Neshama yetera

Neshama Carlebach will be collaborating with a diverse cast of female talent on her new tour. And she's pregnant.

By BEN JACOBSON
neshama carlebach 88.298 (photo credit: )
neshama carlebach 88.298
(photo credit: )
Neshama Carlebach has recently announced her pregnancy. When the jazzy soul-pop singer returns to Israel for one of her regular concert tours, it'll be interesting to see her on stage with a bulging belly - a neshama-in-the-making within the performing Neshama. Also appearing on stage will be a myriad of vocal collaborators. Last December's two collaborations between Carlebach and newly spiritual Israeli pop singer Etti Ankri were apparently successful enough to warrant wider plans for stage-sharing this time, with live collaborations scheduled with the likes of ethnic classic rocker Shlomo Gronich and pioneering post-folk indy Hadara Levin Areddy. Of course, Ankri won't be left behind. Carlebach kicks off her tour together with Ankri this Tuesday as part of the Emek Hefer Festival at Nahal Alexander. The show begins at 9 p.m., with tickets available at (03) 532-5272. On Wednesday night, Carlebach headlines a special evening entitled "Women Sing Carlebach" - a tribute to the music of her father, the emblematic singer/songwriter Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. In addition to Neshama, the Women Sing Carlebach roster includes the likes of Ankri; the beautiful dance pop sensation Mika Karni; Seventies rock-steady disco-pop songstress Ruti Navon; ethnic experimenter Yasmin Levy; hip-hop fusionist Leah Shabbat; and Areddy. Areddy, herself one of the original stories of independent Jerusalem grassroots music marketing success, has been collaborating with The Moshav Band's David "Sky" Swirsky for many years, so her collaboration with Moshav sibling act Neshama Carlebach is not much of a creative leap. Musical direction for Women Sing Carlebach is being overseen by former Ofra Haza bassist Tzur Ben-Zeev. The show, part of the Tanach Festival at the Bet Guvrin Amphitheater, is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m., with tickets available by calling (03) 966-6141 or (08) 850-0724. Carlebach also has two shows planned with Israeli multiethnic fusion veteran Shlomo Gronich. This Thursday they'll perform at Herzliya's Camelot club, with doors opening at 9 p.m. and tickets available at (09) 958-8993. Then, on August 14, the two bring their show to Jerusalem's Hama'abada Theater, with doors opening at 9 p.m. and tickets available at (02) 629-2000 or (1-700) 700-920. The dancehall divaliscious Mika Karni returns to Carlebach's side on August 13 for a special joint show at Binyamina-Mivtzar Shuni's Milestone Club. This concert is scheduled for 9 p.m., with tickets available at (04) 638-8760. Carlebach then finishes off the tour with no one on stage but her own band, a microphone in hand and a bun in the oven at Rehovot's Mofet Hall. The women-only performance is set to begin at 9 p.m., with more information available at (03) 532-5272.