Who is Vira Lozinsky?

Vira Lozinsky contacted YidishMusic recently, telling us that she sings songs in Yiddish and offering her CD for broadcasting. We encourage this actions so the artist can get more acknowledgement around the world, while our listeners can listen to their work.We are not used to expect too much from this efforts. Pure mistake. At the first audition at YidishMusic's, the CD was acclaimed! It is really an art piece, assembled to frame her beautiful voice. She has a voice that I would not classify as warm: it is really hot, passionate and emits a true yiddish fire! The selected songs are beautifully embraced by piano arrangements of Regina Dricker. Some compositions have the touch of his father Michael Felsenbaum as a composer or as inspiration. Her debut CD Vayte Shtern (Distant Stars) maybe recalling his childhood in Bessarabia. Her crystal clear articulations makes Yiddish very easy to understand, no tot lose one single precious word. She has a remarkable vocal technics what shows better her beautiful voice. We don't need to say more! Visit her nice site to know more about her, his friends and concerts. Her CD is for sale at CD baby, where you can also try our judgment by listening to demo tracks of her CD. Visit Vira Lozinsky's site! Buy Vira Lozinsky's CD! Return to YidishMusic's site YidishMusic's Supporter Member

"Vanderlust": new release of Nikitov!

You can trust us: Niki is tov! In other language, Niki is wonderfull!
This ensemble of chords and voice is something: Simple and vigorous. Nice music, superb arrangements, vibrant and emotional. All at once. She has a unique singing style that fits entirely the jewish tradition.
Her partners Jellen van Tongeren (violin), Adam Good (guitar) and Jason Sypher (bass), embrace her voice while pulling us into a rythm tornado!
Niki Jacobs has been singing Yiddish songs for over ten years. Her early fascination with the family history of her Yiddish-speaking great grandparents ultimately fostered a passion for Yiddish language and culture, especially its musical traditions. Building on her classical training in voice, Niki studied in New York with three of the most accomplished musicians in the field of Yiddish music: Zalmen Mlotek, Adrienne Cooper, and Joanne Boarts. In New York she sang with the great violinist Lisa Gutkin and the widely acclaimed accordionist Lorin Sklamberg, both members of the world-famous band, The Klezmatics. She has also sung at the Folksbiene Gala, an initiative of the Yiddish Theatre of New York. A gifted performer of Yiddish folk songs, Niki teaches at the Jewish Music School in Amsterdam. For the past seven years she has organized and conducted workshops in the United States and Europe. Visit Nikitov's site where you will find a world on information and all directions to buy this masterpiece called "VANDERLUST" released by Chamsa Records.

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Whats That ?

Very simple: it is Russian and you can read it like: Dmitri Yakirevich, Ya Evrey! Or Dmitry Yakirevich's : I AM A JEW! - selected songs.
What means exactly that Dmitri Yakirevich formed the YidishLand Ensemble, with the most beautiful voices of Russian imigrants in Israel to sing his compositions.
The powerfull, delicate and well trained voices of the singers you will taste, listening to our regular selection. Almost all songs are Dmitry's compositions, with nice Alexander Zlotnikov's arrangements!
22 songs written in Yiddish, make us trust more our people that worships its traditions as the languages it help to build I am sure!
Worth have such a CD in your collection. Nice voices singing in Yiddish, and all new compositions that talk about regular life, wife, parents, love.....
Quoting Professor Dov Noy,"Dmitry Yakirevich is perhaps one of our last Yiddish "troubadours", whose creativity is evident in his own words and melodies, which are enjoyed like the old folksongs...."
The CD I AM A Jew! with selected songs, must not be missed by anyone that has a heart that was built by a Yiddisher house.



Write Dmitry a msg asking for his new CD! Or Ask more info at YidishMusic's site.

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Golden Chants in America

The nice lady in the picture: Chazanit Rebecca Garfein. What is a Chazanit? Is a female Cantor! And this is exactly the case.
Her voice - she is a Mezzo Soprano - is clear, powerfull and deep, to transmit to the audience all the emotions the Jewish Music and the Jewish Liturgy should feel.

