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SIDE ONE: LITURGY
1 Shehecheyanu
2 Chatzi Kaddish *
3 Avinu Malkeinu
4 Sim Shalom
5 B’Seifer Chayim
6 Ki Anu Amecha
7 Baruch She’amar
8 L’chu N’ran’nah *
9 Shomeir Yisrael
10 Ilu Finu
11 V’al Kulam
12 Hodo al Eretz
13 Aleinu *
14 Healing Prayer *
15 Zeh Hayom
16 Adonai Adonai

SIDE TWO: TIMES & SEASONS
17 V’ahavta L’reiacha Kamocha
18 Lirdof Tzedek *
19 Pursuer of Peace
20 Chazak Chazak
21 Jeff’s Niggun
22 Shabbat HaMalkah *
23 Eicha Ashir
24 We Are Counting *
25 I Will Plant for My Children *
26 Cowboy Jew From Mars *
27 Shehecheyanu, Thank You God
28 We Remember Them
29 We Are Partners *
30 Laila Tov *

​We Are Partners is our first new album in over 30 years. It contains 30 songs, recorded by us for the first time, including two previously unfinished songs from the 1970s we found in the archives. The bulk of this new CD was recorded near Boston beginning in late 2023. Jeff was suffering from a brutal cold and laryngitis. Fortunately, he had recorded a number of unreleased demos at the late Stuart Rosenberg’s Long Dog Studios in Skokie, IL in 2004, and these ten tracks allowed his voice to be fully present in what will most certainly be our final album. 

​

The title track, “We Are Partners,” like the name of our group, has multiple meanings. Inspired by “Partners,” a story by Rabbi Marc Gellman, the song celebrates the partnership between God and humanity, which offers hope in this broken world. And now, nearing the culmination of a five-decades long musical journey, we celebrate our partnership — our friendship and collaboration, and the partnership we have always treasured with you, our audience of supporters, colleagues, teachers, friends and family. 

 

Recordings have been an integral part of our musical journey for over 50 years. During that time we have ridden the waves of technology, releasing two vinyl LPs in the 1980s, followed by three cassette tapes and — finally! — a CD in the 1990s. 

​

We are very proud of our recordings, especially those made in Evanston, IL while Jeff was serving as a cantor there. When Jeff arrived in Chicago in 1982 he found a vibrant music scene spanning nearly every musical genre. Soon he was introduced to Howard Levy, whose brilliant jazz harmonica playing had brought him international acclaim. During the ‘80s and ‘90s Howard appeared on all of Kol B’Seder’s (and Jeff’s solo) albums, for which he brought together the best session musicians in the city. To our ears, the talent of these incredible players makes every track a sonic delight. (You can see videos of Howard and Jeff here.)

 

Early in the 21st century we consolidated all of our previous albums onto three CDs called Snapshots, Vols. 1-3, and a CD for children, Songs for Growin’. Together with the 110-song Kol B’Seder Anthology, published by Transcontinental Music, our CDs (available in streaming formats and at Bandcamp.com) represent a ‘snapshot’ of Jewish musical expression in our time, a legacy of music dedicated to future generations of the Jewish people, here, there, and everywhere. 

Jeff Klepper & Dan Freelander

CREDITS: Side One

1 Shehecheyanu
Vocals: Dan Freelander, Shanna Zell, Lisa Doob, D.J. Fortine,

   Becky Khitrik

Guitar: Jeff Klepper

Lead Guitar: Eric Kilburn

Drums: John Dorizzi

Bass: Peter Allard

2 Chatzi Kaddish *
Vocals: Jeff Klepper & Dan Freelander

Guitar: Jeff Klepper

Percussion: Paul Wertico


3 Avinu Malkeinu
Vocals: Dan Freelander, Shanna Zell
Guitar: Jeff Klepper

Lead Guitar: Eric Kilburn

Drums: John Dorizzi

Bass: Peter Allard

Shaker: Jeff Klepper

4 Sim Shalom
Vocals: Dan Freelander & Jeff Klepper

Guitar: Jeff Klepper

Lead Guitar: Eric Kilburn

Drums: John Dorizzi
Bass: Peter Allard

5 B’Seifer Chayim
Vocals: Dan Freelander

Guitar: Jeff Klepper

Bass: Peter Allard

6 Ki Anu Amecha
Vocals: Dan Freelander
Guitar: Jeff Klepper

Drums: John Dorizzi
Bass: Peter Allard

7 Baruch She’amar
Vocals: Dan Freelander & Jeff Klepper
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Percussion: John Dorizzi
Bass: Peter Allard
Tambourine: Jeff Klepper

8 L’chu N’ran’nah *
Vocals: Jeff Klepper & Dan Freelander
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Percussion: Paul Wertico
Bass: Peter Allard

