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I keep the whole Sefira, and I've been having a most difficult time this year (already!) because for the first time, I am trying only to listen to Jewish music.

The first goal of this question is to collect recommendations for good, anti-depressing, preferably upbeat and catchy, Torah-themed music that is suitable for Omer listening: that is, it shouldn't involve instruments (except for the human voice and body). (Music with female singers is welcome, but it should be identified by you as such -- thanks!)

And since others might profit from non-Torah-themed a cappella, too -- preferably, but not necessarily, by Jewish songwriters and performers -- I'd invite recommendations for that sort of music, too. I'll kick that effort off with two lists: this one (kol isha) and this one (female voices in some songs).

What are your recommendations? Thanks guys!

MTL
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SAH
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    http://youtube.com/results?search_query=jewish+acapella – msh210 Apr 20 '17 at 22:25
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    See also https://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/7002 – msh210 Apr 20 '17 at 22:26
  • You're looking for listings of live performances? In what area? – Double AA Apr 20 '17 at 22:38
  • @DoubleAA Chas v'shalom! – SAH Apr 21 '17 at 01:06
  • @sah Huh? How else do you have only human voices except at a live performance of humans? – Double AA Apr 21 '17 at 01:11
  • Note that many poskim (I think R Feinstein, in particular) forbid all forms of music during your sefira period (whenever you do it) including a capella and all forms of recorded music. – DanF Apr 21 '17 at 02:42
  • "I keep the whole Sefira" - There are numerous minhagim. One is observing the entire period from the 2nd day of Pesach through 3 days before Shavu'ot with the exception of Rosh Hodesh & Lag Ba'omer. in other words, you're observing more than 33 days in total. Is that what you're doing? – DanF Apr 21 '17 at 02:54
  • @DanF I keep all but chol hamoed and lag b'omer, so ~41 days, I think. I'm pretty sure most of those who hold by Rav Moshe don't keep that many days. Thank G-d he is not my authority as to what is music or I'd die (chV) – SAH Apr 21 '17 at 06:18
  • http://matzav.com/p%E2%80%99sak-from-rav-yisroel-belsky-and-rav-shlomo-miller-on-acappella-music-during-sefirah-2/ – wfb Apr 21 '17 at 15:19
  • @wfb In my opinion these discussions are not germane to the question. (There are many, many other questions across the site about whether and what kind of music is permitted during sefira and the 3 wks.) Please trust that people here are following the recommendations of their own rabbonim and/or the minhag of their own communities. Personal note: this mitzvah is causing me some real suffering, for which reason I'd ask fellow posters to have the grace not to suggest improvements to my observance exactly here and now – SAH Apr 21 '17 at 15:23
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    Chances are that if you shop in a Jewish supermarket, you would be hearing A Cappela music during sefira. I don't necessarily recommend that you shop all day long, there, but, here's an idea - while shopping, you could approach the store owner and ask them where they're getting they're music from. (I'll wager that it's being streamed from some "radio" station!) – DanF Apr 21 '17 at 17:46
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    @SAH it is not clear that listening to any recorded music is prohibited, but it is also not clear that a capella should be different than any other music http://www.yeshiva.co/midrash/shiur.asp?id=2262 – wfb Apr 21 '17 at 18:14
  • @DanF Did this in a place with great music (not, unsurprisingly, a supermarket) and it led me to Toker.FM – SAH Apr 21 '17 at 21:18

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The Maccabeats. Six13. The Ystuds are all jewish accapella groups.

Yosef Mordechai Coleman
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JewishMusic.FM has a whole list of [Jewish] acappella music.

My personal recommendations from there include the Maccabeats and Lev Tahor. I'm familiar with AKA Pella, Six13, Beatachon, and the Chevra's acappella album -- some is good, some not. But hopefully there's enough in this list to last through sefira for you.

Scimonster
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  • That's a great link; thank you. I'm so happy to have found Shlockapella, I'm cringing (especially "We've Got A Strong Desire" and "Every Little Thing We Eat is Milchig") – SAH Apr 21 '17 at 14:19
  • ...and "Samson's Flowing Hair" (of course) – SAH Apr 21 '17 at 14:20
  • Not every Lev Tahor album is acappella - only volumes 1 and 3 – Jay Apr 23 '17 at 02:46
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I also recommend the album 'Kol Zimra Sings the Songs of Abie Rotenberg' (I think Kol Zimra was the later version of the Beatachon group). I found myself listening to it the rest of the year as well!

Jay
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