CD Review: Baal Shem Tones new CD release

     Untold Stories is the second album from husband and wife songwriting team Michael and Helene Kates, a.k.a. The Baal Shem Tones. Released on independent label Peradam Productions, this CD is a must-have for any music connoisseur.

     The CD opens with “Hineini (Here I Am),” a powerful statement of personal connection to G-d. “It’s about my own journey,” says Helene. “Sometimes my path seems clear, other times I feel totally lost. But there’s always a road back home, a connection waiting to be made. When I’m ready to hear, I hear.”

    “Into the Light,” written by Michael, is rooted in Chassidic

   Helene is the only vocalist on most tracks, layering lush harmonies over powerful melodic delivery. The exception is “Oh Shabbos Come In,” an a capella street corner quartet in which Michael sings all four parts. This simple yet multi-faceted song is an utterly infectious sing-along before candle lighting.

     “Whispers of Shema” is an ambient blend of melody and meaning that truly lends itself to the spirit of the listener. “It was an improvisation following a meditation,” says Helene. “As Michael played, I heard slow strings of words that floated together and became the song. To me it represents the deepest level of hearing, an organic understanding and oneness.”

        With Untold Stories, Michael has become a personal favorite songwriter and producer.  Combined with the talents of some of Nashville’s finest session players, he and Wisch made this album of 12 songs a sheer pleasure to hear all the way through, again and again. Kickin’, up-tempo rockers, sweet and simple folk melodies interwoven with Hebrew and English lyrics, and wordless nigunim that speak straight to the soul are held together by a common thread of wonderful sound, creating a whole from different chapters.

    Chabad of Georgia and Congregation Beth Tefillah Sisterhood present singer/songwriter Helene Kates of the Baal Shem Tones in concert Monday, September 27 at Congregation Beth Tefillah in Sandy Springs. This special event for women and girls, called “Sukkot With the Stars,” celebrates the release of the Baal Shem Tones second album Untold Stories.
Sushi and refreshments will follow in the sukkah.

    Kates may be fast becoming one of the more popular performers in Jewish music today, judging by the overwhelmingly positive response to her new material from audiences and critics.

    She and her husband Michael, both musicians, formed the Baal Shem Tones 10 years ago when they embarked on a spiritual journey to re-connect with their Jewish roots. Over the next few years Helene was invited twice to perform for the Chabad annual women’s convention in New York, while the Baal Shem Tones quickly became audience favorites at the Conference for Alternatives in Jewish Education (CAJE), where they performed several times before the organization’s demise in 2008. In 2004 they released their first album All
    Our Lives to wide critical acclaim, and today their songs are sung in synagogues around the world. This past August they were honored to perform for the inaugural NewCAJE conference, organized by former CAJE attendees.

    Their distinctive pop-influenced songwriting – described as “100% American and 100% Jewish” – has earned respect from their peers, but it’s Helene’s powerhouse performance style and ability to connect that has won the hearts of her fans. Entertainer Craig Taubman has said that Helene’s onstage presence is so engaging that audiences “can’t take their eyes away for the entire show. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Like All Our Lives, Untold Stories features Helene’s lush mezzo soprano layered in three- and four-part harmonies, backed by a dream team of top Nashville session players. Grammy- winning producer Ben Wisch (“Walking in Memphis”) was brought in to mix, giving the album a rich cinematic quality. For more about Helene and The Baal Shem Tones visit www.baalshemtones.com.