Cantorial Recordings Reimagined by Schizophonia

SCHIZOPHONIA is a series of Jewish cantorial recordings as you've never heard them. Led by NYC guitarist/composer Yoshie Fruchter (Pitom, Zion80), and released by Blue Thread Music (jewishcurrents.org), this "Rosenblatt meets Radiohead" endeavor covers ground from some of the great singers of the 20th century including Yossele Rosenblatt, Gershon Sirota, Leib Glantz as well as home recordings by Rabbi and Cantor Alfred Fruchter, Yoshie's grandfather. 

The band covers a lot of sonic ground but has echoes of the epic sounding records and vocal depth of the Icelandic post rock band Sigur Ros as well as a Bill Frisellian instrumental beauty. Though the source recordings themselves are driven by the virtuosic and performative voices of the cantors, Schizophonia takes the music in a completely different direction, and creates rock masterpieces full of sonic texture, deep groove and heavy riffing. Fruchter, though not a cantor himself, is well versed in Jewish prayer music and his voice lends the songs an at times ethereal and almost ghostly vocal undertone. This will be the bands debut performance and a sneak preview of the record.

Yoshie Fruchter: guitar, banjo, vocals
Brian Marsella: keyboards
Shanir Blumenkranz: bass
Yonadav Halevy: drums
Rich Stein: percussion