R. Shlomo or Not R. Shlomo...That Is The Question

Yesterday I posted a review of Eitan Katz's new CD, "Unplugged". The CD purports to be a compilation of ten Shlomo Carlebach niggunim that are not well known by the general public, or, in the case of a number of tunes, never before recorded by anyone.

In response to my post, a commentor, Yitz, cast doubt on the origins of one of the songs, Ma Tovu. Based on a conversation that he had with Itzik Aisenstadt, an old friend of R. Shlomo and an expert on his music, Yitz said that the song was composed by Tanchum Portnoy.

I happened to be seeing Shlomo Katz at a wedding last night and asked him what he thought. (Shlomo was the source of most of the songs performed by his brother Eitan). He was very intrigued. He promised to go back to his source materials (he has countless cassettes of unpublished Shlomo music) and try to figure out the scoop.

If anyone can ask Mr. Portnoy himself, that would obviously be helpful.