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Six13

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Six13
Background information
OriginNew York City
GenresA cappella,beatbo xing,covers,parody
Years active2003(2003)–present
MembersMike Boxer
Carl Haber
Lior Melnick
Craig Resmovits
Nathaniel Ribner
Josh Sauer
Mordy Weinstein
Aaron Kohl
Chaim Moskowitz[1]
Past membersJacob Spadaro
Rob Operman
Alan Zeitlin
Moshe Cohn
Noah Aronson
Justin Rosenblum
Avi Ishofsky
[2][3]
Websitewww.six13

Six13is a New York–basedJewishall-malea cappellasinging group. Formed in 2003, the six-voice group is known forparodyingcontemporary pop songs by adding Jewish themes and lyrics. It also singscover versionsof pop hits and Yiddish and Israeli classics, and produces original compositions based on traditionalJewish prayers.Relying solely on vocals, the group achieves the effects of guitar, bass, drums, and electronic music throughbeatbo xingand multiple layering of vocal tracks on its music videos. The group performs regularly for universities,synagogues,public and private groups, and in music festivals. It has released eight albums and won numerous awards.

History

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Six13 was formed in 2003 atBinghamton Universityby then-student Mike Boxer. Boxer tapped several of his religious Jewish college friends for the new group, which was named for the613 commandmentsof theTorah.[4]The group performs with six voices at each concert appearance.[4]In addition to vocals, group members dobeatbo xing.[5]

Parodies

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Six13 is best known for their parodies of contemporary pop songs, incorporating Jewish-themed lyrics. Like other Jewish a cappella groups, they produce an annual music video to honor the holidays ofHanukkahandPassover.[6]Their Hanukkah songs include "Bohemian Chanukah", a 2018 parody ofQueen's "Bohemian Rhapsody",[7]in which thebridge"Mamma mia, mamma mia"is recast as"Abba, Ima, Abba, Ima"(Hebrew for" Father, Mother, Father, Mother "),[6]and a 2019 video featuring traditional Hanukkah songs and prayers sung to music fromStar Wars.[8]

For Passover, they released "Chozen", a parody of the soundtrack fromDisney'sFrozen,in 2014,[9]"Uptown Passover", a parody ofMark Ronson's "Uptown Funk",in 2015,[10]and "A Lion King Passover", parodying music from Disney'sThe Lion King,in 2019. The music video for the latter song garnered more than 1.6 million views onYouTube.[4]

Six13 at Jewish Music Fest in Los Gatos, California

Covers

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Six13 has performed vocalcover versionsof "Poker Face"byLady Gaga,"Heartless"byKanye West,and "I Gotta Feeling"byThe Black Eyed Peas,among others.[11]

Original songs

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While Six13 is best known for its parodies, most of its output is original songs, based on prayers and tunes from the traditionalJewish liturgy.[6]Boxer, the group's main songwriter and arranger,[6]estimates that original compositions constitute six out of every eight songs they perform, and are mainly found on the group's albums.[12]

Appearances

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Six13 performs regularly in the United States, Canada, and Israel,[5]appearing at universities,synagogues,Jewish youth conferences, and private events.[2][6][12]They have also performed at music festivals in Israel, Germany, Austria, and Costa Rica.[4]

In 2016 they were invited by PresidentBarack Obamato perform at theWhite House Hanukkah Party.[13][14]The group prepared to sing in the foyer for guests who were filing in to theEast Roomfor the reception, but Obama invited them inside to sing for him, the First Lady, and other guests including US Supreme Court JusticesRuth Bader GinsburgandSonia Sotomayor.For this occasion, they sang a short selection from "A Hamilton Hanukkah", their parody of music from the Broadway musicalHamilton.[15]

Musical styles

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Six13 employs a wide range of musical styles, including pop, rock, hip hop, doo wop, and jazz.[2]Relying solely on vocals, the group achieves the effects of guitar, bass, drums, and electronic music throughbeatbo xing[4]and multiple layering of vocal tracks on its music videos.[11]

Personnel

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Mike Boxer is the group's musical director, songwriter, arranger and business manager.[2]As of 2021, the group has a total of eight members, aged 25 to 37, who travel in groups of six for performances.[4]Members are all college graduates, are based in New York City, and have careers outside the group.[2][6][5]Mike Boxer, Carl Haber, Lior Melnick, Craig Resmovits, Nathaniel Ribner, Josh Sauer, Jacob Spadaro, and Mordy Weinstein make up the group as of 2021.[16]

