Safam

Last updated
Safam
Origin Boston, Massachusetts
Genres Jewish rock, folk rock
Years active1974 (1974)–present
MembersDan Funk
Joel Sussman
Robbie Solomon
Alan Nelson
Website safam.com

Safam is an American Jewish rock band from Boston, Massachusetts. Singer-songwriters Dan Funk, Joel Sussman, Robbie Solomon, and Alan Nelson formed the band in 1974.

Contents

They have recorded over fifteen albums. These include eleven studio albums, two greatest hits albums, and a double album of Hannukkah and Passover songs.

Biography

Safam was formed in 1974 in Boston, Massachusetts. Dan Funk, Joel Sussman, and Alan Nelson were members of the Zamir Chorale of Boston, but wanted to try performing outside a choral setting. They met Robbie Solomon when he moved to Boston from Baltimore to attend the Berklee College of Music. They named the group Safam, Hebrew for "moustache", in reference to the facial hair they all had at the time. [1] [2]

Safam initially performed primarily traditional Hasidic and Israeli songs, particularly from the Hasidic Song Festival book, until they discovered Solomon and Sussman's talent at songwriting and began writing original music. One of their most popular original songs, "Leaving Mother Russia", was written by Solomon about the plight of Jewish refuseniks unable to leave the Soviet Union, and was debuted at a 1977 concert at the Hillel House at Rutgers University before appearing on the band's second album, Encore (1978). Years later, while they were performing the song at a rally at the Headquarters of the United Nations in New York City, Natan Sharansky, the song's inspiration, came onstage and stood with the band. [1] [2]

During the 1980s and 1990s, the band performed throughout the United States, England, the Caribbean, and Canada. [2] In 2014, they performed at the Baltimore Hebrew Congregation and at Temple Beth Sholom in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. [1] [2]

Musical style

Influenced by both traditional Jewish music and the American popular music of the 1960s and 1970s, Safam has a wide repertoire of songs and styles, including rock, pop, folk, Dixieland, calypso, Latin, Hasidic, and cantorial music. [2] [3] They have self-identified their sound as "Jewish-American", with member Dan Funk saying, "Our sound is a synthesis of our Jewish and American roots...People walk out feeling good about their Jewishness." [1]

Members

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Holiday albums

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliament-Funkadelic</span> American funk music collective

Parliament-Funkadelic is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their eclectic style has drawn on psychedelia, outlandish fashion, and surreal humor. They have released albums such as Maggot Brain (1971), Mothership Connection (1975), and One Nation Under a Groove (1978) to critical praise, and scored charting hits with singles such as "Tear the Roof Off the Sucker" (1975) and "Flash Light" (1978). Overall, the collective achieved thirteen top ten hits in the American R&B music charts between 1967 and 1983, including six number one hits. Their work has had an influential effect on subsequent funk, post-punk, hip-hop, and techno artists of the 1980s and 1990s, while their collective mythology has helped pioneer Afrofuturism.

<i>Maggot Brain</i> 1971 studio album by Funkadelic

Maggot Brain is the third studio album by the American funk rock band Funkadelic, released by Westbound Records in July 1971. It was produced by bandleader George Clinton and recorded at United Sound Systems in Detroit during late 1970 and early 1971. The album was the final LP recorded by the original Funkadelic lineup; after its release, founding members Tawl Ross (guitar), Billy Nelson (bass), and Tiki Fulwood (drums) left the band for various reasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernie Worrell</span> American keyboardist and record producer (1944–2016)

George Bernard Worrell, Jr. was an American keyboardist and record producer best known as a founding member of the Parliament-Funkadelic collective. In later years, he also worked with acts such as Talking Heads, Bill Laswell, and Jack Bruce. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic. Worrell was described by journalist Jon Pareles as "the kind of sideman who is as influential as some bandleaders," with his use of synthesizers particularly impactful on funk and hip hop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dance to the Music (song)</span> 1968 single by Sly and the Family Stone

"Dance to the Music" is a 1967 hit single by soul/funk/rock band Sly and the Family Stone for the Epic/CBS Records label. It was the first single by the band to reach the Billboard Pop Singles Top 10, peaking at #8 and the first to popularize the band's sound, which would be emulated throughout the black music industry and dubbed "psychedelic soul". It was later ranked #223 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

<i>Raise!</i> 1981 studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire

Raise! is the eleventh studio album by the American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released on November 14, 1981, by ARC/Columbia Records. The album spent 11 weeks atop the Billboard Top R&B albums chart and peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart. Raise! has been certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA, Gold in the UK by the BPI and Gold in Canada by Music Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Grass Roots</span> American rock band

The Grass Roots are an American rock band that charted frequently between 1965 and 1975. The band was originally the creation of Lou Adler and songwriting duo P. F. Sloan and Steve Barri. In their career, they achieved two gold albums and two gold singles, and charted singles on the Billboard Hot 100 a total of 21 times. Among their charting singles, they achieved Top 10 three times, Top 20 six times and Top 40 14 times. They have sold over 20 million records worldwide.

