Vocolot
Encyclopedia
Vocolot is a contemporary Jewish women's a cappella
ensemble based in California
consisting of Elizabeth Stuart, Julia Bordenaro, Shana Levy, and director Linda Hirschhorn, founded in 1988. The group performs original compositions and arrangements of traditional Jewish
, folk
, and world-music
songs in English, Hebrew
, Yiddish
, Ladino, and Arabic
. Mixing folk, classical
, cantorial
and Jazz
idioms in a polyphonic style of intricately interwoven voices, the women perform a cappella with occasional use of hand drum
s and Body percussion
. The ensemble has been compared to Sweet Honey in the Rock, and most recently they were the only American group to make it to the finals at the 2008 International Jewish Music Competition in Amsterdam.
Many of Vocolot's songs share themes of peace and justice, and Vocolot has sung at numerous rallies and fundraisers on behalf of El Salvador, Nicaragua, the homeless
, women's shelter
s, Darfur, and at many anti-war demonstrations. In addition, they commonly perform at festivals, conferences and conventions, folk music clubs, Jewish community centers and federations, colleges and universities, and synagogues throughout the U.S.A.
Vocolot has gone through many incarnations as new members joined and prior members left to start families and pursue other careers. Besides the current members and the founders, there were Kirsten Zerger, Alisa Peres, Helen Cohen, Ellen Robinson, Gale Kissin, Judy Larson, Sharon Preves, Abbe Lyons, Naomi Hannah, Judith-Kate Friedman, Fran Avni, Jennifer Karno, Alison Lewis, and Felicia Sloin.
Although Vocolot performs mostly a cappella, in the early 1990s they began incorporating percussion into some of their songs, with Helen Cohen, Gale Kissin, Ellen Robinson and Liz Stuart on doumbek and frame drums, and one of their more recent songs, "These Hands", integrates body percussion.
word קולות qolot qoˈlot , meaning "voices", chosen by the founding members in November 1988, at a time when the politically active group was encouraging electoral participation with the slogan was "Get out the local vote with Vocolot!" at their performances.
. Their songs are registered with BMI
.
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
ensemble based in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
consisting of Elizabeth Stuart, Julia Bordenaro, Shana Levy, and director Linda Hirschhorn, founded in 1988. The group performs original compositions and arrangements of traditional Jewish
Jewish music
Jewish music is the music and melodies of the Jewish People which have evolved over time throughout the long course of Jewish History. In some instances Jewish Music is of a religious nature, spiritual songs and refrains are common in Jewish Services throughout the world, while other times, it is...
, folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, and world-music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
songs in English, Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, Yiddish
Yiddish language
Yiddish is a High German language of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, spoken throughout the world. It developed as a fusion of German dialects with Hebrew, Aramaic, Slavic languages and traces of Romance languages...
, Ladino, and Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
. Mixing folk, classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, cantorial
Hazzan
A hazzan or chazzan is a Jewish cantor, a musician trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer.There are many rules relating to how a cantor should lead services, but the idea of a cantor as a paid professional does not exist in classical rabbinic sources...
and Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
idioms in a polyphonic style of intricately interwoven voices, the women perform a cappella with occasional use of hand drum
Hand drum
A hand drum is any type of drum that is typically played with the bare hand rather than a stick, mallet, hammer, or other type of beater. The simplest type of hand drum is the frame drum, which consists of a shallow, cylindrical shell with a drumhead attached to one of the open ends.-Types:The...
s and Body percussion
Body percussion
Body percussion may be performed on its own or as an accompaniment to song. The folk traditions of many countries include the use of body percussion...
. The ensemble has been compared to Sweet Honey in the Rock, and most recently they were the only American group to make it to the finals at the 2008 International Jewish Music Competition in Amsterdam.
Many of Vocolot's songs share themes of peace and justice, and Vocolot has sung at numerous rallies and fundraisers on behalf of El Salvador, Nicaragua, the homeless
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
, women's shelter
Women's shelter
A women's shelter is a place of temporary refuge and support for women escaping violent or abusive situations, such as rape, and domestic violence....
s, Darfur, and at many anti-war demonstrations. In addition, they commonly perform at festivals, conferences and conventions, folk music clubs, Jewish community centers and federations, colleges and universities, and synagogues throughout the U.S.A.
