The Mitzvah Bus performed by Mister G
Latin GRAMMY winner Mister G brings his unique blend of musical genres, languages, and education to The Mitzvah Bus. Originally released in 2015, this high energy, Jewish-themed celebration is definitely worth a second (or if you’re like me, a first!) look.
Mister G’s trademark clever lyrics are evident from the very first song, “Challah-lalala” and continue through a menu of delicious foods in the songs “Latkes for Breakfast” and “Matzah on my Mind.” The education continues with the funk-filled “Flood’s Gonna Come,” a retelling of the story of Noah and the Ark, “Purim Party Song” and the ska-inspired “Hanukkah,” which delve into the history and traditions of the holidays. The title song, “Mitzvah Bus” tells a tale of good deeds and helping others while “Bevakasha” places emphasis on the power of the word “please.”
One of Mister G’s unique strengths is his ability to weave different languages together into a seamless, beautiful song. On The Mitzvah Bus, he combines not two, but three languages (in this case English, Spanish, and Hebrew) into lyrics that tell of a dance-party filled with friends in “Hola Shalom” and the glorious wonders of nature in the beautiful “Naturaleza.” In Mister G’s hands, the flow from language to language is seamless making each song a lyrical masterpiece.
Surrounded by a group of talented musicians, Mister G and his acoustic guitar breathe an unusual blend of funk, jazz, rock and world music into the album. While many of the songs on this album can’t be used in library programming, the songs about food could easily be used in programs about family traditions. The Mitzvah Bus would be a great addition not only to collections where Jewish-themed music is in demand, but also in collections where world music and family traditions are emphasized. In order for us to gain a better understanding of one another, it’s important to learn from each other and The Mitzvah Bus is a great place to start!
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