9 Shomeir Yisrael
Vocals: Dan Freelander
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Keyboards: Brad Hatfield

10 Ilu Finu
Vocals: Dan Freelander & Jeff Klepper
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Percussion: John Dorizzi
Bass: Peter Allard
Shaker: Jeff Klepper

11 V’al Kulam
Vocals: Dan Freelander
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Keyboards: Brad Hatfield

12 Hodo al Eretz
Vocals: Dan Freelander & Jeff Klepper
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Percussion: John Dorizzi
Bass: Peter Allard

13 Aleinu *
Vocals: Dan Freelander
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Percussion: Paul Wertico
Bass: Peter Allard

14 Healing Prayer *
Vocals & Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Percussion: Paul Wertico
Bass: Peter Allard

15 Zeh Hayom
Vocals: Dan Freelander & Jeff Klepper
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Electric Guitar: Eric Kilburn
Drums: John Dorizzi
Bass: Peter Allard

​

16 Adonai Adonai

Vocals: Dan Freelander

Piano: Chris Mahieu (arr. by Tali Tadmor)

Guitar: Jeff Klepper

CREDITS: Side Two

17 V’ahavta L’reiacha Kamocha
Vocals: Dan Freelander & Shanna Zell
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Electric Guitar: Joe Eglash

Drums: John Dorizzi
Bass: Peter Allard

Piano: Brad Hatfield

18 Lirdof Tzedek *
Vocals: Dan Freelander & Shanna Zell
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Drums: Morris Jennings
Bass: Dick Bunn
Piano: Barbara Wertico
Electric Guitar: Eric KIlburn

19 Pursuer of Peace
Vocals: Dan Freelander & Jeff Klepper
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Bass: Peter Allard

Tambourine: Jeff Klepper

20 Chazak Chazak
Vocals: Dan Freelander
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Keyboards: Brad Hatfield

21 Jeff’s Niggun
Vocals: Dan Freelander & Jeff Klepper
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Bass: Peter Allard
Tambourine: Jeff Klepper

22 Shabbat HaMalkah *
Vocals: Jeff Klepper & Dan Freelander
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Percussion: Paul Wertico
Bass: Peter Allard

23 Eicha Ashir
Vocals: Dan Freelander
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Lead Guitar: Eric Kilburn
Drums: John Dorizzi
Bass: Peter Allard
Shaker: Jeff Klepper

24 We are Counting *
Vocals: Dan Freelander
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Drums: Morris Jennings
Bass: Dick Bunn
Keyboard: Barbara Wertico

25 I Will Plant for My Children *
Vocals: Jeff Klepper & Dan Freelander
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Drums: Morris Jennings
Bass: Dick Bunn
Mandolin: Eric Kilburn

26 Cowboy Jew From Mars *
Vocals: Jeff Klepper
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Drums: Morris Jennings
Bass: Dick Bunn
Piano & Keyboard: Brad Hatfield

27 Shehecheyanu, Thank You God
Vocals: Jeff Klepper, Shanna Zell, Dan Freelander
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Electric Guitar: Eric Kilburn
Bass: Peter Allard
Percussion: Jeff Klepper

28 We Remember Them
Vocals: Dan Freelander, Shanna Zell
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Keyboards: Brad Hatfield

29 We Are Partners *
Vocals: Dan Freelander, Shanna Zell, Jeff Klepper
Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Drums: Morris Jennings
Bass: Dick Bunn
Piano: Barbara Wertico
Electric Guitar: Joe Eglash

30 Lailah Tov *
Vocals & Guitar: Jeff Klepper
Mandolin: Stuart Rosenberg

All songs (music and English lyrics) by Jeff Klepper
Except:
Hodo al Eretz & Eicha Ashir, music by Jeff Klepper & Dan Freelander
Healing Prayer: Hebrew text adapted from Mordechai Kaplan
Eicha Ashir: text by Yosef Zvi Rimon
Shabbat Hamalkah: text by Chaim Nachman Bialik
We Remember Them: text adapted from Sylvan Kamens & Jack Riemer

 

Recorded and mixed at: Wellspring Sound, Acton, MA, 2023-2024
Producers: Joe Eglash & Jeff Klepper; Engineer: Eric Kilburn (with Josh Lu)

Cover art by David Billotti
Special thanks to guest vocalist Cantor Shanna Zell


* Recorded at: Long Dog Studios, Skokie, IL, 2004

Producer: Stuart Rosenberg; Engineer: Mike Konopka
(Overdubs recorded and mixed at Wellspring Sound, 2024 by Eric Kilburn)

 

All songs © â„— 2024 Kol B’Seder. Published by Transcontinental Music.

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(Left to right): Eric Kilburn (Engineer); Joe Eglash (Producer);
Dan Freelander; Jeff Klepper (seated)

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