Bari Productions dared to produce a masterpiece that contains the most beautifull delicate Musical Diamonds picked from 350 years of jewish presence in North America! Pieces from 1654 to 2004 appear in this new CD.

The name of this masterpiece could not be other than "Golden Chants in America". I would dare to called it "Pure Diamond Chants in America". It wont be a good name maybe, but would express how jewish music blends itself in almost every North American Musical Chord, also throughout the world and stays for ever and ever.

It is a pure combination built from a very particular duo: Mr Jonathan Faiman's awarded piano and Cantor Rebecca Garfein's awarded voice. Nothing more is needed.

Around this core a specialy arranged Golden Chants Combo (John Hadfield, Dan Freeman, Mike Cohen and Joy Plaisted) more the voices of the Golden Chants Choir (Catherine Forbes, Donna Stephenson, Thomas Trotter and Clyde Crewey) play around building fine arrangements, that calls directly to one's heart, crowning particular pieces..

Dr. Ruth K. Westeheimer, that opens the comments in the Libretto, tells in absolutely trustfull words: " Golden Chants represents a magnificent compilation of the past 350 years of music that has entered our lives and those of our ancestors........ Golden Chants reminds us of who we are as a people, and should inspire us as we remember our past and look towards our future".

A rich written text with Cantor Rebecca Garfein's Reflections about this 350 years, teach us about how was that the jews came to New Amsterdan (New York) and fixed their lives, struggled for a chance to go on and to prosper. She also clearly shows her knowledge in jewish musical story, coming from her solid scholar formation.

She is now the Senior Cantor Of congregation Rodeph Sholom in New York City and is the first female Cantor ever to hold such a position.

YidishMusic WebRadio thanks to Mr Marv Gellman, Bari Productions President, that decided to also support YidishMusic sending us this Masterpiece for Broadcasting.

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Schpilkas

I found myself messing around at Ary Davidow's KlezmerSchack site, and I dont know how or when exactly I found some group called Schpilkas. Haukur Grondal is from Iceland, the other guys could live in Denmark and play klezmer for a big audience at shows and parties. Mr Haukur Grondal - that I discover to be a MR just when I got to his financial site -(I have all difficult with scandinavian names), was who talked to me and I guess he is the band leader. They have the right sound, and make our feet bounce all the time. Their style is to play it a little slower, what gives us the right feeling for every chord. They are all echlettic and play greek, macedonian, arab and their excelence are indeed in their poutpourri pieces, where they link things in a way you would never think it would be possible! They sound nice, and I keep their CD inside the car, because they give me cheers and calm. I am not sure they already have their musical site. Worth a search! Note: As comented by Anonymous, Mr Haukur Grondal is from Iceland But as said in his mail, the band plays al over the area, including Finland, Sweden and they may live now in Denmark. Finally we have the site address for this amazing band ! Visit Schpilkas' site Return to YidishMusic's site

Hebrew Songs for you to play, sing and dance!

I just discover this great musical site, edited directly from the down under Australia!
They offer lots of lyrics and links to other musical sites all over the world. Hopefully We will appear also in their link page to the live jewish music streaming.
Worth a visit and a deeper search. There are some treasures there in lyrics and chords, and you must see by yourself. Dont need believing me.

Visit Hebrewsongs site

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Klezmerica

I was wandering in the net to find new things and old things about jewish music, klezmer and such things. Then I got to some strange thing with the banner you can see above. Well I saw the colors, the stripes, the word klezmer messed up with america....but where would the stars be?

Shortly after that, I discovered Klezmerica band and its 5 stars, behind the musical notes in the banner!

Who are these guys? Where is it this Minnesota in this whole world? Who am I to solve this questions?

Well, something I can say about that: Minnesota is a North American State where 5 mischigene guys joined to make the most impressive kind of klezmer blue jazzistic sound. It is not klezmer, but it is klezmer. It is not Blues, but it is Blues. And of course it is not Jazz but it is. Or not.