History
Vocolot began in 1988, when singer-songwriter Linda Hirschhorn informally assembled a group of musicians to record some of the songs she had written for four- and five-part vocal harmonies. When they had finished recording those, for the Gather Round album, she asked the singers to join her in an on-going group. The founding members were Rosalind Glazer, Max Ventura, Tay Holden and Linda Hirschhorn.Vocolot has gone through many incarnations as new members joined and prior members left to start families and pursue other careers. Besides the current members and the founders, there were Kirsten Zerger, Alisa Peres, Helen Cohen, Ellen Robinson, Gale Kissin, Judy Larson, Sharon Preves, Abbe Lyons, Naomi Hannah, Judith-Kate Friedman, Fran Avni, Jennifer Karno, Alison Lewis, and Felicia Sloin.
Although Vocolot performs mostly a cappella, in the early 1990s they began incorporating percussion into some of their songs, with Helen Cohen, Gale Kissin, Ellen Robinson and Liz Stuart on doumbek and frame drums, and one of their more recent songs, "These Hands", integrates body percussion.
Name
The name 'Vocolot' (vokoˈlot) is a bilingual pun on the English word 'vocal', meaning "vocal", and the HebrewHebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
word קולות qolot qoˈlot , meaning "voices", chosen by the founding members in November 1988, at a time when the politically active group was encouraging electoral participation with the slogan was "Get out the local vote with Vocolot!" at their performances.
Former members
- Rosalind Glazer (1988–1996)
- Max Ventura (1988–1989)
- Tay Holden (1988–1989)
- Kirsten Zerger (1989–1992)
- Alisa Peres (1989)
- Helen Cohen (1992)
- Ellen Robinson (1989–2005)
- Gale Kissin (1991–1992)
- Judy Larson (1990–1991)
- Sharon Preves (1991–1992)
- Abbe Lyons (1992–1995)
- Naomi Hannah (1992)
- Judith-Kate Friedman (1995–2003)
- Fran Avni (1996)
- Jennifer Karno (1997–2006)
- Alison Lewis (1998–2003)
- Felicia Sloin (2003–2005)
Discography
Vocolot has produced four albums under the Oyster Albums label by Kehila Productions in Berkeley, CaliforniaBerkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
. Their songs are registered with BMI
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
.
- HeartBeat (2002)
- Heart Beat
- La Comida
- Zog Maran
- Elokim
- Guide Me
- Who Can You Lean On
- Full Circle
- Yesh Lanu Koach
- For Talia: Born 9/11/85
- These Hands
- Ocho KandelikasOcho Kandelikas"Ocho Kandelikas" is a Jewish song celebrating the holiday of Hanukkah. The song is sung in Ladino, a Spanish-derived language traditionally associated with the Sephardic Jewish community, whose ancestors lived in Spain before the 15th century CE. The song is often performed in an Argentine...
- Los Bilbilicos
- Eretz Zavat Chalav U'Dvash
- Sarah and Hagar
- Pitchu Li / Effen Oyf: A Chant to Life
- Behold! (1998)
- Lo Yisa Goy (Study War No More)
- Hareh Aht / Hashmi'ini (Behold!)
- Bird
- Rosh Hodesh (New Moon) Candlelighting
- Blessed Is The Flame
- May Rue Platz (My Resting Place)
- Sham'a (Hear and Rejoice)
- V'ayrastich Li (Betrothal)
- If You Can Walk
- Imri Na (My Sister)
- Camarada
- Eretz Shiv'at Haminim (The Land of Seven Species)
- Eli, Eli
- Wings Span
- Roots & Wings (1992)
- Roots & Wings
- Not by Might
- What Happened to the Dream?
- If Not Now
- Homeless Blues
- Kahrev Yom
- Mizmor Shir
- But Ask Now the Beasts / Trees of the Wild
- Waltzing in the Shadows (In Memoriam - A Yizkor for Tay)
- Stepping Lightly
- Shifchi Ka-Ma'yim
- Marbeh
- Play On
- Blessing for Children
- Circle Chant (New version)
- Gather Round (1989)
- Ilu Finu
- Miriam's Slow Snake Dance
- Ki Hem Chayenu
- Blessing After the Meal
- Chanukah / Solstice
- Women Gathering Round
- I Have a Million Nightingales
- Ruth and Naomi
- Yom Shabbaton
- Ufarsu Lara'ev
- The Full Moon Song
- The Berry Song
- Nigun
Awards
- International Jewish Music Festival 2008 Amsterdam Competition Finalist
- Harmony Sweepstakes Bay Area Regional 2nd-Place Winner
- Just Plain Folks 2006 Music Awards Nominee, for Behold!