Message from the Festival Director Gary Holzman

(photo – Leonie Cohen Trio by David Mane)

Without doubt, each and every one of the 36 acts at this year’s festival left both their audiences and themselves wanting more. Ten hours was barely enough time to do justice to all the incredible music on offer. It may have rained on our (drumming) parade, but the weather didn’t dampen the spirits of the over one thousand people who turned up for this year’s festival. All our stages were undercover so, despite the wind and rain, the only thing that literally blew people away was the incredible talent and amazing variety of acts on offer … always a hallmark of Shir Madness.
The Song of Songs concert, featuring wonderful renditions of songs by Jewish songwriters including Paul Simon, Neil Diamond, Randy Newman, Laura Nyro, Adam Levine (Maroon 5) and the ubiquitous Bob Dylan, was one of many highlights. But that was just the tip of the ice-burg. The beat went on with Junkyard Beats and The BeatLab; Glenn Cardier and Rick Melick delivered the Blues; Steve Mazabow and The Tree of Life raised our spirits; Josh Oshlack and Music for Refugees showed us the power of music to change the world; Azadoota, Masha’s Legacy, Klezmer Divas, Dahlia Dior and Miriam Leiberman took us around the world; Alexis Fishman and Joanna Weinberg had us standing in the aisles; Jones of ARK left us rolling in the aisles; Monsieur Camembert got us dancing in the streets and then we boogied the night away with Confetti …
You can see and hear many of the highlights from the festival on Shir Madness Facebook page and website

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