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I'm sure many people here remember him, unfortuanately he passed away on shabbos. any thoughts or stories that anyone can share would be appreciated.
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Ira Silber ZT'L Rememberances
MultiQuote
#2
NIRC1 
- Rebbe
-
- Group: Members
- Posts: 1,476
- Joined: 01-June 03
Posted 24 March 2004 - 05:51 PM
Quote
Shimmy Braun writes:
I must say, that was one hard funeral. Although show me an easy one.
Being a keyboard player in our business doesn't give me the opportunity to really get to "know" other keyboard players, as we don't see each other on the same bandstand. But back in the old days of two bands at "Bais Ruchel", "Armory jobs" or "BJC" was really the only time I got to see other kbd guys at work. In those days I did get to see Ira on the bandstand while we took a break while they were playing, and his eyebrow going up, when he heard a funky harmony, or a chord from the guitarist that was a "little outside" was all he ever did to show disagreement about something. He was open minded to what ever was being played on the job as a learning experience. There were actually a bunch of jobs in those days that we got to play together while he was on drums. I was not as seasoned a player in those years and really spent some time "finding myself" (musically speaking) while playing a wedding. I was especially conscious of this while playing with Ira because here was a keyboard player finally on the same job with me. I remember him rolling with every rhythm pinch I sent out, as well as a grin when he heard an interesting chord. After all he sold me my first "gig" keyboard. The ole Yamaha YC-20, made popular by Suki Berry in the 70's.
With so much of the stupid musical politics that would go around the bandstand, I don't believe I ever heard any of it involve Ira. He played the chair of "rhythm
section support" well to keep fellow musicians and vocalists alike, comfortable.
We have to do more than reminisce. We have to implement the character traits, spoken by the "levaya" and from stories that people talk about, into our daily lives where applicable.
A "fixture" of the Negina organization may be gone, but let it not be forgotten
Shloimy Ash writes:
For me working with Ira was more than a wee bit stressful. Between the fact he was a drummer as well as the fact he was used to Shmoo K, being a drummer on a bandstand with him was sometimes more than demanding.
But he never got angry, frustrated yes.
Angry as in losing it never
And while every time I rushed or dragged got me a look, every time my fills landed straight on, or my triplets worked, he turned to me with a nod or a smile.
Talk about making me feel like a "made man."
I also remember how he drove up with Rona & the kids on a Sunday and spent the afternoon sitting in our wading pool surrounded by his then very young kids.
It was sefira so he was off, didn't have to rush off to a gig.
He just sat in the wading pool "shepping" being around his kids.
Simple stuff like that is what made him happiest, he wasn't into the "flash" he just enjoyed being comfortable playing with his kids and talking/playing music. Whenever we spoke (in retrospect not as often as we used to) I was always struck by how happy and complacent he was--with everything going on in his life--he was essentially a down to earth person in a business where most people were simply down on everyone.
I remember one gig with him, when his asthma kicked in, he had Arkady take over on keyboards and the two of us finished the gig while he relayed songs/sets via a number of kids (in between taking breaths on his nebulizer).
Afterwards he refused to take the full scale since he spent most of the gig literally on his back--he judged from the overall wedding (it was in Vishnitz Monsey and had only a 3 piece band) that the people couldn't afford to pay much and didn't feel right taking their money without having worked for it.
For a few years after we had a falling out we didn't speak professionally--but we stayed in touch personally--because that was his demeanor--after all, who said business and personal had to intermingle?
I tried getting him up to the Homowack every so often--but as much as he needed the rest, he'd only go with his kids and their schedules often conflicted.
My favorite Ira story was when Shmuel Wasserman took us all to Pumpkins on Nostrand and Church in Brooklyn, to hear his teacher Michael Carvin who was performing with Bross Townsend and one other jazz great who's name escapes me.
After one very sizzling set by this trio of jazz masters, Ira turned to us and said in all pseudo seriousness "yeah that was nice, but I'd like to hear how they play Ve'Omar in Aperion on a Sunday in June.
