Sitar and Rabbi - their first CD!

Don't let their modesty fool you. Rasa and Reb Drew have produced an exquisite gem in their exploration of this unusual Hebrew love song. This audio montage of Et Dodim Kala, taken from the sweetest moments of a two hour studio session, begins with Rasa simply stating the melody. We then go back in time and hear Reb Drew teaching Rasa the melody as Rasa plays along. Then we jump forward in time and hear the melody and improvisation with Rasa playing sitar and Reb Drew playing the harmonium. "Et Dodim Kala is loosely based on Song of Songs 6:11, 'I went down to the nut orchard, to look at the blossoms of the valley, to see whether the vines had budded, whether the pomegranates were in bloom.' (NRSV) Et Dodim, kala, bo-ee l’ganee Parcha ha-gefen, hey-ney-tzu ha-reemoneem N’ran’na, N’zam’ra Et Simcha, ve-et ha-ahava, bo-ee l’ganee Beloved, Bride, come into my garden The vines have ripened, the pomegranates are in bloom We will sing and we will shout A time of joy, a time of love, come into my garden “In Yiddish Cantorial terminology, Et Dodim Kala is in the musical mode known as Ahava Rabboh, commonly known as Freygish in Yiddish . . . The name Freygish comes from the German church mode Phrygisch, the same as the Greek mode Phrygian. However, Ahava Rabboh is thought to come from a similar Tartaric mode, as it is actually an altered Phrygian mode, using a raised third rather than Phrygian’s minor third. This bright major third in a mode filled with seductive Middle-Eastern half-steps gives the melody an unusually hypnotic charm.” - Gliddy Narfass, Atintya Journal For more music from Rasa, find Starseed Music CDs at: www.cafeshops.com/pelorian