L.A. Rising For Women - February 14, 2013!

By Tera Greene
Published on February 6, 2013

One Israeli Creation for the Weekend

By Noga Gur-Arieh
Published on December 28, 2012

One Israeli Creation for the Weekend

By Noga Gur-Arieh
Published on November 23, 2012

Adam Shankman melds worry with chutzpah in ‘Rock of Ages’

By Naomi Pfefferman
Published on June 13, 2012

From Jewish roots, band sprouts afro/new wave wings

By Ryan Torok
Published on September 14, 2011

Luke Top and Lewis Pesacov of Fool’s Gold are surprised they don’t have a larger Jewish fan base. Most of the songs on the band’s 2009 self-titled debut are in Hebrew, vocalist Top was born in Israel, and earlier this year the band played Jewlicious, a music festival for Jewish college students.

Oh Jared Leto, how little I knew about your band…

By Julia Bendis
Published on April 11, 2011

Arts in L.A. Quarterly Calendar: Cultural events through Feb. 2009

By Dikla Kadosh and Lilly Fowler
Published on December 10, 2008

Arts in L.A. Quarterly Calendar: Cultural events through November 2008

By Dikla Kadosh and Danielle Berrin
Published on September 11, 2008

A Mensh on the radiowaves to recovery

By Naomi Pfefferman
Published on July 16, 2008

Over the next 13 years, Mensh snorted cocaine (sometimes off the turntables at his disc jockey gigs), added acid and Quaaludes to the mix, and imbibed to the point that he blacked out, only to awaken in a ditch or a stranger's car or bed.

The source of häMAKOR -- it's all in the family

Published on June 26, 2008

When Israeli band häMAKOR headlined the Israel Day Concert in Central Park, front man Nachman Solomon walked onstage with an Israeli flag draped around his shoulders and blue-and-white souvenir sunglasses tucked into his jeans pocket

Kol HaMispallel—All those who pray

By The Web Guy
Published on May 12, 2008

Video of Kol HaMispallel by the Yeshiva boys choir.

Israel to rock the Kodak but hoping for more glam

By Dikla Kadosh
Published on May 8, 2008

Rami Kleinstein music video 'Winds of War' ( Hebrew)


In planning the May 10 celebratory "Israel at 60" megaconcert for Hollywood's Kodak Theatre, the producers went down the A-list of Jewish celebrities, requesting their presence at what is hoped to be the grandest celebration in Los Angeles of Israel's 60th year of independence.

There’s no shame in the Shondes’ melodious yelling

By Rachel Ament
Published on February 28, 2008

It is no easy feat to yell melodiously, but the Jewish rock quartet, The Shondes, has achieved just that. The screams on their new album, "The Red Sea," sound ancient and somewhat cantorial, piping in from the Old Testament to talk to us about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, misogyny, Bible tales and intimacy.

MUSIC VIDEO Lauren Rose - ‘Hava Nagila Baby Let’s Dance’

Published on January 4, 2008

It didn't make Britain's Top Ten Christmas records, but it's still a killer version: Lauren Rose sings 'Hava Nagila' like you've never heard it -- or danced it -- before!

Comedy singer drawn to Jewish thought—but not shul

By George Robinson
Published on December 13, 2007

It is commonplace that the best comedy is essentially serious. Of course, clichÃÂ(c)s often have an underlying truth, so maybe that explains why Rob Tannenbaum, one half of the comedy-music duo, Good for the Jews, playing at the Knitting Factory on Dec. 14, is both a very funny guy, and nevertheless someone who discusses his work in surprisingly sober terms.

For listening, for giving—klezmer and its cousins

By George Robinson
Published on November 29, 2007

CD reviews, Metropolitan Klezmer, "Traveling Show", The Polina Shepherd Vocal Experience (featuring Quartet Ashkenazim), "Baym Taykh", Blue Fringe, "The Whole World Lit Up" , Gail Javitt, "Like a Braided Candle, Songs for Havdalah", Klezamir, "Warm Your Hands", Romashka, "Romashka", Chana Rothman, "We Can Rise", Slavic Soul Party, "Teknochek Collision".

