Shlomo Carlebach, known as Reb Shlomo to his followers, was a rabbi, religious teacher, spiritual leader, composer, and singer dubbed "the singing rabbi" during his lifetime.
Moshav, formerly known as Moshav Band, is an Israeli-American Jewish rock band originating from Moshav Mevo Modi'im. Founded in 1996 by Yehuda Solomon and Duvid Swirsky, the group moved to Los Angeles in 2008 and have released ten studio albums. With a sound incorporating elements of alternative rock, folk, funk, and reggae, they were credited, alongside Soulfarm and Blue Fringe, with advancing Jewish rock in the early 2000s.
For the purposes of this article, “contemporary” refers to the period from 1967 to the present day, “Jewish” refers to the various streams and traits of Judaism practiced. Many Orthodox Jews use the term “religious” to refer to a strict adherence to Jewish law. For the purposes of this article, “religious” refers to the content and context of the music itself: liturgical or implicit references to the divine.
Blue Fringe was an American Jewish rock band from New York City. Formed in 2001 by lead singer Dov Rosenblatt, the band's debut album, My Awakening (2003), sold more than 14,000 copies, an uncommon feat in the limited Jewish market, and became a runaway hit. Since then, the band has released two more albums, 70 Faces (2005) and The Whole World Lit Up (2007), and has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Africa, and Israel. They were credited, along with Moshav and Soulfarm, with advancing Jewish rock in the early 2000s.
C Joseph Lanzbom is a Grammy winning American guitarist and songwriter. He is known for co-founding the band Inasense, with Noah Chase.
The House of Love and Prayer was a synagogue founded by Shlomo Carlebach in the 1960s. The synagogue's ritual was inspired by the American counterculture movement, and attracted young, non-affiliated Jews. The synagogue eventually disbanded, and some of the congregants relocated to Israel, founding Moshav Mevo Modi'im in 1975.
The Diaspora Yeshiva Band was an Israeli Orthodox Jewish rock band founded at the Diaspora Yeshiva on Mount Zion, Jerusalem, by baal teshuva students from the United States. In existence from 1975 to 1983, the band infused rock and bluegrass music with Jewish lyrics, creating a style of music it called "Hasidic rock" or "Country and Eastern". The band was very popular on college campuses in the early to mid-1980s, and was well known in Jerusalem for its Saturday-night concerts at David's Tomb. It had a considerable influence on contemporary Jewish religious music, inspiring later bands such as Blue Fringe, 8th Day, Reva L'Sheva, Soulfarm, the Moshav Band, and Shlock Rock. Fifteen years after it disbanded, band leader Avraham Rosenblum revived the band under the name Avraham Rosenblum & Diaspora and produced several more albums.
Distant Cousins is an American indie pop band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 2013, the band is composed of Dov Rosenblatt, Duvid Swirsky, and Ami Kozak. Rosenblatt previously led the bands Blue Fringe and The Wellspring, while Swirsky is a founding member of Moshav. They released their debut self-titled EP on September 16, 2014, followed by a second self-titled EP in 2015. Several of their songs have been featured in film, television, and commercials.
Dov Rosenblatt is an American singer, songwriter, producer, composer, and teacher. Currently based in Los Angeles, California, he is best known as the lead singer of the Jewish rock band Blue Fringe, who were credited along with Moshav and Soulfarm with advancing Jewish rock in the early 2000s. He has also been a member of the indie rock bands Fools for April, The Wellspring, and Distant Cousins. His music has appeared in several films, television shows, and advertisements.
The Whole World Lit Up is the third studio album by Jewish rock band Blue Fringe. It was produced by C Lanzbom of Soulfarm, and was released by Rendezvous Music and Craig Taubman's Craig 'N' Co. label on February 1, 2007. The album combines traditional Hebrew prayers with English lyrics, as well as covers of songs by The Flaming Lips, Moshav, and Soulfarm.
Hamakor was an Israeli Jewish rock band from Mevo Modi'im. They were formed in 2006 by lead singer Nachman Solomon and released two albums, The Source (2007) and World On Its Side (2010). The group's fluctuating lineup at different times included musicians like Bruce Burger, Chemy Soibelman, and Mendy Portnoy, and members would go on to participate in groups like G-Nome Project, Shlomit & RebbeSoul, and Zusha.
Jewish rock is a form of contemporary Jewish religious music that is influenced by various forms of secular rock music. Pioneered by contemporary folk artists like Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach and the Diaspora Yeshiva Band, the genre gained popularity in the 1990s and 2000s with bands like Soulfarm, Blue Fringe, and Moshav Band that appealed to teens and college students, while artists like Matisyahu enjoyed mainstream crossover success.
My Awakening is the debut studio album by American Jewish rock band Blue Fringe, released on September 7, 2003. It was one of the first Orthodox Jewish rock releases in the United States, and the band was subsequently credited with advancing Jewish rock alongside Moshav and Soulfarm.
Adam Wexler is an American-Israeli musician, best known as the bassist for influential Jewish rock groups Diaspora Yeshiva Band and Reva L'Sheva.
Ben Zion Solomon is an American-born Israeli musician, best known as a founding member of the seminal Jewish rock group Diaspora Yeshiva Band, for whom he played fiddle and banjo from 1975 to 1983. A disciple of Shlomo Carlebach, Solomon and his family were among the first residents of Carlebach's moshav, Mevo Modi'im. His sons later founded the bands Moshav, Soulfarm, and Hamakor.
Lazer Lloyd is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Lloyd's music is a mix of acoustic and electric Americana, rock, folk, blues and psychedelic styles with lyrics touching on life, love, and struggle. He performs throughout the United States and Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Brazil, both in person and through social media.
Yehudah Katz is an American-born Israeli singer, songwriter, producer, arranger, and activist. He first rose to fame as the lead singer of seminal Jewish rock band Reva L'Sheva. As a solo artist, he has released three albums and performed with prominent Israeli singers like Ehud Banai and Kobi Oz. He is also the founder of the non-profit organization Artists and Musicians for Israel (AMI).
Yehuda Solomon is an Israeli-American singer, songwriter, and hazzan. He is the lead singer and co-founder of the band Moshav, which heavily influenced Jewish rock in the late '90s. He is the son of Diaspora Yeshiva Band member Ben Zion Solomon, while his siblings include Noah Solomon of Soulfarm.
Noah Solomon Chase is an Israeli–American musician, best known as the lead singer, guitarist, and mandolinist for the Jewish rock band Soulfarm.
Misplaced is the sixth studio album by Jewish rock band Moshav. It was produced by Ron Aniello and mixed by Brendan O'Brien, and was released on August 8, 2006 by Jewish Music Group.
