Country Yossi Magazine

   You only get one chance to make a lasting first impression, and Yacov Young accomplishes this with facile and great style. It was on Chol HaMoed Succos that this multi-talented performer came to my attention. We were at Brooklyn College for a Yeshiva Boys Choir Concert, and as the proud Bubbie of a YBC member, I eagerly awaited that portion of the show when the evening's main act would be performing. As the lights dimmed, and the first performer
took center stage, greeting us with a spirited "Gut Moed!" Yacov Young's stage presence was
evident.

Blessed with a rich, gorgeous voice and an abundance of charisma, the personable performer easily captivated his audience, and proved to be one of the highlights of a stellar concert. Indeed, the audience's enthusiastic applause and cries of "Encore!" attested to the superb quality of his performance, as well as the indelible impression that he made. Which is precisely why I was not surprised to hear that this very talented young man has just released his debut album, entitled "Yogati." With a preponderance of new artists and albums appearing in the Jewish music arena, it takes a unique talent to take the public by storm -- someone with a style that is distinctive and unique. Such a performer is Yacov Young, or affectionately known as “YY”, whose musical artistry captured the attention of the incomparable Shelly Lang.
       
Rarely does  a music impressario of Shelly's stature agree to produce the debut album of a new singer, but Shelly knows talent when he sees it. "Yacov Young is an extremely talented singer. I was very impressed by the purity of his voice -- he is a lyric tenor and has a very different style. I put a great deal of time into this production, from its inception to bringing it to fruition. Yacov and I spent a lot of time selecting the right songs for this album. Nothing was spared
in producing this album --  full sections of brass and strings were utilized for this recording. I devoted my full efforts to this album and was involved every step of the way. Everything came together seamlessly and I'm very proud of the results. The quality is highly professional and very polished -- Yisroel Lamm did the arrangements and the songs were composed by Yitzchak Rosenthal of Shalsheles, Yossi Green,Yitzy
Waldner, Pinky Webber and Elimelech Blumstein."

For Yacov Young, "Yogati" represents a dream brought to fruition. "I've been working on this album for the past few years,"  says the Toronto-born performer, who lives in Brooklyn with his wife and children.   "I invested a lot of time and effort to find what I felt would be the right venue for my debut album. I focused on finding material that would be ideally suited for my voice and to use words that were not overused. What I was seeking was something very specific -- contemporary music with a 'Yiddishe taam.' And every one of the featured tracks on 'Yogati' is exactly that. Yitzchak Rosenthal composed five of the songs on the album. What makes this unique is that he's never written music for a solo artist before. With its rock-style beat and incredible intro, 'Galgal' is a great opening song. 'Shir Hamalos' is Gorgeous and is a true 'show stopper.' It's a song that is in the tradition of Rosenthal’s  'Esah Ainai' and is destined to become everlasting classic.

   Yacov describes "Ashirah" as "a horah with a Caribbean beat to it." Upbeat and highly "danceable," it features the distinctive sound of steel drums. With its contemporary flavor, it is sure to become a dance favorite of the young-at-heart. Kumsitz enthusiasts will find that "M’chalkeil" sets the perfect tone for such a setting.

That Yacov and Shelly deemed fit to include a composition by newcomer Elimelech Blumstein amid such composers as Messieurs Rosenthal, Green, Webber and Waldner, is understood upon listening to "Nacheim." Inspired by the teffilah from Mincha of Tisha B'Av, this heartfelt and very beautiful song has the makings of a camp favorite and a shabbos nachamu anthem.

Truth be told, every one of  the featured tracks is a breakaway hit in its own right. "Yogati," the  album's title track, was composed by Yossi Green and is destined to be the up and coming hora hit we all love . "Yechadshayhi," a Chassidishe style song, was written by Pinky  Webber and Yitzy Waldner composed 'Torah' and 'P'sach." Listen to "Yogati" and you will find it hard to believe that this is a debut album, so flawless is its orchestration.
     
Although "Yogati" is his first album, by no means is Yacov Young a newcomer
to the Jewish music arena. "I joined the Toronto Boys Choir in my early teens, and I began classic voice training when I was eighteen," Yacov explains. A chance meeting with Yisroel Lamm about six years ago proved to be auspicious. Yacov was singing at a friend's wedding when he was approached by the legendary Mr. Lamm, who was visibly impressed by what he had heard. As a result, Yisroel introduced Yacov to Neginah and Shelly Lang, who was "blown away." Thus began Yacov's professional relationship with The Neginah Orchestra.

"I began singing with them soon thereafter, and during the course of our interactions, we decided to do an album." All good things come to those who wait, and although "Yogati" was several years in the making, it was well worth the wait.

Says Yacov, "I find it very rewarding to be able to sing and make my mark by
adding  simcha to people's lives this is a great zechus and I hope to be able to do it for many years to come.”