The first time I ever saw Marlon “Moshe” Sobol was at a Matisyahu show at Joe’s Pub back in 2004, playing the bongos and hopping around on stage dancing his heart out.  His drum skills were awesome, but it was his look that struck me.  He looked like a short version of Matisyahu, and my friends and I in the audience dubbed him Mini-Matis.

Fast forward a year, and I’m backstage at Webster Hall getting ready to make my first big appearance with Matisyahu since our recording of “WP”.  Moshe, who I had just met a couple days before at a rehearsal,  comes up to me and says “Yo Stan, kick a freestyle”.  So the two of us started spitting to each other in the back staircase over the sound of the band on-stage as we awaited our entrance for the next song. 

From then on Moshe and I became great friends.  Not only did we continue to freestyle with each other before big appearances with Matis (Moshe plays the melodica on the “WP” record), but we began to hang together on our own.  It was easy because he worked as a music therapist in White Plains only a couple blocks from where I was living at the time.  

Moshe’s story is very similar to Matis’ in that they both grew up as regular suburban jewish kids (he’s from Long Island), and became very religious in their early 20’s.  Matis is actually responsible for introducing Moshe to the Hasidic lifestyle.  He’s easily the most talented drummer I know.  He’s also the guy responsible for giving me a bar mitzah without me realizing it (i never had one as a kid).  He wrapped me in tefillin, asked to me repeat about 15 minutes worth of prayers, and that was it.  I thought I was just having a jewish experience with my boy, but when I was all done, it turns out I had a bar mitzah, in the comfort of my apartment.

Here’s a video of Moshe performing a drum solo at the Thirsty Turtle during my first ever show there in November 2006 (which also featured appearances from Matisyahu and Max B among other local artists)….

Moshe and his younger brother Aaron formed a band called Shem’s Disciples, and released an album recently featuring ME.  Check out the first track, it’s called “Fisherman”.  That’s Stan Ipcus on the second verse…

Shems Disciples featuring Stan Ipcus- Fisherman

For more information on Shem’s Disciples, check out their myspace…