One of the first names that comes to my mind when I hear the term a cappella is Mordy Weinstein. The next is the Maccabeats. Actually, I had thought that Mordy was in the Maccabeats for years until he switched to Six13. Turns out he was only in the Maccabeats for one week. But we’ll get to that later.
I knew Mordy’s parents from the shul I used to daven at in Brooklyn. Once he even brought his buddies from Six13 to sing on Shabbat. It was a beautiful and uplifting experience. You know me already – I’m a big fan of chazanut. And these guys know the job. But Mordy not only does a cappella; he also composes and produces his own original music, using standard musical instruments. I reached out to him to speak about music, his work, and how he got into the field.
Mordy grew up in Brooklyn. As a kid, he did like to listen to music, but didn’t play or sing or learn music. The music his parents liked to listen to at home was folk music – artists like Simon & Garfunkel. His father is also a big fan of James Taylor. Growing up, Mordy’s favorite bands were D’veykus by Abie Rotenberg and the Kol Achai musical group. At some point in middle school, he was exposed to American music, such as Led Zeppelin, Guns N’ Roses, the Beatles, heavy metal, etc.
The first time Mordy started to sing was in high school. First, however, he learned how to play a guitar. Just because it was cool. Since he liked playing guitar, Mordy joined the high school choir and got very connected to the head of the choir. He liked his style and the way he ran the choir and enjoyed being part of it. It was just natural, then, that in college Mordy also joined a choir. Which choir, you ask? Mordy (like many other good Brooklyn boys) went to Yeshiva University. You can guess then which choir he joined at YU. You’re right – the Maccabeats!
In September 2009, Mordy joined the a cappella group known as the Maccabeats. But after one week he left, because he was used to a specific style of singing from high school, and it was not the singing style of the Maccabeats. So instead he joined Tizmoret, which is the Queens College Hillel’s a cappella group. The reason he joined Tizmoret is because the manager of the choir was the one who had run Mordy’s high school choir and he had really connected to the style. Being a student at Queens College was not a requirement to sing in Tizmoret, so it was convenient for Mordy because he could continue to study at Yeshiva University while singing with Tizmoret at Queens College.
Yet for five years, beginning in 2011, he did occasional shows with the Maccabeats, though not as an official member of the choir. Rather, every time that they needed another singer, they used to call him on a freelance basis, and if he was available – even though he was already part of another choir – he used to sing with them occasionally. He even joined them on some of their performing tours.
In 2010, Mordy established Y-Studs A Cappella, all-male Jewish a cappella group, in parallel to singing with Tizmoret at Queens college. Y-Studs A Cappella, by the way, is still active and you can listen to their music on YouTube (which is especially appropriate now during the Sefirah days). Recommended songs are “Ochila x Meloch” and “Hashem Melech.” But also listen to their other songs and see what you like.
After graduating from Yeshiva University, Mordy decided that he wanted to keep singing, and began looking for a choir to join. Because he had known the Six13 singing group since high school and knew some of the members, he joined Six13 in the summer of 2012. And he’s still part of the group today.
Six13 is a New York-based, Jewish, all-male a cappella singing group. Formed in 2003, the six-voice group is known for parodying contemporary pop songs by adding Jewish themes and lyrics, according to Wikipedia.
Mordy also works on his own original music, not only a cappella. He has released five original singles so far. The words for his songs are from tefillah and he composes the tunes. I asked him where he gets the inspiration for his music. He told me sometimes a tune starts playing in his head. One of the songs he released recently came to him as he was just sitting in the park with a guitar, playing, and suddenly a new song was born. Another song that he released recently, a very touching and moving song, is the “Mi SheBrach LaChatufim” (Prayer for the Hostages). There’s a “Mi SheBerach” for the soldiers, Mordy says, so why not one also for the hostages? You can listen to Mordy’s Prayer for the Hostages on his YouTube channel.
His other original songs are “Ani L’Dodi,” “Mi Bon,” “Hadur Na’eh,” and “Hodu.” “Ani L’Dodi” is a cool, pop music-style song. Light electric guitar, electric piano, trumpet, and drums – a winning formula for a song you’re going to like.
In “Mi Bon,” he’s written his own melody for the words “Mi bon siach,” traditionally sung as the bride circles the groom under the chuppah. Starting with organ in the background, then a piano intro and strings, the song feels fresh and interesting. It gets you into a wedding mood and has the potential to become a wedding hit.
“Hadur Na’eh” is more of a quiet song. It was composed through a personal connection. Written on Simchas Torah 2023, the day after the tragic events in Israel, the song is a tribute to Mordy’s son, Noam. As they stood outside that day, watching the world go by, the gentle melody that came to Mordy provided comfort and solace during that difficult time.
“Hodu” is more of an upbeat song with a funk-style beat. Starting with a piano intro and distortion on electric guitar, this song will cause you to want to dance. “Hodu laHashem ki tov, ki l’olam chasdo.”
I ask Mordy who his musical influences are. Stevie Wonder, he answers, John Moyer, Lawrence pop group, and also a Swedish funk metal band called Dirty Loops. He is also very influenced by Jewish and Israeli music – musicians such as Hanan Ben Ari, Ishay Ribo, Eyal Golan, and Moshe Peretz – and by Mizrahi music.
I ask him what he’s working on now and what his plans are. He’s currently working on a new song, and he hopes to release more original songs. In parallel, he still does a cappella and is very busy especially during the Sefirah days where the demand for a cappella is obviously high. He also works with the Thank You Hashem! musical group and with Joey Newcomb on some projects.
