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 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 (musician), Shlomo Carlebach and the Diaspora Yeshiva Band, ...

band

Reva L'Sheva Reva L'Sheva (, "a quarter to seven") was an Israeli Jewish rock band formed in 1994 by lead singer Yehudah Katz. They released six studio albums before disbanding around 2006. On January 7, 2014, the band performed at Zappa Jerusalem, their ...

. As a solo artist, he has released three albums and performed with prominent Israeli singers like

Ehud Banai Ehud Banai (; born March 31, 1953) is an Israeli musician, songwriter, author, and a member of the prominent Banai family in Israel. Early life Ehud Banai was born in Jerusalem. His father was the actor Yaakov Banai, one of the Banai siblings. ...

and

Kobi Oz Kobi Oz (, , born Ya'akov Uzan (, ) on 17 September 1969) is the lead singer of Israeli group Teapacks. Biography Yaakov Uzan was born on 17 September 1969 in Sderot to Tunisian Jewish parents who moved to the British Mandate of Palestine in ...

. He is also the founder of the non-profit organization Artists and Musicians for Israel (AMI).

Career

Katz, originally from Los Angeles, began his career as a backing musician for Rabbi

Shlomo Carlebach Shlomo Carlebach (; January 14, 1925 – October 20, 1994), known as Reb Shlomo to his followers, was an American rabbi and musician nicknamed "the Singing Rabbi". Although his roots lay in traditional Orthodox yeshivot, he branched out to c ...

, performing on several of his albums in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He and his wife immigrated to Israel in 1993.

Reva L'Sheva

Shortly after Carlebach's death in 1994, Katz formed the band

with several fellow Carlebach-inspired musicians, including guitarist Lazer Lloyd and bassist

Adam Wexler Adam Wexler () is an American-Israeli musician best known as the bassist for Jewish rock groups Diaspora Yeshiva Band and Reva L'Sheva. Biography Wexler grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and started playing at age five. He is a cousin of si ...

. Combining Carlebach's music with a

jam band A jam band is a musical group whose concerts and live albums substantially feature improvisational "jam session, jamming". Typically, jam bands will play variations of pre-existing songs, extending them to musical improvisation, improvise ove ...

style similar to the

Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock music, rock band formed in Palo Alto, California, in 1965. Known for their eclectic style that fused elements of rock, blues, jazz, Folk music, folk, country music, country, bluegrass music, bluegrass, roc ...

, the group was credited with inspiring a new wave of

bands like

Soulfarm Soulfarm (formerly known as Inasense) is an American Jewish rock band based in New York City. They were founded in 1991 by C Lanzbom and Noah Solomon.

and

Moshav Band 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 albu ...

. They released six albums before disbanding in 2006, although they gave a reunion show in 2014.

Artists and Musicians for Israel (AMI)

In 2005, Katz founded the non-profit Artists and Musicians for Israel (AMI). Based in Jerusalem, the organization uses workshops to teach Jewish young people around the world about Israeli culture and Jewish identity through music and art. They have held workshops in many Israeli high schools and pre-army mechinot. AMI also uses a series of concerts in their efforts. The first of these took place in Detroit, Michigan, where Reva L'Sheva and other Jewish musicians played for

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...

Reform Reform refers to the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The modern usage of the word emerged in the late 18th century and is believed to have originated from Christopher Wyvill's Association movement, which ...

, and

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

congregations, as well as a show at the New Life Baptist Church where they were accompanied by a

gospel choir Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music vary according to culture and social context. Gospel music is compos ...

Solo career

Katz released his first solo album, ''Come Close'', shortly after moving to Israel in 1993. Following his time with Reva L'Sheva, Katz largely focused on his work with AMI, though he occasionally performed acoustic shows. In 2010, Katz was approached by real estate developer and poet Robert L. Stark to record an album of the latter's compositions. The album, ''Biladecha Lo Avo'' ("I'm Not Going Without You"), was recorded with producer Gilad Vital and co-writer Roi Levi, both of

Shotei Hanevuah Shotei Ha'nevua (), or The Fools of Prophecy, was an Israeli musical group selected as Israel's "Band of the Year" in 2005. The band described its music as a fusion of dub with hip-hop and dance music, with an eastern Mediterranean flavor. The ...