Honors and awards

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Six13 sings "God Bless America"on Jewish Heritage Day atCiti Field,2009

Six13 has been invited to participate in Jewish Heritage Day atShea Stadium/Citi Fieldfor seven consecutive years.[17]The group was chosen as a finalist for three years in a row in the casting process for the NBC a cappella competitionThe Sing-Off.[10]

Six13's album "Encore" was named a top pick of 2007 by the Recorded A Cappella Review Board, and the album "Yesh Chadash" was a top pick of 2009.[2][17]The group is regularly nominated forContemporary A Cappella Recording Awards;it won in the category of Best Humor Song in 2017 for "Watch Me (Spin / Drey Drey)", in 2015 for "Shana Tova", in 2012 for "I Light It", in 2011 for "Tefillin",and in 2009 for"Ne'ilah".Its song" Good Shabbos "won both Best Religious Song and Best Humor Song in 2013, while"D'ror Yikra"was named Best Religious Song in 2008.[17]Six13 has also been awarded by The New York Harmony Sweepstakes in the category of Best Original Song for "Al Hanissim"in 2008,"Shema"in 2013, and"Gam Ki Elech"in 2019.[17]

Discography

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  • Six13(2005)
  • Encore(2007)
  • Yesh Chadash(2008)
  • Zmanim(2011)
  • Believe(2013)
  • Thirteen(2015)
  • Blessings / Brachot(2017)
  • Lights(2019)
  • A Star Wars Chanukah(2019)[18]

References

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  1. ^https:// six13 /about-six13
  2. ^abcdefMarder, Rachel (September 11, 2011)."A cappella with attitude".The Jerusalem Post.RetrievedDecember 15,2019.
  3. ^Poliakov, Rita (June 4, 2008)."Jewish Acapella Group Wows Holy Blossom".Canadian Jewish News.RetrievedDecember 13,2023.
  4. ^abcdefNagler-Cohen, Liron (April 21, 2019)."A royally roaring Passover".Ynetnews.RetrievedDecember 15,2019.
  5. ^abcBoros, Phyllis A. S. (October 18, 2011)."Jewish a cappella group, Six13, will remember slain journalist with concert".Connecticut Post.RetrievedDecember 15,2019.
  6. ^abcdefWolf, Xena (December 2, 2018)."Viral Hanukkah video has St. Louis connection".St. Louis Jewish Light.RetrievedDecember 15,2019.
  7. ^Steinberg, Jessica (November 29, 2018)."It's all about 8 nights in 'Bohemian Chanukah' homage to Queen".The Times of Israel.RetrievedDecember 15,2019.
  8. ^Zaltzman, Lior (December 13, 2019)."This 'Star Wars' Hanukkah Parody Is Out of This Galaxy".Kveller.RetrievedDecember 15,2019.
  9. ^Hafiz, Yasmine (April 7, 2014)."'Chozen' By Six13 Is The Passover Version Of The 'Frozen' Soundtrack You've Been Waiting For ".HuffPost.RetrievedDecember 21,2019.
  10. ^abRonen, Gil (March 26, 2015)."Music Video: Uptown Passover is Coming to Ya".Israel National News.RetrievedDecember 15,2019.
  11. ^abFriedman, Yoav (April 29, 2010)."Jewish band serves up kosher Lady Gaga".Ynetnews.RetrievedDecember 15,2019.
  12. ^abSparber, Max (June 1, 2018)."Six13 provides more than novelty".American Jewish World.RetrievedDecember 15,2019.
  13. ^"White House Chanukah Party Features Performance by Six13".The Jewish Link.December 29, 2016.RetrievedDecember 15,2019.
  14. ^Waxman, Olivia B. (December 19, 2016)."Watch the Hanukkah-Themed Hamilton Parody Performed for the Obamas".Time.RetrievedDecember 15,2019.
  15. ^Lakritz, Talia (December 20, 2019)."The White House didn't always celebrate Hanukkah — here's how the tradition began".Business Insider Malaysia.RetrievedDecember 20,2019.
  16. ^"Six13 - About Us".Six13.Retrieved2021-11-25.
  17. ^abcd"Awards".six13. 2019.
  18. ^https:// six13 /music
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