Yaakov Chesed

Last updated

Yaakov Chesed
Origin Long Island, New York
Genres
Years active2006 (2006)–2010, 2019–present
LabelsSameach
Member ofOhr
MembersJake Polansky
Past membersMichael Shapiro
Aryeh Kunstler
Michael Moskowitz
Dovi Salamon
Ben Wallick

Yaakov Chesed is an American Jewish rock band from Long Island, New York. Formed in 2006, the group won Battle of the Bands competitions at Yeshiva University and Lander College before recording two studio albums, Rise Above (2007) and The Passage (2009). Their name is a quote from the Uva letzion prayer in Shacharis. [1]

Contents

Band history

Origins and initial run (2006–2010)

Yaakov Chesed formed in the summer of 2006 with lead singer Jake Polansky, guitarist Michael Shapiro, bassist Dovi Salamon, and drummer Michael Moskowitz. They would often meet at Polansky's house for rehearsals on Motza'ei Shabbat. [1] After Salamon left to attend Yeshivat Sha'alvim in Israel, Aryeh Kunstler was chosen to replace him as bassist.

In March 2007, the band co-headlined a Purim concert at the Knitting Factory with the band Heedoosh. [2] That same year, they won Lander College and Yeshiva University's Battle of the Bands contests [3] [4] and gave an NCSY-sponsored Sukkot concert in Savannah, Georgia. [5] Their debut album, Rise Above, was produced by Jake Antelis and released on December 11, 2007 by Sameach Music. The band performed at the 2008 Celebrate Israel Parade's Summer Stage in Central Park alongside the Piamenta Band, among others. [6] Their second album, The Passage, co-produced by Kunstler and Antelis, was released by Sameach on November 30, 2009.

Revival and Reimagined (2019–present)

In July 2019, after a long absence, Polansky announced via Instagram that he was reviving Yaakov Chesed as a solo project and working on a new album, using the hashtag #yaakovchesedisback. [7] Later in the year he released two singles, "Crush Me" and "Ani L'dodi"; the former premiered with a music video filmed at 770 Eastern Parkway, the headquarters of Chabad. In 2020 he released another single, "Nothing But You (Ein Od)", a collaboration with his cousin Tani Polansky, who performs as Tefeelah. After several more singles in 2020 and 2021, Polansky reunited the other band members for the first time in over a decade for 2022's Reimagined EP, which saw them revisiting and rerecording several of their old songs.

Philanthropy

On May 16, 2010, the band was recruited to play at the bat mitzvah of Alix Klein at Temple Beth Shmuel in Miami Beach. Per Klein's request, the concert benefited ALYN Hospital in Jerusalem. [8]

In 2013, Kunstler and Polansky, along with The Maccabeats' Immanuel Shalev and recording artist Simcha Leiner, were judges at V'Ata Banim Shiru, an annual a cappella competition at Torah Academy of Bergen County that benefits the Koby Mandell Foundation. [9]

Other member projects

Bassist Aryeh Kunstler has released two albums as a solo artist and has contributed guitar, vocals, songwriting, and production to several artists. Another former bassist, Ben Wallick-Tanowitz, has played for the Ruach Hakodesh wedding band and is the founder of Ben Wallick Music Productions, formerly Sonic Itch Productions.

Lead singer Jake Polansky debuted a folk rock solo project called ohr in late 2016. The project's debut EP, Side by Side, was mixed by Kunstler and mastered by Antelis and was released in 2017. [10]

Band members

Current

Former

Touring

Discography

Albums

EPs

Singles

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References

  1. 1 2 Yoav Friedman (January 16, 2008). "Hear O Israel, what a performance!" (in Hebrew). Ynet . Retrieved October 11, 2015.
  2. ↑ Jack Zaientz (March 2, 2007). "Purim megillah readings and after parties". Teruah Jewish Music. Retrieved October 11, 2015.
  3. ↑ Ari Mendelson (November 19, 2007). "Yaakov Chesed Takes Battle of the Bands by Storm". The Commentator. Archived from the original on April 15, 2008. Retrieved October 11, 2015.
  4. ↑ SameachMusic (November 16, 2007). Yaacov Chesed – Shema Yisroel . Retrieved October 3, 2022– via YouTube.
  5. ↑ Yoni Glatt (October 24, 2007). "Sweet Home Savannah". The Jewish Press . Retrieved October 11, 2015.
  6. ↑ Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu (May 28, 2008). "Mammoth Jerusalem Day Parade/Concert in New York on Sunday". Arutz Sheva . Retrieved October 11, 2015.
  7. ↑ @yaakovchesed (July 15, 2019). "It's been about 12 years since the first album, Rise Above was released. We were just kids then and had a lot to learn but it's always fun to look back at where Yaakov Chesed was as I work on the new album and see how far this music has gone. I can't wait to share the new sound and material with you all! #jewish #jewishmusic #jewishrock #photooftheday #music #musician #newmusic #yaakovchesed #yaakovchesedisback #throwbackmusic" – via Instagram.
  8. ↑ Sergio Carmona (June 1, 2010). "Girl celebrates bat mitzvah with charity concert". Sun-Sentinel . Archived from the original on May 10, 2015. Retrieved October 11, 2015.
  9. ↑ Abigail Klein Leichman (March 7, 2014). "'Sing to the King'". The Jewish Standard . Retrieved October 11, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Ohr – Side by Side". CD Baby . Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  11. ↑ Yaakov Chesed (January 1, 2007), Shema Yisroel, MySpace , retrieved October 3, 2022
  12. ↑ Zweig, Yossi (April 12, 2009). "New Song Up- But Not For Long". The Jewish Insights. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
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