Jewish musicians

The 'face' of Woodstock, Jewish promoter Michael Lang. (Screenshot)

August 17, 2019, 2:41 am

America’s iconic Woodstock festival was more Jewish than you’d think

On the 50th anniversary of the historic concert, a look at the Members of the Tribe who promoted, funded, and performed — and the dairy man who made it all possible

By Jordan Hoffman

Iris, a 32-year-old Jewish Icelandic singer with "the voice you wish the cantor at your childhood synagogue had but they truly did not." (Image via Iris's Instagram/JTA)

August 11, 2019, 4:01 am

Meet Iris, the Jewish Icelandic singer with the voice of an angel

Music is the religion of choice for the 32-year-old daughter of a mother from Iceland and a Jewish father from New Jersey — and it appears her star is rising

By Jordana Lipsitz

Gary plays 'The Golem' in BimHuis, Amsterdam, in September 2000. (Arjen Veldt)

July 27, 2019, 11:27 pm

Avant-garde musician gives eerie 1920s silent film ‘The Golem’ a live soundtrack

Guitarist Gary Lucas has toured the world with Jeff Buckley, Lou Reed, Allen Ginsburg, and Bob Weir. But for the past 30 years he’s also dreamed up scores for supernatural stories

By Jordan Hoffman

Leonard Cohen and Marianne Ihlen seen in the documentary 'Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love' (Courtesy Roadside Attractions)

July 5, 2019, 3:54 pm

Leonard Cohen documentary makes viewers laugh and cry about it all again

In ‘Marianne & Leonard,’ opening Friday, director Nick Broomfield explores Cohen’s origin story and relationship with Marianne, his own former flame who loved both men on Hydra

By Jordan Hoffman

Drake poses with his awards at the Billboard Music Awards on May 1, 2019, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

May 2, 2019, 12:20 pm

Drake sweeps Billboard awards, breaking Taylor Swift’s record for most wins

Jewish rapper thanks mom after picking up 12 accolades including top artist, bringing him to an unprecedented 27 in total

By Mesfin Fekadu

Bram Presser, former leader of the band Yidcore, won an award from the Jewish Book Council for his debut novel. (Courtesy of Presser/via JTA)

April 12, 2019, 8:47 am

Why only a Jewish punk rocker could write this lyrical novel on the Holocaust

‘The Book of Dirt,’ a thoughtful examination of his family’s tortured past wins new author Bram Presser the Jewish Book Council’s Goldberg Prize for Debut Fiction

By Curt Schleier

In this June 25, 2008, file photo, Hal Blaine holds up his hands covered in cement after placing them in wet cement with Don Randi and Glen Campbell, representing The Wrecking Crew following an induction ceremony for Hollywood's RockWalk in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, File)

March 12, 2019, 2:54 pm

Hal Blaine, legendary Jewish drummer for Elvis, Sinatra, Lennon, dies at 90

Hall of Famer, a session musician for countless top hits in ’60s and ’70s, and possibly the most recorded drummer ever, spoke about his Jewish upbringing in 1990 memoir

By AP and TOI staff

Lil Dicky, real name Dave Burd (FX via JTA)

March 12, 2019, 6:12 am

Comedic rapper Lil Dicky getting his own FX show

David Burd’s program will be centered on a ‘suburban neurotic man in his late 20s who has convinced himself that he’s destined to be one of the best rappers of all time’

By JTA

Detail from back cover of Neshama Carlebach's album, 'Believe,' out March 29, 2019. (Courtesy)

March 7, 2019, 11:57 pm

Coming out from under her father’s shadow, Neshama Carlebach shines in new album

Amid fallout from allegations of sexual misconduct decades ago by ‘Singing Rabbi’ Shlomo Carlebach, the Jewish music star voices solidarity with fellow women on new album ‘Believe’

By Cathryn J. Prince

From left, Dov Rosenblatt, Duvid Swirsky and Ami Kozak of Distant Cousins. (Courtesy)

March 5, 2019, 4:41 am

Jewish band makes soulful music for major Hollywood movies and TV ads

After its Israeli and American members founded popular bands Moshav and Blue Fringe, LA-based Distant Cousins is making a name for itself in the music industry mainstream

By Lisa Klug

Jeff Tweedy has opened up about his Jewish conversion while promoting his memoir and his first solo album. (Whitten Sabbatini/via JTA)

February 21, 2019, 6:51 am

Jeff Tweedy on converting, the next Wilco album and why he loves his synagogue

In 2013, the longtime rock frontman followed up on a promise made to his son around the time of his bar mitzvah, and has been gushing about his religious choice ever since

By Stephen Silver

Izzy Young (at back) poses at his Folklore Center in Greenwich Village with, from left, music historian Sam Charters and blues musicians Memphis Willie B., Furry Lewis, and Gus Cannon. (Photo by Ann Charters via JTA)

February 7, 2019, 8:42 am

Izzy Young, who produced Bob Dylan’s first major concert, dies at 90

Son of Polish immigrants opened the Folklore Center in New York’s Greenwich Village in 1957 which became a hub for folk musicians, as immortalized in Dylan song

By JTA

The composer Julia Wolfe, shown in 2011, dedicates her new work 'Fire in My Mouth' to 'women who rose up to demand a more human existence.' (Hiroyuki Ito/Getty Images/via JTA)

January 26, 2019, 1:37 am

The deadly Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire inspires a contemporary composer

For three nights at Lincoln Center, Julia Wolfe’s ‘Fire in My Mouth’ is the centerpiece of a two-week outreach program examining the NYC’s immigrant roots

By Curt Schleier

January 17, 2019, 5:58 pm

Terminally ill Brit fulfills dream, records iTunes hit

Encouraged by his family, Mike Jacobs overcame his fears to make a song written over 30 years ago a reality. Now, following his death, it has become widely popular

By TOI staff

Nelly Ben-Or sitting by one of her two pianos in her London home, December 13, 2018. (Cnaan Liphshiz)

January 5, 2019, 5:30 am

Nelly Ben-Or risked all to play the piano. It helped her survive the Holocaust

International concert pianist releases her acclaimed autobiography ‘Ashes to Light,’ a story of betrayal, hunger and self-sacrifice, and the will to continue an artistic life

By Cnaan Liphshiz