So Grateful to be back!
So much work goes into a project that comes to you as a finished song. There are many people to thank and acknowledge for their efforts in making this dream project into a reality.
First and foremost, Hakadosh Baruch Hu. How can we properly express our gratitude to Hashem for helping us reach this point and for everything He does? Well, just hit the play button to this song. More on that thought later.
Naftali Blumenthal- Where can we even start? From the first time we met in the studio until the song was completed, you never ceased to amaze us with your special talents. When we refer to special talents, we’re referring not only to your extraordinary musical abilities, but also to your beautiful charisma and eagerness that enabled the production to go so smoothly. Thank you for coaching the vocalists through the recording sessions, and for the beautiful arrangements and music that had your signature touch. Knowing you always like giving out Brachos, we’ll end off with one for you- may Hashem give you Koach and abilities to continue inspiring everyone with your beautiful music!
Menachem Kramer- Wow what an incredible talent! Your beautiful voice and great sense of music was a huge asset to the song. It was great seeing you lead a truly awesome Grand Sing this past summer. Thanks for adding so much to the production.
Our Amazing Vocalists- Wow you guys are special! All first timers to CA Productions, you guys came into the studio and absolutely owned it. Shuey Engel, your beautiful voice was magical at this past year’s grand sing, and you put on a stunning encore for us. Binyomin Kruger, not only did you lend us your beautiful vocal talents but also lent us your great energy and enthusiasm. And of course the original voice of “So Grateful”, Moshe Dov Herzberg, you knocked yourself out getting down those last highs, and made them sound gorgeous as usual. You guys are all amazing talents and you should continue using your beautiful voices!
Aaron Eliezer Pilchick- People see a cover and think “Oh big deal, find some guy who knows computers and you’ll get a cover”. There is so much more to it than that, and it takes a true professional in the field to get it right. Thanks for listening to all our suggestions and for keeping in constant contact with us throughout the process. It came out truly stunning!
To Rabbi Newmark and all those involved in the camp “hierarchy”, thank you for helping make this beautiful production, as well as previous CA productions, a possibility. We couldn’t have done it without you. To Eli Serebrowski, thanks for providing us with your fabulous technical work. And as always, done with a smile!
And of course, the greatest camp in the world, Camp Agudah and all its campers and staff, for all the happy times and memories. Camp is truly a place where one can feel Hashem’s goodness enveloping him. To the team of Blue led by General Z-man, you guys sang this song to perfection and really inspired the will to record this song. To Rabbi Bald, thank you for making the Grand Sing the beautiful event it is.
There’s no way we could’ve done this beautiful project without all of you. We are proud to present this finished product, yet another beautiful CA Production.
Eliezer Frank, Izzy Krasnow, Aron Lowenthal
As mentioned earlier, we’d be coming back to the credit for Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Because that is what this project is really all about.
The famous story is told of a Yid who was crying freely at the Kosel late one night. A concerned man approached him and asked what was wrong. Perhaps someone is sick who needs help, or you have a financial strain weighing you down? Refusing the man’s help, the Yid explained that there was no difficulty at the moment. On the contrary, this was perhaps the high point in his life. He was coming straight from the wedding of the last of his 12 children. He explained as follows- “I came here many years ago to beg Hashem to provide me suitable Shidduchim for my children and my Tefillos were answered. Should one come to the Kosel only when he needs help and not when he needs to thank Hashem?”
That is the song that we are presenting to you. The Color War themes this past summer were “Thanking Hashem for all the good that is bestowed upon you”, L’hagid Baboker Chasdecha, and “Trusting Hashem in times of darkness and hardship”, Emunascha Ba’leylos (Thank you Rabbi Neiman for the very meaningful themes). It’s very easy to cry out for help when in hard times. Everyone at some point has called upon someone else when they need something, and as Yidden we call out to Hashem all the time for His helping hand. But how often do we stop and thank Hashem for all the good He provides? Showing recognition for something positive one receives makes him a better person. Taking things for granted is a dangerous way to live, as seen by our young boy Shmuel. At a certain point in his young life which was showered with abundant goodness, he felt something missing but couldn’t identify it. Then he was told that there was a secret ingredient he’d been missing all along- AWARENESS. Simply being aware that Hashem provides ALL the good that is received can change one’s perspective on life.
This song is more than a song. It’s a message to everyone. We really have so much to be grateful for in our lives! My hope is that it can be applied to our lives just like it was an integral part in the life of that Yid at the Kosel. It can change our perspective of the world and make us into much happier people. So certainly after a beautiful project like this, it would seem appropriate to show gratitude to Hashem Yisborach, but we know that if we begin thanking Hashem for all that He did in making this possible, the list would never end. So just a few mere words will have to suffice:
“I owe it ALL to You”
-Izzy Krasnow
Chanukah 5778
Produced By: CA Productions, 2017
Music Produced By: Naftali Blumenthal at ASAP Productions naftalibmusic@gmail.com
Vocals Recorded, Arranged, Engineered, and Mixed By: Naftali Blumenthal
Mastered By: Jake Antelis
Vocals By: Shuey Engel, Moshe Dov Herzberg, Binyomin Kruger, Menachem Kramer
Backups Vocals By: Naftali Blumenthal, Menachem Kramer, Binyomin Kruger
Lyrics By: Izzy Krasnow
Cover Design: Aaron Eliezer Pilchick (thekensingtongraphic@gmail.com)