Reflections on the occasion of the New Year

By Danielle Berrin
Published on September 13, 2007

Circuit briefs.

MUSIC VIDEO: Moishe Skier Band—‘Baruch haShem’

Published on August 3, 2007

It's Police-style power reggae as the Moshe Skier Band rocks 'Baruch HaShem'

Socalled music, mythic characters, legal pugilism, Kirk again, open casting call

By Dikla Kadosh
Published on June 7, 2007

Picks and Clicks

Meshugga Beach Party plays ‘Tzena Tzena’

Published on May 25, 2007

Meshugga Beach Party performs Tzena Tzena at Bay To Breakers 2007

The operatic model of a punk rock major satire

By Robert David Jaffee
Published on October 26, 2006

Mixing punk rock and opera may be about as heretical as it gets, yet that is precisely what Julien Nitzberg, librettist and lyricist of "The Beastly Bombing," has done.

P. F. Sloan:  does he still believe we’re on the ‘Eve of Destruction’?

By Steven Rosen
Published on September 21, 2006

"Eve of Destruction" by P. F. Sloan.

Spectator - Teens Band Together in Music Battle

By Ali Austerlitz
Published on July 13, 2006

Similar citywide musical battles have met with much success in the Jewish communities of Vancouver and Miami, among others. Such an event, though, seems tailor-made for Los Angeles, the entertainment capital of the world.

Pink Floyd’s Waters Caught Red-Handed

By Ali Austerlitz
Published on June 29, 2006

Waters' performance received much acclaim in Israel, but it is his spray-painting stint at the security fence in the West Bank the day before the showcase that is making lasting waves there and abroad.

Tommywood - A Graham of Rock

By Tom Teicholz
Published on May 4, 2006

Here's a strange coincidence: Both my doctor and my rabbi share the same leisure pursuit: They are passionate about attending rock concerts. U2, The Stones, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen -- If they perform, my good doctors of the body and the soul will attend.

For Musicians, It’s Good to Be Labeled

By George Robinson
Published on May 4, 2006

When Chasidic reggae-rapper Matisyahu sold 350,000 units of his new album, "Youth," in the first weeks after its release, he redrew the rule book for marketing Jewish music.

Cultural Mix Inspires Revenge’s Warfield

By Karla S. Blume
Published on April 27, 2006

Justin Warfield, the monotone-voiced, seductive lead singer and co-songwriter of the local nouveau and dark-wave group, She Wants Revenge, has roots that stretch across the city, and truth be told, he really doesn't feel any tinge of revenge these days, because his band's moody, dance-club-beat debut self-titled album has not only conquered the radio waves nationally, but is about to take on the avid audience at the Coachella Music & Arts Festival this weekend, too.

Spoof Rockers Pen ‘UnOrthodox’ Tunes

By Naomi Pfefferman
Published on April 13, 2006

What I Like About Jew is more irreverent than unorthodox, which is typical of artists immersed in what critics call the bourgeoning "hipster Heeb" movement. Like Jewcy T-shirts and the "Jewsploitation" flick, "The Hebrew Hammer," their work sets out to replace images of the neurotic nebbish with an new persona: the cocky, hard-ass Jew.

Rocker Grrrl Memoir Charts Swift Decline

By Marc Ballon
Published on April 6, 2006

Zeroing in on 30, rocker Jen Trynin gave herself an ultimatum: either make it now or get out of the game. Her youthful looks belied the years she spent slogging through the Boston music scene without much to show for it besides too many hangovers.

Israeli Superstars Rock the Diaspora

By Amy Klein
Published on March 2, 2006

Each of the artists' songs have flooded the radio waves for nearly five decades, a soundtrack, of sorts, to Israel's many wars, casualties, celebrations, assassinations, and shifting moods -- from hopeful to cynical and hopeful again.

Spectator - Movie for ‘Rent’

By Keren Engelberg
Published on November 17, 2005

The sound and feel of Broadway's "Rent" are intact, even while the music assumes a slightly edgier rock core, and some dialogue is spoken rather than sung.

