Jews and Reggae: Zeda's Beat Box Does Father's Day

A plug on behalf of ZBB:

B’nai Amoona Men’s Club is hosting a Father’s Day celebration that is sure to make your abba and zeda dance. St. Louis’ own Zeda’s Beat Box makes their debut at Blueberry Hill on Fathers Day June 21. The band sets classic Jewish song lyrics to new melodies and a rock ‘n reggae beat. The band is lead by B’nai Amoona congregant Dave Simon, the founder of Dave Simon's Rock School, and includes 4 of his star pupils. All proceeds from the concert will go to the Ted Fisher Jewish Camp Scholarship fund. The fund has helped Jewish children over the past 50 years experience both Jewish summer camp as well as trips to Israel. This concert will be the only appearance by Zeda’s Beat Box in St. Louis this summer so don’t miss out.

Event Details
Date: Sunday June 21 2009
Place: Blueberry Hill-6504 Delmar
Cost: $10.00
Time: 2:45 PM

To hear the music the music of Zeda’s Beat Box visit www.myspace.com/zedasbeatbox Read More......

Updates In Time For Shabbat: 14,000 page views and Zeda's Beat Box

That's right, early this morning, we hit our 14,000th page view! With about 1,300 visits each month, and a listing among St. Louis' top 30 blogs, things are racing ahead.

For those of you looking to get your quota of Yiddishkeit for the weekend, start off with Zeda's Beat Box tonight, kicking off around 10 PM at Ursa's on Washington University's South 40. Let ZBB get you hyped, connect with the bloggers of The St. Lou Jew, and join us afterwards for drinks on the loop.

Saturday is the biggest night of the young Yid social calendar as YPD's kickoff at the Coronado goes down. Show up looking good, leave feeling good...after all, the price of admission gets you access to an open bar. Read More......

Zeda's Beat Box This Saturday!

Zeda's Beat Box
LIVE
At the JCC (Wohl)
2 Millstone Campus Dr.
Sat. Jan 10
8:15 PM
FREE!



Listen the tracks from the bands new CD "Seven" Read More......

Exclusive Zeda's Beat Box Video and Music!

As Zeda's Beat Box January 30th show at Ursa's on Wash U's campus approaches, check out some awesome video and audio clips from their December 19th Cicero's show, hosted by The St. Lou Jew!


If you are a regular reader, you already know that Zeda's Beat Box rocks! To reinforce the point though, check out these video clips of their most recent show!






Plus, click here to see video of ANY of the songs from the show!

And click here to hear all of the songs on their brand new CD "Seven!"

And don't forget to check out Zeda's Beat Box for yourself on Friday, January 30th at Ursa's on the campus of Washington University Check back here for more Zeda updates! Read More......

Zeda Rocks Out!

Recapping Friday's rockin' Zeda's Beat Box show, hosted by The St. Lou Jew!

Zeda's Beat Box rocked Cicero's Friday night with the release of their second CD, "Seven." A few of us bloggers were there to kick things off with the blessings over the candles and the wine. The crowd was pumped up and ready to go and Zeda didn't disappoint!

Some of the highlights on the set list were a Zedafied version of the classic David Melech Yisrael, an insanely catchy Am Yisrael Chai (am yisrael am yisrael am yisrael chai...), and a chilled out Havenu Shalom Aleichem.

Check back here soon for an updated post with pictures and video from the show, but if you haven't had a chance to hear Zeda's music yet, check out their MySpace page here.

And if you couldn't make it out on Friday, don't miss the next Zeda's Beat Box show, Friday, January 30th at Ursa's on Wash U's campus, along with the Jewish a capella group Staam! More info to come of course
Read More......

TONIGHT! The St. Lou Jew hosts Zeda's Beat Box CD Release Party!

TONIGHT! 6:30PM @ Cicero's on the Loop.
The St. Lou Jew hosts Zeda's Beat Box CD Release Party

Jew music that you might actually like? Whoa! Count us in.

TheStLouJew.com is hosting the cd release party for the band's second album, "Seven."

Listen to 6 songs from the new Zeda's Beat Box CD "Seven" at www.myspace.com/zedasbeatbox.

thestloujew.com presents
Zeda's Beat Box
CD Release Party
"Seven"
Friday December 19
Cicero's
6691 Delmar
$10.00 *includes FREE copy of CD!*
6:30 PM

Zeda's Beat Box burst on to the local Jewish and rock scene earlier this year with the release of their 4-song EP "Kabbalat Shabbat." The CD received rave reviews by both Jewish and mainstream press and has been hailed as "Jewish music for the masses." Also known as STUFF YOU SHOULD BE LISTENING TO.