Their sound sent my mind directly to Gershwin and I reminded very easily "An American in Paris" ouverture, and the first notes of "Rapsody in Blue" tingling in my ears as in a direct connection. I like them most.

I fall in love with Klezmerica sound. They make that sound that was ment to be. There were not other way to produce such a great music than the meeting of this 5 virtuose musicians.

5 Instruments composing a rich and vibrant picture that at same time arise our soul, remind us our childhood, bring to our sense the smell of a good chicken soup served as main course in a chassidic wedding, throw us out of our horizons and make us travel the whole world while a tender melody get along with us. The Minnesota Tango is a masterpiece where real tango elements were fused with klezjazzblue tradition.

But what hooked me definitely was the percussion. Thats is strange that my attention was caught that way. And I think it was because it is different ; not only making you tap your feet but embracing every song in heartly warm way. So perfect, so fitting, closing sometimes a song with a golden key. The duel of windwoods and violin could not be classified as less than perfect as perfect technic and hot hearts can be felt while the music plays.

All of this impressed me so much that I listen to Klezmerica every day. I added the music they offer in the site to my personnal MP3 player and now they come along with me all the time.

Listen to their music in our regular selection, pick the demos they offer in their site and buy their CD's. It worths every note.

Visit Klezmerica's and Mischegass sites

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Sons of Sefarad - Gerard Edery

What is Sefarad?
Sefarad is the hebrew name for Spain or for the geographic area we now know as Portugal and Spain.
What is so interesting about Sefarad and Spain?
Lets tell a short story: Izabel and Felipe were kings of Spain in the lates 1400.
They stablished a dictatorial law to get rid of all jews from Spain that must left the country until october 1492, or die or convert to Christianity. Those were Inquisition days. The Christian managers - priests, priors, the pope himself, etc...- were struggling to end with the existence of the jews in Spain, Portugal and its far posession lands, and then as they conquer more and more land, they would pushing the jews far and far away. At that time after a last talk with Izabel tryied by Abarbanel (or Abravanel), a jew that had some transit inside the courts, most of the jews left Spain and get to all over Europe, spreading their Sefardic culture.
From there comes the word Sefardi (or Sefaradi).
In a general way, Sefarad is the orient, since the otoman empire dominates for long time that area.
Considering it the middle east countries like Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi-Arabia, Syria, Turkey, Morocco among others. At the time of the Otoman empire, this oriental culture mixed itself with other local cultures including thats from the Iberic Peninsula.
From there does come lots of traditional chants, songs and gererically sounds, that are very peculiar. Sometimes according to the local or language of the song, you will think one is singing spanish, but dont make that mistake. That would be Ladino - a mix from old spanish and hebrew.
I consider Mizrahit songs (songs from the orient) as hot sounds that pinch you all to dance and chant or simply to hear and enjoy. Mostly Happy and Joyous, this particular type of music rises one's blood's temperature.

"Sons of Sefarad", is how Gerard Edery, Aaron Bensoussan, Alberto Mizrahi among others, chose to label their group. Is a big group indeed, and you can read all the names and bios at their site (see link bellow).
I am speechless to talk about any one of this incredible group. Their sound is unique. Gerard Edery's voice is so strong and dense inside the arrangements he made himself or with his partners. The construction of any musical phrase is a jewel inside each musical piece.
I would dare to say that each song is a string of rare and perfect pearls.
More is useless to say. Visit their site, hear some samples, buy CD's and get more, listening to them in our regular selection.
Sefarad records is a member of YidishMusic's Suporters and we thank them very much for that!

Visit Sefarad Records'site
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Eric Schwartz

I just received from Jose Zokner (a very nice brazilian writer with a unique style to laugh and concern about the world), a link for the Flash Movie Hanuka Hey Ya!
So I wanted to know more about the author and his music. That was the way I knew Eric Schwartz a parody master! Or the last suburban home boy..because he lives with his parents...as he says in the video!
He rebuilds and refurbishes the lyrics (he has also other self productions) so you get amazed! He talks about Matzes, Latkes, Gelt in such a good mood, with mainly rapper stylish singing.
Hanukah Hey Ya is going to be a classic indeed! It is so well structured over a melody by Outkast that seems like they compose it just for Hanukah!
Yes it worth a visit to Eric's place. Just use the link bellow. And amuse yourself watching the flash movies, knowing more about his top work and buyin stuff you never knew it was for sale.

