Rogers Park (band)

Rogers Park is an American Hasidic folk rock duo from Chicago, Illinois. Formed in 2011 by childhood friends Yosef Peysin and Mordy Kurtz, the group is named after the Chicago neighborhood where they grew up. Their debut album, The Maggid, was released on January 19, 2016.

Rogers Park
OriginChicago, Illinois
GenresJewish rock, folk rock
Years active2011–present
Associated actsMendy Pellin
Websiterogersparkband.com
MembersYosef Peysin
Mordy Kurtz

History

Yosef Peysin and Mordy Kurtz grew up together in the Chabad community of Chicago's Rogers Park area, after which the band would later be named.[1] They were involved in Chabad house outreach activities at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, including manning kosher food stands at the university's State Farm Center during basketball games.[1][2][3] They formed Rogers Park in 2011, and were later named Continuum Theater's "Best Chicagoland Jewish Band 2014".[4]

In June 2014, they recorded their debut single, "Sukkah's Falling", a Sukkos-themed parody of the Beatles song "I've Just Seen a Face". After taking time off to allow Peysin to attend yeshiva in Israel, they reconvened in early fall to film a video for the song on the UIUC campus with filmmaker Mendel Katz and comedian Mendy Pellin.[1] Within two weeks of its September 30 release, the video had received 27,740 views on YouTube.[1] In December, they released a cover of Moshe Yess' "Beggar Woman" with Diaspora Yeshiva Band violinist Ruby Harris.

The following year, the band released two more videos, "Shared Hearts" with the organization Libenu and "Golden Crown". In December, they performed at a Chabad menorah lighting in McAllen, Texas.[5]

Their debut album, The Maggid, was released on January 19, 2016. A video for the title track was released on March 6.

Musical style

Rogers Park perform folk, pop, and rock music with Jewish-themed lyrics in Hebrew and English. Their influences include Levi Robin, Matisyahu, Alex Clare, Moshav Band, The Rabbis' Sons, Diaspora Yeshiva Band, and Simon & Garfunkel, and they have covered songs by The Beatles, Leonard Cohen, and Shlomo Carlebach.[6]

Discography

Albums
  • The Maggid (2016)
  • Petersburg (2018)

Singles
  • "Friendship Connection" (2013)
  • "Sukkah's Falling" (2014)
  • "Beggar Woman" (Moshe Yess cover; ft. Ruby Harris) (2014)
  • "The Holy One" (2015)
  • "Shared Hearts" (2015)
  • "Pushka" (A cappella version) (2016)

Music videos
  • "Sukkah's Falling" (2014)
  • "Shared Hearts" (ft. Libenu) (2015)
  • "Golden Crown" (2015)
  • "The Maggid" (2016)

References
  1. Renee Ghert-Zand (Oct 9, 2014). "Beware of Beatlesque falling sukkahs". The Times of Israel.
  2. "Millennial Jews Do An About-Face, Start Keeping Kosher". NPR. Sep 30, 2014.
  3. "U of I hoops fans get taste of kosher dogs". Daily Herald. Nov 13, 2013.
  4. Cynthia Blank (Oct 2, 2014). "'When The Sukkahs Come Falling'". Arutz Sheva.
  5. May Ortega (Dec 7, 2015). "Locals celebrate Hanukkah in Archer Park". The Monitor.
  6. Rabbi Doug (Dec 14, 2013). ""Rogers Park" performs on TAPED WITH RABBI DOUG". YouTube.
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