for “Hu yevareich es hechassan v’es hakallah”), written by veteran composer and kiruv educator Rabbi Hertzel Schechter, Itzy Weisberg’s famous Pirchei “Ani Ma’amin,” and many more. Most recently, we highlighted Abie’s tear-inducing “The Man from Vilna” (Journeys 4). No matter which song is chosen, someone learns something they’ve never known before, and that gets people excited.
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