Two musical worlds come together

Jewish music star Chaim Dovid will be performing alongside Que Swing Urbano, a Latin Dominican Merengue band, on Jan. 5 at Lawrence High School. The concert will benefit Five Towns One Community, an organization that works to help poor families in the Five Towns area.

“It’s the coming together of two musical worlds,” enthused Gary Schall, the deputy superintendent of Lawrence Public Schools. “This is the type of thing you go into Manhattan to see. I don’t think that you would see anything like this on Long Island.”

The tentative program will have Chaim Dovid performing followed by a performance from Que Swing Urbano, and then the two joining together for a final performance.

The concert fits right into the work of the Five Towns One Community organization which was founded last year by members of the Dist. 15 school board and other community leaders from both the non-Jewish and Jewish communities. Funds raised by the organization provide clothing, shelter and social services for those in need in the Five Towns.

“The population of the community is extremely diverse,” said Dana Bustamante, band manager for Que Swing Urbano. “We should be able to sit together in the same auditorium and enjoy music. I think it’s an interesting idea ... It’ll be a nice fusion.”

Que Swing Urbano has been positively received in the Lawrence public schools three times in the past. Four years ago, when the Lawrence High School Marching Band was asked to play at an Orthodox Jewish wedding, one request was for Chaim Dovid’s songs. Afterwards, Dovid came out to meet with some of the students.

“They were enamored by Chaim Dovid,” said Schall, who at the time was the music director of the Lawrence public schools. “His music, performing, spirituality and his wordliness — he had such a depth of understanding.”

Schall and Dovid maintained contact and Schall approached Dovid about performing with the Que Swing Urbano. “I thought this would be a wonderful thing if we can bridge the gap between the Latin and Orthodox communities,” explained Schall. “It will be a really interesting turnout; the group that will be there, their ears will be treated to something very special. It will touch everybody to hear this.”