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Panorama Jazz Band feat. Mark Rubin, Jew of Oklahoma - Spin the Dreidel

from Song​-​of​-​the​-​Month Club: Good Music For You by Panorama Jazz Band and Panorama Brass Band plus special guests

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about

After hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Ama (my spouse, very pregnant at the time) and I were couch surfing in Baton Rouge when multi-instrumentalist, teacher and all-around mensh Mark Rubin (who produced our second album, "Panoramaland") texted me. "Just come to Austin, I have everything you need." He had a small guest house on his property plus his synagogue had gathered money, groceries, baby clothes, household items and literally everything we needed. Our son Rogan (now 13) was born there and the three of us returned to New Orleans to start over in December.

Several years later as wages for musicians continued to fall in Austin, I
encouraged Mark to relocate to New Orleans and was able to kick him work with Panorama. This year, as Hanukkah approached, I floated the idea to Mark of him "special guesting" on our annual Hanukkah track under his stage persona, "Jew of Oklahoma." The tune he suggested was "Drey Dreydele," Yiddish for "Spin the Dreidel."

You probably already know that a dreidel is a small, four-sided top children play with at Hanukkah time. Each side has a Hebrew letter on it. You spin it and, depending which side lands up, you either put in or take out some "Hanukkah gelt," chocolate coins for the occasion.

Also check Mark out playing tuba on our previous tracks: "Chororo," "Home for the Holidays," "Hanukkah on Japonica" and "Joshua Yaakov" plus banjo on "Firn di Mekhutonim Aheym."

And dig our previous Hanukkah tracks: "Home For The Holidays," "Hanukkah on Japonica" and "Ocho Kandelikas," featuring Meryl Zimmerman (vocals).

Thanks for listening,
Ben Schenck
Panorama Jazz Band
New Orleans, LA

lyrics

(Yodeling)
Mark Rubin, Jew of Oklahoma, here with the Panorama Jazz Band wishing you and yours a happy Hanukkah from down here in balmy New Orleans. Let's play a little dreidel!

It's my favorite time of year, gather family far and near.
Its called the festival of lights, we light the candle each eight nights.

There's kreplekh and gefilte fish, that's cousin Channah's favorite dish.
Bubbe, Zeyde tantz a valtz, smell the latkes fry in shmaltz.

Let's all go
Play spin the dreidel dreidel, play spin the dreidel.
It's the feast of Hanukkah come dance as long you're able. (2x)

Menorah in the window bright illuminates the darkest night
For the Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Jew, Hindu, Apikorsim* too!

Let's all
Come spin the dreidel dreidel, play spin the dreidel.
It's the feast of Hanukkah, you're welcome at the table.
Come spin the dreidel dreidel, play spin the dreidel.
It's the feast of Hanukkah, let's dance while we are able.

Ha ha ha! Come on gimel! Papa needs some gelt!

(Ins Yiddish)

Breng mir broyt un breng mir vayn, lomir ale freylekh zeyn!
kh'hob shoyn latkes, fleysh un fish un a vays bedektn tish.**

Let's all
Spin spin the dreidel dreidel, spin spin the dreidel.
It's the feast the Haunukkah let's dance as long we're able.
Spin spin the dreidel dreidel, spin spin the dreidel.
It's the feast the Haunukkah you're welcome at the table.

Zets!***

*Non-believers (ie "Epicureans")
**Bring me bread and bring me wine, let's all be happy!
I already have latkes, meat and fish and a white covered table.
***Yiddish exclamation

credits

from Song​-​of​-​the​-​Month Club: Good Music For You, track released December 1, 2018
Panorama Jazz Band feat. Mark Rubin, Jew of Oklahoma
Mark Rubin - Vocal, tenor banjo and tambourine
Ben Schenck - Clarinet, gang vocal
Aurora Nealand - Alto saxophone, gang vocal
Colin Myers - Trombone, gang vocal
Michael Ward-Bergeman - Accordion, gang vocal
Matt Perrine - Tuba
Doug Garrison - Drums

Music and Yiddish lyrics written by Moishe Oysher / Abe Ellstein (Ethnic Music Pub)
Additional English lyrics by Mark Rubin (Jew of Oklahoma Music / BMI)
Arrangers - Ben Schenck, Mark Rubin
Published by Snack Daddy Music (ASCAP)
Recorded, edited, mixed and mastered by Lu Rojas at Oak Street Recording, New Orleans, LA
Cover photo Greg Miles
Photo of Mark Rubin by unknown
Graphic design by Ben Schenck

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Panorama Jazz Band / Panorama Brass Band - New Orleans New Orleans, Louisiana

"New Orleans' genre fluid jazz band"

The Panorama Jazz Band and the Panorama Brass Band have been working steadily in New Orleans and beyond since 1995. Many hundreds of nightclub gigs, festivals, weddings, crawfish boils and Mardi Gras parades have added to this community of musicians' collective experience, all of which they bring to each of their recordings. ... more

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