Jewish music star Yaakov Shwekey has launched "The Music of Shabbos: The Double Album," a collection of 18 new original songs dedicated to Shabbos. It is the second installment in his "Music of Shabbos" series.
The first album in the series brought together familiar, beloved melodies sung at Shabbat tables across the Jewish world. The new release is made up entirely of original compositions, and it pairs Shwekey with a long list of leading names in Jewish music.
"Shabbos has always been a very significant part of my life, and music has always been one of the most beautiful ways to connect to it," Shwekey said. "The privilege of releasing 18 completely new songs dedicated to Shabbos is something very special for me. My hope is that these songs will become part of the Shabbos table, that families will sing them together, and that they will continue to accompany them for generations."
The album features original compositions by Hershy Weinberger, Yossi Green, Rabbi Baruch Chait, Itzy Waldner, Yitzchak Hanig, Aaron Razel, Moshe Laufer, Yitzchak Rosenthal, Chezky Weiss and others. The arrangements are by Mendy Hershkowitz, R' Suki Berry, Moshe Laufer, Aaron Razel, Avrumi Berko, Yisroel Lamm, Mona Rosenblum, Tamir Tzur, David Ichilevich and others. Together they bring a wide range of musical styles to the project and give each song its own character.
Shwekey also invited a lineup of guest performers, including Baruch Levine, Shloime Daskal, Ahrele Samet, Menachem Shwekey, Moshe Chabusha, Aaron Razel and Chaim Israel. Each brings a distinctive sound and style to the collection.
Shwekey worked on the album with producer Danny Gross, from choosing the compositions to shaping the sound of each track. "Working with Danny on this project was an amazing experience," Shwekey said. "He brings so much talent, creativity and heart to everything he does. We both wanted to create something that would last for many years, and I am grateful for everything he invested to make this album what it is."
The first four songs are already available, and further tracks will be released every Thursday over the coming weeks. The first official music video, "All Week Shabbos," has also been released, with more videos and special content from the album to follow.
