Mama Doni has put together her best album yet! Before receiving this new CD, we listened to several of her songs on the mamadoni.com website and on her Youtube channel. My 18 month old particularly enjoyed the music and was dancing around to it.
Mama Doni’s music is fun music particularly for Jewish kids, although I really think it’s enjoyable to anyone. We are not Jewish, but we have a few Jewish friends and have been learning a bit about the culture and traditions lately because we have several Torah Observant friends.
Her newest album is Shabbat Shaboom.
We really enjoyed this CD! It is less cheese-ball than the other music of hers that we’ve heard. In this one, her voice really shines through and it’s a breath of fresh air. My kids and I really enjoyed listening, particularly the sweet songs “The Friday Night Blessings (Mama Doni’s New Melody)” and “The Saturday Night Blessings”. The Introduction (Overture) and The Finale were hilarious and fun!
There’s just so much range in the music. There’s fun and silly, sweet and traditional, hip hop inspired, country inspired, dancing songs, and so much more!
*photo credit Ron Holtz
More about Mama Doni
Doni Zasloff Thomas, aka Mama Doni, is the lead singer/songwriter in The Mama Doni Band. Doni’s “wacky, Jewish indie-rock band for kids” won the Simcha Award for Inspiring Joy Through Music in competition with more than 100 bands from 15 different countries at the 2008 International Jewish Music Festival in Amsterdam. Quirky, zany, offbeat, and unpredictable, The Mama Doni Band expands the horizons of traditional Jewish music with a contagious and unexpected blend of reggae, rock, disco, Latin, klezmer and “Jewgrass” – all woven together with a hip Jewish sensibility.
The original songs and stories on Shabbat Shaboom transport listeners to a place where the album’s warmly sincere pop-rock title track happily melds with a Gloria Estefan-meets-Fiddler on the Roof conga line tune, “Challah-Day,” where the reggae-influenced “Mazel Tov” meets a disco ditty, “Sabbath Queen.” Shabbat Shaboom touches on such aspects as lighting candles, being with family (mishpocha), celebrating bat mitzvahs, and even the “workout” that Mama Doni mischievously terms “synagoguersizing.”
Shabbat Shaboom marks the first Mama Doni CD to showcase the entire Mama Doni Band. Says Doni, “Shabbat Shaboom is really an evolution for us. It’s a little less shticky than my previous CDs. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still fun! But this album has a slightly different vibe. It’s more sophisticated musically than my earlier work, a bit more soulful, you might say.”
The raison d’être of Mama Doni’s presentation goes deeper than surface “shtick.” What’s important to Doni is the idea of giving children their own current and positive musical voice. Doni lays out her mission: “I want to share with kids of all ages and backgrounds the humor and richness that effervesces throughout Yiddish language and Jewish culture. Through my music I hope that they can access the joy in this culture in a new way and have a rockin‘ good time in the process!”
The inimitable Mama Doni brings her special brand of “funky music with a Jewish twist” to a new “Challah-Day” album, with the March 22 release of Shabbat Shaboom (Mama Doni Productions, $15, run time 42 minutes, all ages).
MAMA DONI & THE MAMA DONI BAND in Performance
Highlights – Winter/Spring 2011
March 20 Museum of Jewish Heritage
April 3
April 22
May 10
May 11 Simon JCC
Buy It:
You can buy individual mp3s on CDBaby (or you can buy the whole albums on MP3 OR CD). She has other albums for sale as well.
Who wants to WIN???
I have the privilege of giving away a copy of their Shabbat Shaboom! CD! 🙂 If you would love some great kid music for your children (Jewish or not!), enter this giveaway! 🙂
US only. Please leave a new comment for each entry!
Mandatory Entry
Go to the Mama Doni and listen to the clips they have posted on their homepage (Click either Listen or Music Video). Come back and tell me your email address and which of the songs you liked the best!
Bonus Entries
*Like the Mama Doni on Facebook
*Follow Mama Doni on Twitter.
*Tweet this giveaway (for example: “Enter to #win some great music from @mamadoni @JennsRAQ! realandquirky.com ends 4/3”)
*Earn an extra entry for each other giveaway of mine that you enter. 🙂
Ends 4/3.
Melissa says
I liked them on FB!
I think I liked Rasta in Pasta the best. They’re actually coming to a synagogue near me. Maybe I’ll take the kids!
🙂
Laura says
The whole family listened. We liked “Oy Vey” since it is a word that is often used in our house. “Jewperheros” was fun!
Manda says
My 2 little boys laughed so hard at Oy Vey and ran around as fast as they could! Too cute! Thanks for the giveaway! Amanda Nowlin at hotmail dot com.
Manda says
And now I like them on Facebook 🙂
Manda says
Also following them on Twitter! 🙂
Anonymous says
I LOVE Mama Doni. Eight Nights from Chanukah Fever is one of my favorites.
Berta says
Shabbat Shaboom is great. It has a real different vibe from her other songs.
Lara N. says
I liked Mazel Tov and Oy Vey.
lara at twiceblessedlife dot com
Lara N. says
Liked Mama Doni Band on Facebook
lara at twiceblessedlife dot com
Lara N. says
followed Mama Doni on Twitter as @twiceblessdlife
lara at twiceblessedlife dot com
kellyr78 says
I like the Challah Day Song Best.
KellywcuATyahooDOTcom
suchcakes says
I liked Oy Vey
kansaswolf @ hotmail . com
suchcakes says
I like them on Facebook
kansaswolf @ hotmail . com
suchcakes says
Entered the Arthur and the Invisibles giveaway
kansaswolf @ hotmail . com
suchcakes says
Entered the Barber foods giveaway
kansaswolf @ hotmail . com
suchcakes says
Entered the Juice box heroes giveaway
kansaswolf @ hotmail . com
suchcakes says
Entered the Schick giveaway
kansaswolf @ hotmail . com
suchcakes says
Entered the Joanie Leeds giveaway
kansaswolf @ hotmail . com
Myria - Beloved Bijou says
I like Challah Day – reminds me of my dad 🙂 I tweeted at http://www.twitter.com/belovedbijou
clumsyraine says
Love the Bagel Song! (And I don’t even like bagels! haha) This is kinda like Jewish Superchick… awesome!
clumsyraine at gmail dot com
clumsyraine says
Liked them on Facebook
clumsyraine at gmail dot com
clumsyraine says
Now following Mama Doni on twitter
clumsyraine at gmail dot com
clumsyraine says
Entered the shick giveaway
clumsyraine at gmail dot com
DB says
We liked Oy Vey best.
daivase at yahoo dot com
Diana says
I like the Challah Day Song best
hrddiana556@gmail.com
Diana says
I like The mama Doni Band on Fb
hrddiana556@gmail.com
Diana says
I follow Mama Doni on Twitter
hrddiana556@gmail.com
April says
I like Oy Vey!
orangeaugust at yahoo dot com
April says
Follow Mama Doni on Twitter
orangeaugust at yahoo dot com
April says
tweeted
http://twitter.com/#!/aprilpachuta/status/54640946477924352
orangeaugust at yahoo dot com
maryjaco1 says
I pick the Latke Man.
mary@cire.com
maryjaco1 says
I Like the Mama Doni on Facebook-Mary Jaco.
mary@cire.com
jayedee says
we loved oy vey!
ntiveheart@gmail.com
jayedee says
i like mama doni on fb – jayedee halpin dewitt
ntiveheart@gmail.com
jayedee says
i follow mama doni on twitter @ntiveheart
ntiveheart@gmail.com
jayedee says
tweeted!
http://twitter.com/ntiveheart/status/54700049480953857
ntiveheart@gmail.com