CHP, Choni G Rock the House

By COLlive staff

You may have seen the fliers up and down Kingston Avenue. Maybe you read the article on COLlive last week. The debut of the Chassidic House Party was held at Rubashkin’s this Motzei Shabbos so that the young crowd in Crown Heights would have someplace entertaining but kosher to do for the first night of Chanukah, and the event was an intense success.

The music was heard up and down President Street long into the night and many people walking outside joined the event over the course of the evening, unable to pass by without checking it out. As promised, the mechitza was kosher, and the women took full advantage of the shield from prying eyes to dance like crazy.

The men’s side was more of a lounge, with guys of all ages sitting and staring in awe at this band that seemed to show up in Brooklyn out of nowhere to rock their worlds. What was supposed to be a 1.5 hour dance party to celebrate the Festival of Lights and the band’s official launch ended up turning into a three-hour-long full blown concert that still left their newfound fans wanting more.

The group was started by keyboardist Daniel Berry from LA and drummer Ary Baldioceda from Costa Rica almost exactly a year ago at the Rabbinical College of America in Morristown, NJ. During last Chanukah, a quick improv of popular Chanukah songs by Berry on a rabbi’s piano resulted in a jam session in Baldioceda’s dorm room that lasted long into the night. A year has gone by and more members have gradually joined the band leading up to this weekend’s official launch, including bassist Nissen Goldman, and Chaim Yitzchok Rose as well as Eli Jayson both on sax.

Breaking all stereotypes and preconceptions, the Chassidic House Party (aka the CHP) plays nothing but niggunim, but flips them upside down and turns them into upbeat jazz-dance-funk tunes that leave listeners struggling to keep up. Even those at the event who aren’t usually fans of altered niggunim were singing, clapping, and dancing along all night to the masterful arrangements constructed by Daniel Berry. The fast-paced jam-band style music was interspersed with tasteful solos and original composition interludes, giving the audience chances to take a break from dancing to watch in awe as each of the band members showed off their talent and skill.

Joining them for their Chanukah performance was Choni Goldman from South Africa, winner of the 2012 Jewish Star competition. His incredible stage presence and smooth yet powerful voice blended in perfectly with the sometimes soulful, sometimes jumping beats of the CHP. Add in the 40+ years of music experience brought this group of musicians in their early twenties and it’s easy to see why they wowed the audience all night long.

Despite the fact that the band’s members are currently split between Brooklyn, NY and Morristown, NJ, they have big plans coming up. Another Crown Heights concert is currently in the works for next month, and they expect that it won’t be long until they hit the road and bring the Chassidic House Party to universities and Jewish centers all over the northeast.

“It’s a whole new frontier of shlichus. The idea is to bring a culturally immersive taste of Chassidus to people who wouldn’t necessarily ever set foot in a Chabad house. Music can speak to some people in ways that words can’t, and I think these guys will do a great job opening up people’s minds to the fact that Chassidus really is something that anyone can relate to,” said Rucheli Berry, the wife of keyboardist Daniel Berry, as well as the band’s temporary manager.

The only question left is: will the dancing Chassidim in the videos hit the road with them? You’ll have to wait and find out!

‘Like’ the CHP on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheChassidicHouseParty

Video: “HaNeiros Hallelu”

Video: “Didan Notzach”

Photos: Michal Weiss – [email protected]