Chanukah Fever (giveaway and review)

As seen on FOX-5’s ‘Good Day New York,’ NBC’s ‘Weekend Today in New York,’ SHALOM TV, and E Channel’s ‘The Soup’ …

A CHANUKAH CLASSIC FROM MAMA DONI

CHANUKAH FEVER 

“FUNKY MUSIC WITH A JEWISH TWIST”

From the PR Firm:  The inimitable Mama Doni brings her special brand of “funky music with a Jewish twist” to her classic holiday CD, Chanukah Fever (Mama Doni Productions, $15, run time 36 minutes, all ages).


Doni Zasloff Thomas, a.k.a. Mama Doni, is the lead singer/songwriter of The Mama Doni Band, honored with a 2011 Parents’ Choice® Award for their recent release, Shabbat Shaboom, and winner of the Simcha Award for “Inspiring Joy Through Music” in competition with more than 100 bands from 15 different countries at the 2008 International Jewish Music Festival in Amsterdam. 


Chanukah lasts only eight days, and Mama Doni says, “Enjoy!” The popular singer/songwriter expands the horizons of traditional Jewish music, with a contagious and unexpected blend of reggae, rock, disco, Latin, klezmer and “Jewgrass” – all woven together with a hip Jewish sensibility. In Chanukah Fever, MAMA DONI spices these eclectic, colorful elements with a razor-sharp, sophisticated humor that makes latkes, dreidels and Yiddish expressions cooler than ever.


If Spike Jones and his City Slickers were Jewish, they might have created Chanukah Fever. Quirky, off-beat, and unpredictable, the album’s highlights include such songs as the title track, a dyno-mite ditty about disco dreidels, a million latkes, and dancin’ for eight whole days and nights (with as much variety as could possibly be put into one song); “Honey, This Ain’t Money!,” in which Johnny Cash meets Bubbie meets “Hot Rod Lincoln”; a completely nutty “Jewsgrass” sing-along in “Bubbie’s Mi Yamelel"; “Latke Man,” a retro-swing pop song about a potato-lovin’ fella; "The Funky Gold Menorah," a kid-friendly hip-hop dance tune about a “Super Fly” Judaica sensation; "La Vida Dreidel," a Jewish twist on Latin style; and "I Say Chanukah (You Say Hanukkah!)," a quirky steel drum, island-style number.


Mama Doni’s recordings are available nationwide, as CDs and digital downloads, from Barnes and Noble, Amazon, FYE.com, iTunes, and select Costco locations. Projects currently in production include a Mama Doni book, DVD, and new CD. A TV pilot is also in the works!

My take: I was introduced to Mama Doni back when I reviewed her CD Shabbat  Shaboom.  You may recall how impressed I was then so I asked if I could take a listen to her new CD, "Chanukah Fever."  Well, let me tell you, I was BLOWN away.  I found myself laughing out loud to some of the lyrics - and left me KICKING myself for missing her concert when she was here locally recently. "Funky Cold Medina" has nothin' on "The Funky Gold Menorah."  And forget "Livin' la Vida Loca"  (no offense to the delightful Ricky Martin) because "La Vida Dreidel" will be your new theme song as you tap your feet along to the music.  The song that made me laugh outloud?  "I Say Chanukah (You Say Hanukah)" - Mama Doni really nails that Yiddish "ch" sound.  I could go on and on, but suffice to say, this is a delightful CD, Jewish or not, Holiday season or not.  But, if I could drop a hint, Hanukkah DOES begin on the 21st and this WOULD make a delightful present....

MAMA DONI and THE MAMA DONI BAND in Performance Highlights – Winter 2011

December 4 Congregation Agudat Achim Schenectady, NY

December 10 Congregation Beth Emeth Brooklyn, NY

December 11 JCC Rockland West Nyack, NY

December 17 Mandell JCC West Hartford, CT

December 18 United Synagogue of Hoboken Hoboken, NJ

December 18 92nd St. Y, Bronfman Center for Jewish Life New York, NY

February 26 Museum of Jewish Heritage New York, NY

March 4 Boston Jewish Music Festival Boston, MA

March 7 Temple Bat Yam Ft. Lauderdale, FL

March 18 Streit’s Matzo Factory New York, NY

For more information visit: http://mamadoni.com/

The giveaway:  WIN IT!  One lucky winner will win his/her very own copy of the Chanukah Fever!

To win: Go here to listen to one of Mama Doni's songs.  Then come back here and leave me a comment telling me which song you listened to and why you liked it! Be sure to leave your email address with your comment if you are not a blogger or your email is not easily found on your blog. This giveaway is open until 11:59 p.m., EST, Friday, December 9, 2011. Good Luck!


Bonus entries: Get up to 8 extra entries for a total of 9 entries (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

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This review was sponsored by Waldmania! PR who provided the CDs for review and giveaway. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary CD.