Zeda's Beat Box sets Jewish liturgy and original English lyrics to a unique blend of rock and reggae. The band's mix of Jewish tradition and modern music has landed them shows in both synagogues and night clubs. Their debut CD can be heard playing at the JCC, Jewish gift shops, and on local rock radio. And tonight, you can see them play LIVE.

Us bloggers will be saying the Shabbos blessings before the band takes the stage by storm. We will see you there! Read More......

Living Jews: Dave Simon of Zeda's Beat Box

With the Zeda show only one day away, I am reposting Y?s October interview with Dave Simon, the creator and mind behind Zeda's Beat Box!

There are certain types of people that you expect to find in New York, or California, maybe Austin or Chicago. These are the people who are doing things that are often viewed as bizarre or naive.

Another way of seeing these people is as they are, people who are chasing and living out their dreams. David Simon is one such dream chaser, and happens to be right here in St. Louis

Leader of Zeda's Beat Box, a reggae/ska based rock band that pulls on traditional Jewish liturgy for its inspiration, and Founder of Dave's Simon's Rock School, Dave leads a musical life.

Dave started the Rock school as a way to be heavily involved in music in a way that could simultaneously keep him involved with creative and musical people, but also as a way to actually support himself.

Zeda's Beat Box grew out of a conversation with his Shul (temple) in which they asked him to prepare some upbeat music for Kabbalat Shabbat (literally, receiving the Shabbat, aka the service signifying the arrival of the Sabbath). He turned to all-star rockers from his school to fill out the band's ranks, and hasn't looked back since.

No stranger to playing in synagogues, or AEPi houses, the group recently played with Cincinnati based Ska-Reggae Super-heroes, The Pinstripes, at Off-Broadway, and last weekend, Zeta's Beat Box was the closing act at the St. Louis Art Festival in Clayton.

It is almost taken for granted by those who know about Heeb magazine, JDub Records, Jewlicious, Mattisyahu, etc that there is an entire culture of Cool Jews.

This positive and empowering idea is something that Dave wants to bring to the surface in St. Louis. Dave pointed out that even if a person doesn't really self-identify as being Jewish, often they feel comfortable around other Jews, and knowingly or unwittingly find themselves spending a lot of time with other Jews.

"The idea of Jewish Cool wasn't always there," says Dave, "growning up, we weren't as open about being Jewish, and we didn't have the same pop culture figures who make being Jewish part of their shtick."

To Dave the Beastie Boys were the first cool Jewish kids, even if there weren't any Jewish themes in their music. They were doing something unique, creative, and urban.

The power of music to connect people is really central to Dave's mission to empower Jews to pride in their heritage, and to educate people of other faiths and backgrounds about certain aspects of Jewish culture.



Read More......

A Taste of Things to Come!

Get ready for the offical St. Lou Jew logo rollout at tomorrow night's Zeda's Beat Box show!

As the excitment builds for tomorrow night's Zeda's Beat Box show, LC has been feverishly at work to bring you the first step in the redesign of The St. Lou Jew site. Not just another Jewish logo, it shows that The St. Lou Jew is here on the scene and serious about shaking things up in St. Louis. And what better way to start than by rolling it out to the tunes of the funkiest Jewish rock reggae band you have ever heard!

Check out this clip of Zeda's Beat Box in action!



This is only one of a series of changes to the site you will see over the next few weeks. Soon, we will be searchable, we will have categories, and we'll look like a site that LC can be proud of (and she should, considering the time she is putting in on this)!

Thank you for helping The St. Lou Jew to get off the ground and in joining us as we work hard to make the site fun and easy for you to navigate. Most of all though, come on down to Cicero's Friday night at 6:30 so we can celebrate right! Read More......

Zeda's Beat Box to Rock Cicero's

Come on out to Cicero's on Friday, December 19 for Jew music that you might actually like!

Zeda's Beat Box is in the business of making some really really good and creative music that is also Jewish to boot. Don't take my word for it though, come check them out on Friday, December 19th at 6:30pm at Cicero's in the Loop. Here is the press release on the show, hosted by yours truly at the St. Lou Jew:

Listen to 6 songs from the new Zeda's Beat Box CD "Seven" at
www.myspace.com/zedasbeatbox

The stloujew.com presents
Zeda's Beat Box
CD Release Party
"Seven"
Friday December 19
Cicero's
6691 Delmar
$10.00 *includes FREE copy of CD!*
6:30 PM

"The St. Lou Jew" Hosts CD Release Party for Zeda's Beat Box

St. Louis, MO-November 18, 2008- St. Louis' Jewish rock reggae sensation, Zeda's Beat Box celebrates the release of their second CD "Seven" at Cicero's on Friday December 19 at 6:30PM. Bloggers from The St. Lou Jew (www.thestloujew.com) will set the tone for the evening as they light the Sabbath candles. All in attendance will receive a free copy of the bands 8-song CD.