Visit Eric's site

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Golem

Annette Ezekiel (that brunnette with the long hair in the picture I guess, or that nice woman with all that stripes) wrote a message, offering a demo CD of the work of the Klezmer Musical Group Golem. As you may know, Golem is some kind of sub-human creature created by the Maharal of Prague. If you go to Prague, you can visit the museum where they say the Golem is and know more about this story. After that mail I was visiting their site and guess what: they are amazing! Thinking in a way like the Klingon KLezmer, they do the Klezmer you Mamma never knew. I heard the samples installed in their site and wow. Started to wrote immediately to Annette with a simple question: why not sending the commercial CD itself to be broadcasted in our regular selection? She said YES!
And that realy happened! I dont know why a simple CD lasted almost 3 months to travel from US to Brazil, but it is now with us. It is a very nice production, and the arrangements are so happy and energetic that you wont hold your feet stoped or even your butt on that chair!
I have no more doubt: Golem Rocks!
Listen to Golem in our regular selection!

Visit Golem's site to know more and shop

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Choir of the Great Synagogue of Basel - Switzerland

This is the complete Choral of the big Synagogue of Basel in Switzerland. Hearing to their sounds recall us all jewish values we shared through time, in the most pure Ashkenaz tradition.
I first receive an email from Mr Charles Sobol, telling me that that is a choral in Basel and that choral would sing in the Rosh Hashanah (jewish new year) services.
In that message, mr Sobol offered us the CD they build to show their work and I am sure, to rise some more funds for the Synagogue (that is allways necessary, in every synagogue).
I was surprised with such a professional sound and arrangements. And more, I was surprised with the story they tell in the folder that comes inside the CD, teaching us how hard it was to be a jew in Basel, some time ago. The choir has the support of :
Bernard Bessermann, Jean-Pierre Bloch, Pierre Bloch, Raymond Brunschwig, Ralf Eichin, Simon Erlanger, Gilbert Goldstein, Armand Horowitz, Steven Karger, Marcel Klotz, Philip Rotschild, Benjamin Sobol, Pierre Sobol, Charles Sobol, Emmanuel Ullman and Joel Weill.
The CD title after Ya'aleh is perfect; The choir has another previous CD called Ma Tovu, but I dont know what exactly comprehends this other work.

Chazan Issachar Helman is backgrounded and has his voice relevated by the choir. Really a chrystal voice. He was born in Bnei Brak - Israel in 1965 and since 1991 he is the chief cantor at the Jewish Community of Basel.

Conducting and arranging all themes, there is Mr Michel Uhlmann, doing a great job, with all potentials presented in the choir. I feel I would like to be there any Shabat or Festival, just to hear them sing. Mr Uhlmann was born in Strasbourg and is the head over the Ensemble Baroque of Limoges (that recalls me that fine porcelain).