Shlock Rock is an American-Israeli Jewish rock band put together in December 1985 and officially founded in 1986, led by singer Lenny Solomon. The band parodies popular secular songs, substituting Jewish religious-themed lyrics. To date they have released 39 albums. Shlock Rock continues to record albums and perform live as of 2015, and to date has sold more than 200,000 CD's, tapes and DVDs in the contemporary Jewish rock arena. Their music is a mix of pop-rock song parodies and original rock songs in English and Hebrew. The stated purpose of the band is to spread Jewish pride, identity and awareness throughout the Jewish community, for Jewish continuity. Solomon and Shlock Rock tour around the world, playing at concerts, schools, and Jewish events. They are the only Jewish music band to play a concert in all 50 states.

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.

<i>Čokolada</i> 1983 studio album by Idoli

Čokolada is the second studio album by Yugoslav new wave band Idoli, released in 1983. It is considered to be one of the best selling Yugoslav records, and was ranked #46 on the list of Greatest Yugoslav Rock and Pop Music Albums.

<i>The Game</i> (Queen album) 1980 studio album by Queen

The Game is the eighth studio album by the British rock band Queen. It was released on 30 June 1980 by EMI Records in the UK and by Elektra Records in the US. The Game features a different sound from its predecessor, Jazz (1978). The Game was the first Queen album to use a synthesizer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Nichols</span> American Jewish rock musician

Daniel Nichols is an American Jewish rock musician and founder of the band, E18hteen.

<i>Rhythm Killers</i> 1987 studio album by Sly and Robbie

Rhythm Killers is an album by Jamaican musical duo Sly and Robbie, released in May 1987 by Island Records. By the time of the album's recording, Sly and Robbie had transitioned away from their prolific work in the reggae genre. They spent the 1980s experimenting with electronic sounds and contemporary recording technology on international, cross-genre endeavors, which influenced their direction for Rhythm Killers.

Shtar is an Israeli Jewish rap rock band based in Beit Shemesh. Formed in 2006 by American rapper Ori Murray and English guitarist/songwriter Brad Rubinstein, the band released their debut album, Infinity, in Israel in 2010 and in the United States through Shemspeed Records in 2012. They have received considerable media attention, much of it focused on the contrast between their traditional Jewish dress and modern-sounding music. A second recording, Boss EP, was released through the band's own Heatseat Records in December 2012. In 2015, they were announced as contestants on the Israeli reality singing show HaKokhav HaBa.

Bulletproof Stockings was an American Hasidic alternative rock band based in Crown Heights, New York City. Formed in 2011 by lead singer Perl Wolfe and ex-Hopewell drummer Dalia Shusterman, the group independently released its debut EP, Down to the Top the following year. They were noted for their unique sound among Jewish music, as well as their adherence to the prohibition of kol isha by performing for female-only audiences.

8th Day is an American Hasidic pop rock band based in Los Alamitos, California. Formed in 2004 by brothers Shmuel and Bentzion Marcus, the group gained popularity in the Jewish music scene with their album Chasing Prophecy (2011) and its lead single, "Ya'alili", whose video became a minor viral hit on YouTube. As of 2021, the group has released nine studio albums and one live album. They have performed at venues throughout the country and abroad including Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, American Airlines Arena, and Universal CityWalk.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ophelia (The Band song)</span> Song performed by the Band

"Ophelia" is a song written by Robbie Robertson that was first released by the Band on their 1975 album Northern Lights – Southern Cross. It was the lead single from the album. It has also appeared on several of the group's live and compilation albums, and has been covered by such artists as Vince Gill and My Morning Jacket.

Basya Schechter is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, cantor, and music teacher. She is the lead singer and founder of the world/folk rock band Pharaoh's Daughter and has released two solo albums. She has also collaborated with the groups Darshan and The Epichorus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Six13</span> New York-based Jewish all-male a cappella group

Six13 is a New York–based Jewish all-male a cappella singing group. Formed in 2003, the six-voice group is known for parodying contemporary pop songs by adding Jewish themes and lyrics. It also sings cover versions of pop hits and Yiddish and Israeli classics, and produces original compositions based on traditional Jewish prayers. Relying solely on vocals, the group achieves the effects of guitar, bass, drums, and electronic music through beatboxing and multiple layering of vocal tracks on its music videos. The group performs regularly for universities, synagogues, public and private groups, and in music festivals. It has released eight albums and won numerous awards.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Joanne Palmer (March 28, 2014). "Safam turns 40". Jewish Standard.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Simone Ellin (Nov 18, 2014). "Jewish Rock for the Ages". Baltimore Jewish Times.
  3. Laurie Ochoa (April 1, 1988). "Safam Brings Jewish Faith to New Sound". Los Angeles Times .