While the business he was an "instrumental" part of has gotten more cut throat (ok ok competitive) I'll always remember him as a gentle soul, solid keyboardist and more solid mench.
Tum Ta Tum Tum Tum
Dear Blogger in Dm:
I know your blog has become sort of a clearinghouse for rumors, irony, gripes, sarcasm, and criticism from a JM insider’s point of view. But it would be altogether appropriate for you to invite musicians to share their bandstand memories of working with Ira Silber (Z"L). In anticipation of that invitation, I'd like to offer the following:
My first introduction to Ira back in 1986 took place over the phone when he called me up in my YU dorm room to ask if I would like to audition for his band, Ruach. I explained that I didn't know a lot of the tunes, but I would be interested in an 'on-the-job-training' arrangement. After a quick audition up in the Ave 'M' offices of Ruach Orchestras (remember the sign with the white ‘ghost hands’ over the keyboard), Shmu (Klaver) and Ira decided to give me a few gigs.
A few gigs turned into a few seasons, and the rest (as they say) is history.
Ira was a very patient mentor, and was eager to answer my questions about tune calling, wedding customs, bandstand etiquette, section harmony, etc. He was never bothered when I didn’t know a tune, and he would often play softly along with me if I seemed tentative about a melody or harmony line. Under Ira’s tutelage I played in horn sections with the likes of Eddy Hajian, Shelly Gordan, Ron Horton, Spencer McLeash, Gene Keys, and Ray Musiker (to name only a few). If he had given me a paid subscription for a series of Julliard master classes, he couldn’t have devised a better education for a young, inexperienced club-date musician. He placed me in an internship that would be very difficult to duplicate today. In addition to making sure I new the music, he also took pains to make sure I knew the do’s and don’ts of being part of a professional ensemble. There were more than a few gigs at the Aperian Manor that were followed with gentle advice /constructive criticism sessions over shwarma at Steakiad Dizangoff.
Ira took me under his wing and gave me a no-questions-asked entrée into a world where few second chances are ever offered…and let me tell you, he gave me more than a few second chances.
There came a time when, thanks to the education and preparation Ira had given me, I began to get calls from other offices. I talked with him about it, and he was a true mentch about letting me freelance around.
Ultimately, my freelancing gave me a taste of the different bandstands. Some bands I grew to hate...and others I instantly loved. I ended up turning down work from the one’s I hated and actively sought a lasting relationship with the one’s I loved.
The end result was that I drifted away from Ira because Ruach didn’t engender either of these strong emotions. Ira’s bandstand had always been simply comfortable for me…no fireworks…just comfortable. It wasn’t until years later (when I was getting ready to leave Jewish musica altogether and make aliyah) that I realized that comfortable is just another flavor of love.
A few years ago on Purim I ran into Ira over at Yitzy Braun’s house. We hadn’t seen each other in years, and spent a few minutes catching up on each other’s lives. Far from being bitter that I’d taken his gift of a club-date education and moved on to ‘greener pastures’, he seemed genuinely pleased at my relative success. I took that opportunity to thank him for bringing me into ‘the business’ and gave him a hug & kiss when I left. However, our parting was more of a ‘seeya later’ than a real ‘goodbye’ (aren't they always?).
While I’m happy that at least one important ‘thank you’ in my life wasn’t left unsaid…It doesn’t do much to fill the empty space left by his passing
Goodbye Ira. Thank you. You were a mentch.
I must say, that was one hard funeral. Although show me an easy one.
Being a keyboard player in our business doesn't give me the opportunity to really get to "know" other keyboard players, as we don't see each other on the same bandstand. But back in the old days of two bands at "Bais Ruchel", "Armory jobs" or "BJC" was really the only time I got to see other kbd guys at work. In those days I did get to see Ira on the bandstand while we took a break while they were playing, and his eyebrow going up, when he heard a funky harmony, or a chord from the guitarist that was a "little outside" was all he ever did to show disagreement about something. He was open minded to what ever was being played on the job as a learning experience. There were actually a bunch of jobs in those days that we got to play together while he was on drums. I was not as seasoned a player in those years and really spent some time "finding myself" (musically speaking) while playing a wedding. I was especially conscious of this while playing with Ira because here was a keyboard player finally on the same job with me. I remember him rolling with every rhythm pinch I sent out, as well as a grin when he heard an interesting chord. After all he sold me my first "gig" keyboard. The ole Yamaha YC-20, made popular by Suki Berry in the 70's.
