What have we been up to?

Israeli and Sephardic music spiced with jazz

Shakshuka has had an opportunity to perform at a wide variety of events and venues.

Following is a sampling of some of our gigs

and some of our favorite memories:

· Alaska Shabbaton on the Slopes-  The band had the privilege to spend an amazing Shabbaton with the “Frozen Chosen” as artists in residence.  Besides a concert, Shakshuka  was busy leading a musical Kabbalat Shabbat service as well as multiple workshops including Middle Eastern drumming, middle eastern cooking, Israeli dancing and Jewish history through song.

· Ravinia- We played prior to a Chicago Symphony concert and also for a reception after the concert. This outdoor performance was on a glorious day and the crowd was both knowledgeable and appreciative of our music.

· Chicago City Wide Yom Ha'atzmaut celebrations- we played prior to the Noa (Achi Noam Nini) and Art Garfunkel concert at Northwestern University.

· Israeli Midwest Consulate General Yom Ha'atzmaut luncheon and reception- probably the most eclectic crowd of politicians, foreign consulates and, of course, Jews.

· Chicago City Wide Walk With Israel performance at Navy Pier- we played prior to the David Broza concert. We had the honor to meet David, one of our favorite artists, in person.

· Daley Plaza Chicago– a noon time tribute to Israel Independence Day sponsored by the City of Chicago under the shadow of the famous Picasso sculpture.

· Quad Cities Israel Day Festival an all day outdoor festival on the banks of the mighty Mississippi.

· Madison, Wisconsin; Hadassah Women’s annual event and community wide Israel celebration in “mad” town.

· Miles Of Music– A City of Chicago event featuring music from around the world.  We played outdoors right on Michigan Avenue in front of the Spertus Institute of Jewish studies.

· Spertus Jewish Museum where we performed in conjunction with a celebration of Spanish Jewry exhibit.

· Greater Chicago Jewish Arts Festival- the first year we got rained out (a torrential downpour) just as we were going on stage. We have been pleased to have beautiful weather in subsequent years.  This is a great event in Chicago celebrating the Jewish arts.

· Cantors Assembly Convention-  this was a unique setting.  We played on a terrace in a beautiful, historic and very humid indoor pool area at a downtown Chicago hotel.  Some of the cantors listened while others frolicked in the water.  We refer to this as our “Cantors in Speedos” gig.

· OSRUI URJ Camp Concert- in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.  This is where Chuck and Rachel first met many years ago.

· Sephardic Hennah Ceremony- an interesting Sephardic pre-wedding tradition. This party included French Jews enthusiastically dancing in the foyer of the hosts house.

· Rockford Jewish Community Israel Celebration- our first official out-of-town gig.

· Na'amat Women/HaBonim and Ameinu- Yom Ha’atzmaut celebrations

· Hillels of Illinois and Loyola University-  reception for an Israeli art exhibition and a “Sephardi party” in the student union.

· American Zionist Movement annual convention which included an Israeli Knesset member in the audience.

· Jewish organizational events, many private parties and simchas- It is amazing how people will just come up to us and start up a conversation while we are playing (and even singing). When this distraction causes us to miss a part, Steve calls it "jamnesia". One of our favorites gigs was at a home of South America Jews who, at the end of the party, jumped into the pool with their clothes on.

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