• songs for the sparrows •
Since their arrival on the scene in 2015, Nefesh Mountain has been hailed as one of today’s formative boundary pushing Americana Folk bands. In a testament to the unbridled imagination and extraordinary grace of their musicianship, each track on Songs for the Sparrows ineffably evokes the sensation of roaming through the unknown. True to the album’s spirit of loving inclusivity, Lindberg and Zasloff, have created an elegantly wayward sound by melding elements of everything from Americana and Appalachian bluegrass to Celtic folk and Eastern European music. Not only a reflection of their vast musical knowledge, that open-hearted embracing of so many eclectic genres also speaks to the joyful curiosity that animates every aspect of their artistry.
Writing thirteen of the fourteen tracks, the duo looked back on a life-changing trip to Eastern Europe in 2018. “We tracked down the towns where our families are from, and it was devastating to see the destruction of the Holocaust firsthand, and to know that we’re not so far removed from that time,” says Lindberg. “” ‘Songs For The Sparrows’ ultimately came from that experience, and from thinking about the many groups of people who are horribly discriminated against in the U.S.” Zasloff adds: “To us, sparrows represent a small but mighty voice. That’s why we chose to name the album for them—they’re often overlooked, but they’re beautiful and everywhere.” Lindberg and Zasloff are the heart of this eclectic band, alongside longtime bandmate and fiddle player Alan Grubner, David Goldenberg on mandolin, and Max Johnson on bass.
In addition to the core band, the album also features an all-star lineup of musicians including Jerry Douglas (Dobro), Sam Bush (mandolin) and Bryan Sutton (guitar) “Jerry and Sam are part of this amazing group of bluegrass musicians who really blew the doors off the whole genre back in the ’70s and ’80s, and paved the way for folks like us to bring in all kinds of influences,” says Lindberg. “So, while this record is in many ways a celebration of American music, it’s also our attempt to introduce some otherworldly elements that you may not get from pure Americana.” In that spirit, Lindberg and Zasloff brought aboard Celtic phenoms John Doyle (guitar/bouzouki) and Mike McGoldrick (whistles) to help achieve this global sound. “Celtic music is such an integral part of our lives as American roots musicians” says Lindberg. “We wanted to share our love of Scots-Irish music in a number of these songs as a way to bring in a European influence, and for us was such an honor to record and collaborate with two of our favorites; John and Mike”
Additionally, the album features Jeff Taylor (accordion, piano, dulceola), Wes Corbett (banjo), and John Mock: (bodhran).
Studio Photos by Jeff Carpenter - Ready Light Media, Nashville
The band
doni zasloff
The multi award winning singer, songwriter and author Doni Zasloff is a beloved presence on stage throughout the country and is regarded as among the most influential Jewish Performers in the twenty-first century. In just the past decade Doni has been awards three Parents Choice Awards, received the Simcha Award from the International Jewish Music Festival in Amsterdam, Holland, has produced over 10 albums and written 2 books, all while touring extensively throughout the United States, Canada, England, Australia, and Israel. Her unique backgrounds in singing, musical theatre and Judaism make her one of the most in demand and unique artists today, and she brings these multi-faceted talents directly to the world of Nefesh Mountain where she continues to enchant audiences all over the world with her voice and unlimited spirit, her words, melodies, and music.
eric lindberg
Award winning multi-instrumentalist, composer, and cultural innovator Eric Lindberg brings his musical background in Jazz and Classical forms to the acoustic world of American Roots music. Eric graduated with honors from Mason Gross School Of The Arts with a Jazz performance degree under guitarist and mentor Vic Juris and since has toured extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, Israel and the Middle East, all the while cultivating his skillset and deep love for the Banjo, Mandolin, and Dobro as well as Guitar. His influential work as a composer, singer, guitarist, and banjoist with his wife Doni Zasloff in Nefesh Mountain are known widely in Roots/Bluegrass and Jewish worlds today and together they have recorded and shared the stage with Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Tony Trischka, David Grier, Bryan Sutton, Aubrey Haynie, Mark Schatz, Scott Vestal, Rob Ickes, Byron House, Jeff Taylor, And Chris Brown among many others.
As a proud sponsor of Deering Banjos, Eric is also a devoted advocate for the 5 string banjo and it's importance and relevance in American music. Though the banjo has seldom been associated with or used in a Jewish context, Eric's innovative and modernized use of it with Nefesh Mountain is bridging the gap between American and Jewish traditions.
View Eric's official bio on the Deering Site Here
Alan Grubner
Alan Grubner graduated Summa Cum Laude from Dartmouth College where he received both the 1998 MacDonald-Smith Music Prize for High Achievement in Musical Performance and the Heiman-Rosenthal Ensembles Award for High Achievement in the Creative Arts. He continued graduate studies in jazz performance at Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory. Some of Alan's more recent work on fiddle is featured throughout the groundbreaking film, Beasts of the Southern Wild, which won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance Film Festival. His work on violin and viola is also featured on multiple episodes of the Emmy Award-winning TV series, Louie, starring Grammy Award-winning comedian, Louis C.K. In 2010 Mr. Grubner released his debut album, Long Road Home, and represented the U.S.A. as a featured soloist at the World Expo in Shanghai, China.