With so much of the stupid musical politics that would go around the bandstand, I don't believe I ever heard any of it involve Ira. He played the chair of "rhythm
section support" well to keep fellow musicians and vocalists alike, comfortable.
We have to do more than reminisce. We have to implement the character traits, spoken by the "levaya" and from stories that people talk about, into our daily lives where applicable.
A "fixture" of the Negina organization may be gone, but let it not be forgotten
Shloimy Ash writes:
For me working with Ira was more than a wee bit stressful. Between the fact he was a drummer as well as the fact he was used to Shmoo K, being a drummer on a bandstand with him was sometimes more than demanding.
But he never got angry, frustrated yes.
Angry as in losing it never
And while every time I rushed or dragged got me a look, every time my fills landed straight on, or my triplets worked, he turned to me with a nod or a smile.
Talk about making me feel like a "made man."
I also remember how he drove up with Rona & the kids on a Sunday and spent the afternoon sitting in our wading pool surrounded by his then very young kids.
It was sefira so he was off, didn't have to rush off to a gig.
He just sat in the wading pool "shepping" being around his kids.
Simple stuff like that is what made him happiest, he wasn't into the "flash" he just enjoyed being comfortable playing with his kids and talking/playing music. Whenever we spoke (in retrospect not as often as we used to) I was always struck by how happy and complacent he was--with everything going on in his life--he was essentially a down to earth person in a business where most people were simply down on everyone.
I remember one gig with him, when his asthma kicked in, he had Arkady take over on keyboards and the two of us finished the gig while he relayed songs/sets via a number of kids (in between taking breaths on his nebulizer).
Afterwards he refused to take the full scale since he spent most of the gig literally on his back--he judged from the overall wedding (it was in Vishnitz Monsey and had only a 3 piece band) that the people couldn't afford to pay much and didn't feel right taking their money without having worked for it.
For a few years after we had a falling out we didn't speak professionally--but we stayed in touch personally--because that was his demeanor--after all, who said business and personal had to intermingle?
I tried getting him up to the Homowack every so often--but as much as he needed the rest, he'd only go with his kids and their schedules often conflicted.
My favorite Ira story was when Shmuel Wasserman took us all to Pumpkins on Nostrand and Church in Brooklyn, to hear his teacher Michael Carvin who was performing with Bross Townsend and one other jazz great who's name escapes me.
After one very sizzling set by this trio of jazz masters, Ira turned to us and said in all pseudo seriousness "yeah that was nice, but I'd like to hear how they play Ve'Omar in Aperion on a Sunday in June.
While the business he was an "instrumental" part of has gotten more cut throat (ok ok competitive) I'll always remember him as a gentle soul, solid keyboardist and more solid mench.
Tum Ta Tum Tum Tum
Dear Blogger in Dm:
I know your blog has become sort of a clearinghouse for rumors, irony, gripes, sarcasm, and criticism from a JM insider’s point of view. But it would be altogether appropriate for you to invite musicians to share their bandstand memories of working with Ira Silber (Z"L). In anticipation of that invitation, I'd like to offer the following:
My first introduction to Ira back in 1986 took place over the phone when he called me up in my YU dorm room to ask if I would like to audition for his band, Ruach. I explained that I didn't know a lot of the tunes, but I would be interested in an 'on-the-job-training' arrangement. After a quick audition up in the Ave 'M' offices of Ruach Orchestras (remember the sign with the white ‘ghost hands’ over the keyboard), Shmu (Klaver) and Ira decided to give me a few gigs.
A few gigs turned into a few seasons, and the rest (as they say) is history.