Zeda's Beat Box burst on to the local Jewish and rock scene earlier this year with the release of their 4-song EP "Kabbalat Shabbat." The CD received rave reviews by both Jewish and mainstream press and has been hailed as "Jewish music for the masses."

Zeda's Beat Box sets Jewish liturgy and original English lyrics to a unique blend of rock and reggae. The band's mix of Jewish tradition and modern music has landed them shows in both synagogues and night clubs. Their debut CD can be heard playing at the JCC, Jewish gift shops, and on local rock radio.

The band was formed in January 2007 by Dave Simon, the founder of Dave Simon's Rock School. To build the band, Simon recruited four teenagers who participate in Rock School's band program. Simon began writing songs for the band in December of 2006 under the guidance of Rabbi Carnie Shalom Rose, Rabbi Dr. Neal Rose, and Cantor Sharon Nathanson of congregation B'nai Amoona.


Click here to hear "Seven"

Read More......

Zeda's Beat Box, Back in Action

Zeda's Beat Box is bringing their unique blend of rock, reggae, and yiddishkeit to the stage at Cicero's next Friday, and we had a chance to sit down with the band's leader, Dave Simon at the same venue last night.

Over a round of beers (Maudite FTW), LC, Zuz and I took the opportunity to connect with Dave and discuss his upcoming CD release party for the album entitled, "Seven".

Dave Simon, a Yid previously written about in our "Living Jews" series, has been putting in a lot of work in preparation for this party.

Although the date is quickly approaching, the conversation centered on the role of Jewish music in creating an attractive Jewish culture.

Jewish music often plays the antithesis to contemporary radio rap (mainstream, gangster, unconscious, commercial, or whatever buzz word you prefer). What I mean by that is that Rap music is rhythmically infectious, it can be hard to get out of your head, and it is made for dancing. The message on the other hand if often pretty violent, profane, and masochistic. Oh, and don't for get the swagger.

Jewish music, on the other hand, has an uplifting message, that focuses on the spiritual as opposed to the material. The music, on the other hand, is often kind of hokey. Sure, I loved swaying back and forth with friends at camp, but most Jewish music, as it is traditionally understood, is not dance music.

This is where Zeda's Beat Box sees its place, by taking dance music, and combining them with traditional Jewish liturgy, ZBB wants a musical experience that people will groove with, even if they are not Jewish.

Stay tuned for the official press release tomorrow. In the meantime, check out Jewishinstlouis.org's article about the event.
Read More......

Living Jews Part III: Dave Simon

There are certain types of people that you expect to find in New York, or California, maybe Austin or Chicago. These are the people who are doing things that are often viewed as bizarre or naive.
Another way of seeing these people is as they are, people who are chasing and living out their dreams. David Simon is one such dream chaser, and happens to be right here in St. Louis

Leader of Zeda's Beat Box, a reggae/ska based rock band that pulls on traditional Jewish liturgy for its inspiration, and Founder of Dave's Simon's Rock School, Dave leads a musical life.

Dave started the Rock school as a way to be heavily involved in music in a way that could simultaneously keep him involved with creative and musical people, but also as a way to actually support himself.

Zeda's Beat Box grew out of a conversation with his Shul (temple) in which they asked him to prepare some upbeat music for Kabbalat Shabbat (literally, receiving the Shabbat, aka the service signifying the arrival of the Sabbath). He turned to all-star rockers from his school to fill out the band's ranks, and hasn't looked back since.

No stranger to playing in synagogues, or AEPi houses, the group recently played with Cincinnati based Ska-Reggae Super-heroes, The Pinstripes, at Off-Broadway, and last weekend, Zeta's Beat Box was the closing act at the St. Louis Art Festival in Clayton.

It is almost taken for granted by those who know about Heeb magazine, JDub Records, Jewlicious, Mattisyahu, etc that there is an entire culture of Cool Jews.

This positive and empowering idea is something that Dave wants to bring to the surface in St. Louis. Dave pointed out that even if a person doesn't really self-identify as being Jewish, often they feel comfortable around other Jews, and knowingly or unwittingly find themselves spending a lot of time with other Jews.

"The idea of Jewish Cool wasn't always there," says Dave, "growning up, we weren't as open about being Jewish, and we didn't have the same pop culture figures who make being Jewish part of their shtick."

To Dave the Beastie Boys were the first cool Jewish kids, even if there weren't any Jewish themes in their music. They were doing something unique, creative, and urban.

The power of music to connect people is really central to Dave's mission to empower Jews to pride in their heritage, and to educate people of other faiths and backgrounds about certain aspects of Jewish culture.

Be sure to catch Dave and Zeda's Beat Box at Cicero's on October 11th at 8PM.

Meet me there for the best selection of draft beer IN THE CITY! Read More......