This is the Great Synagogue of Basel itself, located at Leimenstrasse. I want to transcribe here some words from the folder, so people will learn more about how jews get to Basel, and what they pass through, during all this time, untill nowadays, time of relative peacefullness.
Just as an interesting thing, a cemetery is called "Beit Ha'Chaim" (house of the living), and most of this story was told by jewish gravestones and cemeteries found in the area, as many other stories of communities around the world.
Maybe jews at that area appear for the first time around the 2nd century. Gravestones discovered in 1928, showed that a jewish community lived in that area around year 1220. The oldest gravestone dates from 1104. As other communities story, the jews were prohibited to own land and thus do farmoing or produce goods and all that was left to them was monetary transactions. Hurted by the Black death in the middle ages, burnt alive around 1349, a flourish jewish community was destroyed. The children were forced to christian baptism and hidden in monasteries while jews were not allowed to live in that area for 200 years. A big earthquake in 1356, brought the "allowance"to the jews to live there again as financiers for the reconstruction.
More persecution in 1398, spread out the jews from Basel to what is called today the canton of Baselland and canton of Solothurn.Again from 1398 to 1805 no jew lived in Basel. The evolution of Basel as an important Hebrew printing center, brought some more jewish suls to Basel. More jews came runing away from the sectarism of the French revolution. As other communities around the world, the Jewish Community of Basel was reborn and reborn so many times, as a real G-D's miracle. 1805 was the year of foundation of the community as it is today. Swiss jews received freedom of residence in 1866, freedom of worship in 1874 abd full civil rights in 1879.
The synagogue at Leimenstrasse was built by Hermann Gauss in 1868. It was expanded up to 1892 to acomodate 700 worshippers.
There is a lot more to tell, but I guess worth it to ask the CD and have it as a collector item. Quality of music and history are the main items of this work.



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The Klezical Tradition & Fraidy Katz

"The Klezical Tradition" is one of the best groups I heard. Fraidy Katz's voice, powerfull and clear, captures you directly to the shtetl (a little jewish village).
Listening to their sound, you can imagine the people dancing around, arguing, living their lifes, as a jew use to do once upon a time, in the shtetl. Traditional songs with traditional and entire new arrangements, makes the frame for this energic festival. You can feel it all the time, while you bounce and dance around.
Worth it visiting KAMEA Media to know more about her, and to know other fine artists.
Visit Kamea Media clicking here

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Wolf Krakowski

Wolf contacted YidishMusic some time ago. I ask him to tell me what kind of music he does. That was because I have never heard to Wolf. The music names are inspired, but how does it sounds? Kamea Media (his label) then, send me the CD. It is wonderfull how one can sing about Geulah, about our deepest jewish feelings, in a jazz Beatles mood. That is realy nice to hear, mainly for those that miss the good music of the 60's and 70's. I feel some pieces recall in some way "The house of the rising sun", big parade selected in the 60/70's. I like very much this kind of combination. And worth visiting Kamea site to know more about Wolf himself (he has now a new CD) and other fine artists of the jewish scenery. This is indeed YidishMusic's choice collection!
Click here to visit his site and know more
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Aljama

I am sure Aljama is one of the best groups in Sephardic music. They play in a pure way, like it was played once in old Spain. Ladino and ancient Spanish are the idioms of their songs. Ancient songs, now kept for the next generations. The group work in the city of Tarragona in Spain, an ancient city, that I am sure, inspires the beautifull arrangements and all feeling of the main singer. Percussion is something you should listen carefully: it is perfect, as all instruments they use. Aljama indeed, should be part of your jewish tradition collection.
Visit their site to know more, clicking here

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Aufwind

I am not sure about where and when I heard Aufwind for the first time. I falled in love immediately with their style. Such perfect voices and such a clear spoken Yiddish, attracted me. But I knew then that they do their work in Germany. That inspire the very big respect I have for them. Keeping the Jewish Music untouched, in such a country, where being a jew is not something you can advertise freely. The country is changing of course and with time things will settle. There are more and more jews going to live in Germany these days, and the country is coming to base some important Israeli companies, so people dont have to go to a conflict zone to do business. I have strong feelings and respect for the work Aufwind does. And this is why I have their entire collection (except for the last CD - Andreas: would you send it to me free of charge?).
YidishMusic carried a special short program ("Aufwind, by YidishMusic") every hour only with Aufwind's pieces, for almost 3 years.
The main thing is that I feel that Aufwind can be compared to the reborn of the judaism in Germany. They keep all klezmer tradition singing in a perfect Yidish, or Russish, all the songs that touch our hearts. I can say nothing more. You must go to their site and buy their work to listen to it and to understand, how important it is.
Hurry there clicking here