Ira was a very patient mentor, and was eager to answer my questions about tune calling, wedding customs, bandstand etiquette, section harmony, etc. He was never bothered when I didn’t know a tune, and he would often play softly along with me if I seemed tentative about a melody or harmony line. Under Ira’s tutelage I played in horn sections with the likes of Eddy Hajian, Shelly Gordan, Ron Horton, Spencer McLeash, Gene Keys, and Ray Musiker (to name only a few). If he had given me a paid subscription for a series of Julliard master classes, he couldn’t have devised a better education for a young, inexperienced club-date musician. He placed me in an internship that would be very difficult to duplicate today. In addition to making sure I new the music, he also took pains to make sure I knew the do’s and don’ts of being part of a professional ensemble. There were more than a few gigs at the Aperian Manor that were followed with gentle advice /constructive criticism sessions over shwarma at Steakiad Dizangoff.
Ira took me under his wing and gave me a no-questions-asked entrée into a world where few second chances are ever offered…and let me tell you, he gave me more than a few second chances.
There came a time when, thanks to the education and preparation Ira had given me, I began to get calls from other offices. I talked with him about it, and he was a true mentch about letting me freelance around.
Ultimately, my freelancing gave me a taste of the different bandstands. Some bands I grew to hate...and others I instantly loved. I ended up turning down work from the one’s I hated and actively sought a lasting relationship with the one’s I loved.
The end result was that I drifted away from Ira because Ruach didn’t engender either of these strong emotions. Ira’s bandstand had always been simply comfortable for me…no fireworks…just comfortable. It wasn’t until years later (when I was getting ready to leave Jewish musica altogether and make aliyah) that I realized that comfortable is just another flavor of love.
A few years ago on Purim I ran into Ira over at Yitzy Braun’s house. We hadn’t seen each other in years, and spent a few minutes catching up on each other’s lives. Far from being bitter that I’d taken his gift of a club-date education and moved on to ‘greener pastures’, he seemed genuinely pleased at my relative success. I took that opportunity to thank him for bringing me into ‘the business’ and gave him a hug & kiss when I left. However, our parting was more of a ‘seeya later’ than a real ‘goodbye’ (aren't they always?).
While I’m happy that at least one important ‘thank you’ in my life wasn’t left unsaid…It doesn’t do much to fill the empty space left by his passing
Goodbye Ira. Thank you. You were a mentch.
Some letters written to Blogger DM Link here
The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent vice of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.
-Winston Churchill 1874-1965, British Statesman, Prime Minister
-Winston Churchill 1874-1965, British Statesman, Prime Minister
#3 Guest_kolrena_*
Posted 30 March 2004 - 01:35 PM
This is Ira's sister writing. It is still too hard for me to write anything at length, other than saying thank you to all of you who took the time to write about Ira ZA"L. It means so much to me, to his kids and to all his friends. Our pain is great, as is our loss. He was a precious brother and person. We are not telling my mother, and I was able to sit SHiva here in Yerushalayim without her 'catching on'. If anyone of you has any more good thoughts and memories, please add them, it is a great comfort. Be Blessed. Rochel Rena Silber Har Nof, Yerushalayim
#6 Guest_rabbiwass_*
Posted 04 April 2004 - 04:36 AM
I was shocked and saddened a couple of days ago when, in a conversation with my mother, I found out that Ira had passed away. Tonight / this morning at 5:00am as I take a necessary break from the final marathon of Pesach preparations that have been going on since havdallah I wanted to find out more about his passing and a Google search came up with this site.
I knew Ira as a kid through NCSY and Ruach's music. I was reacquainted with him as my brother, Shmuel, broke into the music business in the early 80's. I always remember Ira's gentle demeanor and his infectious smile. Right before Pesach in 1987 I got a call from my brother that Ira was looking for me. I called him and he had a strange request. Ruach was doing the music at Great Adventure that year during chol hamoed and for the first part of the show their singer was not able to come. He asked me if I would fill in and I agreed. My new fiancée and family came that day and it was a lot of fun. When I was finished Ira turned to me and offered me a job. I eventually took that job and spent a short period of time (before taking my first rabbinic position in Jersey City, NJ) as a lead singer and band leader for Ruach. Ira was always kind and complementary and was a lot of fun to work with. It was then that I really learned that if the band has fun and enjoys the music it will be reflected in the music. I've always had hakaras hatov to Ira for the opportunity (and for the bills I paid while working for Ruach.) My experience with Ruach is one of the many that I bring to what I do as a Rabbi, including some musical performances. It is especially poignant for me that this Pesach is the first time since 1987 that I will be returning to Great Adventure. I will be taking my wife and children to Great Adventure on Chol Hammoed to meet other family members, who were there that day, and I will retell the story of how a nice man who was kind to me many years ago.