Shticking It to the Classics

By Nancy Sokoler Steiner
Published on September 29, 2005

This is not your grandmother's Jewish music. Like other recent Jewish parody CDs, "Meshugeneh Mambo" carries on the tradition of Jewish humor popularized by such forbearers as Mickey Katz and Allan Sherman.

Hit Biblical Jackpot at Timna’s Mines

By Lisa Alcalay Klug
Published on July 14, 2005

When you ascend the rose red pillars towering over the Arava desert, you hardly expect to look down upon the biblical Mishkan.

Spectator - Rock ‘n’ Roll of Ages

By Liel Leibovitz
Published on July 14, 2005

"Litigation is one of the sincerest forms of flattery," said David Segal, co-founder of Jewsrock.org. Shortly before the Web site -- which originally used the phrase, the Jewish rock and roll hall of fame -- was to go online earlier this year, Segal and partner Jeffrey Goldberg were slapped with a trademark infringement suit, by that other Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame, the one in Cleveland.

Saved His Soul With Rock ‘n’ Roll

By Marc Ballon
Published on May 19, 2005

Rock 'n' roll saved Gary Stewart.

7 Days In Arts

Published on September 2, 2004

7 Days in the Arts

‘Lucky’ Friends

By Julie G Fax
Published on July 1, 2004

Some high-powered connections forged through the boys' parents landed them an appearance on Fox's "Good Day L.A." and placed some of their Lucky Pix around the necks of celebrities. Intuition, a trend-setting Web boutique known to cater to celebrities, is the sole outlet for Lucky Pix, giving the boys the kind of publicity and panache other retailers covet.

The New Color of Rock

By David Finnigan
Published on April 22, 2004

Does New York's Orthodox Jewish rock band Blue Fringe have groupies? "It's not really sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll," lead singer Dov Rosenblatt, 22, said. "One father e-mailed us and he wrote it reminded him of 'Beatlemania.'"

Etan G—A Nice Jewish Homeboy

By Naomi Pfefferman
Published on March 4, 2004

The boychick is Etan G, who calls himself The Jewish Rapper and whose CD, "South Side of the Synagogue," features songs such as "Yo Yo Yarmulke" and "Hava Na Wha?" Even so, it's startling when he ushers a visitor into a living room that appears to be decorated by the set dressers from both "Yentl" and "Shaft."

True Tales of the Tribe’s Rockers

By Michael Aushenker
Published on September 4, 2003

With chapters organized by decades, "Stars" devotes chapters to some shopworn but necessary rock pioneers -- Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller, Bob Dylan, Roth -- as well as more eclectic entries: late T-Rex frontman Marc Bolan, Lee Oskar of WAR and Phish bassist Mike Gordon, suddenly topical after he was arrested Aug. 16 and charged with endangering the welfare of a minor.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Rules at 2003 Valley Fest

By Michael Aushenker
Published on September 4, 2003

The Los Angeles Jewish Festival, known until recently as the Valley Jewish Festival, originally began as the Exodus Festival to drum up support and awareness for the rescue of Soviet Jews, under the leadership of The Federation's Jewish Community Relations Committee.

For the Kids

By Abby Gilad
Published on July 10, 2003

For the Kids

Ozzy’s Father-in-Law Bails Out Synagogue

By The Manchester Jewish Telegraph
Published on May 22, 2003

Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne's father-in-law has intervened in the Higher Crumpsall/Higher Broughton Synagogue row with the Synagogue Council to settle the shul's debt with a burial board.

MOTs Go Mainstream

By Michael Aushenker
Published on February 20, 2003

One evening while Steve Schub was studying at Hebrew University in 1990, his punk rock band had an unlikely guest: Artimus Pyle,
drummer for classic Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Eight Nights of Rock

By Adam McKibbin
Published on November 21, 2002

If RockFour comes bearing an agenda, it is decidedly more in tune with the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson than with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

The Return of Poogy

Published on May 13, 1999

The last time Poogy toured here was 1976, shortly before they broke up.