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KLiNGoN KLeZMeR

A long time ago, in a far far place, I needed to choose a nickname. I was starting to use a new mean of communication they call internet. At that time it was only a black screen with a flashing cursor. It was around 1994. At that time I tryed some names but the one that sticked to me was KLiNGoN. So I started to be the klingon. This is indeed a very flexible word, considering many different languages as Yidish, English, Yinglish, and the tv series. It means to stick to, to keep on, to play an instrument and of course, caused me some troubles with the old Star Trek joke: "There is a KLiNGoN in Uranus!". Thats how some people use to warm receive me in many chat rooms. By the way I miss Crossroads very much. It was very nice to talk using telnet (Ugh).
Someday, I was searching in the net some KLiNGoN pictures and I found out that some crazy guy, used this name after a Klezmer group. After a brief identity crisis, I decided to wrote to this people. So I knew this amazing group, that plays so nice, using jazz elements, and warping Klezmer Music to a new dimension. Very Good arrangements, a nice sound, nice voice. So we changed mails, me and Mr Jack Kessler and believing in me, he sent me their CD "Honey would you be Meshuga tonite?". Thats amazing how they remodel all old songs, without loosing any of the caracteristics this particular kind of music have.
So is the KLiNGoN KLeZMeR group now known in this part of the milky way.
The artists in the CD are:
Charley Salinger on the clarinet (superb)
Stan Slotter on trumpet and flute (master)
Josef Kessler on the electric violin (on the electric roof I am sure)
Dave Posmontier on the keyboards and piano (a mekhaye)
Tom Cohen on the Drums (watch him and be affraid...)
Jim Babb on the dumbek (I am not sure what is that)
And of course Chazan Jack Kessler with his touching powerfull voice, playing Bass and Kydd bass.

Thank you all to be part of our supporters!
Gib a click in their site - here

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Raz Hartman

Allways the women taking the wheel drive: Raz Hartman's wife, wrote me an email telling me about the work her husband did with the CD "Shabbat Olam". A unique interpretation, Raz composed himself all songs using traditonal Breslav zemirot (songs),parts of the Shabbat service ad some songs he wrote and arranged himself, inspired by the Shabbat Hollyness. It worths listening. He lives in Israel. And still we carry his work throughout this whole world.
Contact him on trilling@netvision.net.il to iluminate your party.

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Ruben Gréz

First I received an email from one Ms Dalia, telling me that she wanted to send me her father's CD. I was surprised when I received the material. It included 2 CD's, one solo from Chazan Ruben Grez, and another one where he was part in a cantors' friends group, they called "Voces de Encuentro". I enjoy very much to listen to him singing in Ladino, Yidish, Hebrew, such as the group. A well done arrangement for both the solo CD and the group CD, guarantees quality music. But the real surprise, came some months later when Ms Grez herself called me at home, asking for a visit. Well, I still dont know how it happened. I simply did not know what to do. But they came to my home, we talked a while and I was so nervous about that, that I am afraid our meeting was not entirely satisfactory for both Mr and Ms Grez. We exchanged our phone numbers. I go on listening to this fine work.
Chazan Ruben Grez I'm sure, is using his powerfull voice to delite the people near him. He lives in Mexico. YidishMusic carries his voice all over the planet.

The precious voices of this group are:
Jane Tenenbaum - Soprano
Debbie Gutverg - Mezzosoprano
Isaac Pupko - Tenor
Ruben Gréz - Barítono
Luis Bekman - Basso
They did this work with Mr Rufino Montero - piano player and director.

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Sophie

Sophie contacted us sometime ago. As she saids, she did record a litte CD with just 3 songs. "Exodus", "Yidisher Mame" and "Raining in my heart", all of them in Yidish. She wanted to make her voice better known, and preserve it for a long time. She has indeed a nice voice, and why she sent us her CD, she is now featuring in this page. She is a brazilian Yidisher mamme, and lives in Rio de Janeiro.
Visit her site clicking here

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The "Y" files...

This is YidishMusic's new blogger. Here we will post all news about Yidishmusic broadcasting experience, and about YidishMusic's supporters. Also, some authorized files will be available for download. Please feel free to add your comments to our posts and about our Radio Streaming.

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