I'm sure the heavenly neginah is enhanced with Ira's ruach. Yehay Zicro Baruch
Daniel Wasserman
Pittsburgh Pa
I knew Ira as a kid through NCSY and Ruach's music. I was reacquainted with him as my brother, Shmuel, broke into the music business in the early 80's. I always remember Ira's gentle demeanor and his infectious smile. Right before Pesach in 1987 I got a call from my brother that Ira was looking for me. I called him and he had a strange request. Ruach was doing the music at Great Adventure that year during chol hamoed and for the first part of the show their singer was not able to come. He asked me if I would fill in and I agreed. My new fiancée and family came that day and it was a lot of fun. When I was finished Ira turned to me and offered me a job. I eventually took that job and spent a short period of time (before taking my first rabbinic position in Jersey City, NJ) as a lead singer and band leader for Ruach. Ira was always kind and complementary and was a lot of fun to work with. It was then that I really learned that if the band has fun and enjoys the music it will be reflected in the music. I've always had hakaras hatov to Ira for the opportunity (and for the bills I paid while working for Ruach.) My experience with Ruach is one of the many that I bring to what I do as a Rabbi, including some musical performances. It is especially poignant for me that this Pesach is the first time since 1987 that I will be returning to Great Adventure. I will be taking my wife and children to Great Adventure on Chol Hammoed to meet other family members, who were there that day, and I will retell the story of how a nice man who was kind to me many years ago.
I'm sure the heavenly neginah is enhanced with Ira's ruach. Yehay Zicro Baruch
Daniel Wasserman
Pittsburgh Pa
#7 Guest_sportstalk53_*
Posted 22 April 2004 - 01:09 PM
I was truely saddened to hear of the passing of my old Yeshiva friend Ira. Ira and I attended the Hebrew Academy of North Queens together back in the 60's. Although we went our separate ways for high school and beyond I have fine memories of Ira. Of course it all started with our similar Hebrew names. His being Yisrael and mine being Yisrael Eliezer. So to avoid confusion I was Eliezer and he was Yisrael. Ira and I formed a band in the 7th grade (its name escapes me for the moment). Of course he was playing the drums (actually at that time one drum) and I played the tamborine and sang. Our one gig was at our classmate Jeffrey's sister birthday party which was held in his basement in Flushing. Well as they say the rest is history. Ira went on to bigger and better musical things, and I decided that I'd better go to law school. I ran into Ira maybe ten years ago in Brooklyn when I was shopping for a lulav and etrog. We remembered old times and of course regretted that we never had stayed in touch. My thoughts go out to Ira's family and friends particularly his sister Rena and his mother (of both I also have fond memories) - Leif Rubinstein (being a big sports fan which back in our school days Ira was also I use the screen name sportstalk53 - I can be reached at sportstalk53@hotmail.com)
#8 Guest_rhfarb_*
Posted 02 July 2004 - 09:24 AM
I read today of Ira's passing, and I am very sorry to hear it. I remember when he and Steve Schuss used to entertain at the NCSY shabbatonim in the 1970's. Ira was a great passionate entertainer, and a wonderful guy. I remember his terrific sense of humor, too. I always looked forward to seeing Ira and Steve at these events. May you rest in peace, Ira. You deserve to.
#9 Guest_hagefen_*
Posted 26 September 2004 - 12:51 AM
NIRC1, on Mar 24 2004, 06:06 PM, said:
I'm sure many people here remember him, unfortuanately he passed away on shabbos. any thoughts or stories that anyone can share would be appreciated.
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