, and was promoted with the single "Hodu". Upon release, it received positive reviews and radio airplay in Israel and was played on

El Al EL AL Israel Airlines Ltd. (), trading as EL AL (, "Upwards", "To the Skies", or "Skywards", stylized as ELAL; ) is the flag carrier of Israel. Since its inaugural flight from Geneva to Tel Aviv in September 1948, the airline has grown to serve ...

flights. Katz toured in support of the album with a band that included Lior Shulman of

Hatikva 6 Hatikva 6 () is an Israeli reggae band started in Ramat Hasharon, Israel. Origins The band has its origins in Ramat HaSharon where lead singer and guitarist Omri Glickman grew up with his sister, Shelly, keyboardist and vocalist. The band's nam ...

on percussion, sharing the stage with artists like

Hadag Nahash Hadag Nahash ( ', ) is an Israeli hip hop and funk band, founded in 1996 in Jerusalem, which makes leftist political statements in many of its protest songs. History Hadag Nahash has been a major contributor to the Israeli hip-hop scene, and ...

's Shaa'nan Streett and

Teapacks Teapacks (also known as Tipex) () is an Israeli band that formed in 1988 as HaHotzaa La'Poal (Hebrew: , ''The Execution'') in the southern Israeli city of Sderot. Originally the band was named after the correction fluid Tipp-Ex, but in 1995 th ...

. His third album, ''Full Circle'', was released in 2014.

Personal life

Katz has lived in Israel with his family since 1993. They initially lived in Moshav

Beit Meir Beit Meir () is a religious moshav in central Israel. Located around nine miles from Jerusalem, just off the Highway 1, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Yehuda Regional Council Mateh Yehuda Regional Council (, ''Mo'atza Azorit Mateh Ye ...

before moving to the

Israeli settlement Israeli settlements, also called Israeli colonies, are the civilian communities built by Israel throughout the Israeli-occupied territories. They are populated by Israeli citizens, almost exclusively of Israeli Jews, Jewish identity or ethni ...

of Tekoa, located in

Gush Etzion Gush Etzion (, ' Etzion Bloc) is a cluster of Israeli settlements located in the Judaean Mountains, directly south of Jerusalem and Bethlehem in the West Bank. The core group includes four Jewish agricultural villages that were founded in 1943� ...

West Bank The West Bank is located on the western bank of the Jordan River and is the larger of the two Palestinian territories (the other being the Gaza Strip) that make up the State of Palestine. A landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...

. His wife, Michelle Katz, is an accomplished

torch singer ''Torch Singer'' is a 1933 American pre-Code Paramount Pictures film directed by Alexander Hall and George Somnes and starring Claudette Colbert, Ricardo Cortez, David Manners and Lyda Roberti. The screenplay was written by Lenore J. Coffee ...

. His youngest daughter, Daniella, received a

bat mitzvah A ''bar mitzvah'' () or ''bat mitzvah'' () is a coming of age ritual in Judaism. According to Jewish law, before children reach a certain age, the parents are responsible for their child's actions. Once Jewish children reach that age, they a ...

party in 2012, with guests including former Reva L'Sheva keyboardist Chanan Elias.

Discography

Solo albums

* ''Come Close'' (Voices Along the Path, 1993) * ''Biladecha Lo Avo'' ("I'm Not Coming Without You") (HaTav HaShmini, 2010) * ''Full Circle'' (2014)

Music videos

*"Hodu" ("Thanks") (''Biladecha Lo Avo'', 2010) *"Biladecha Lo Avo" (''Biladecha Lo Avo'', 2011) *"Living On Through You" (''Full Circle'', 2015)

With Reva L'Sheva

* ''Higia HaZman'' (Voices Along the Path, 1996) * ''Kumu'' (Noam Hafakot, 1998) * ''Etz Chaim Hee'' (Voices Along the Path, 1999) * ''Ahavat Chinam'' (Mayim/Welcome Music, 2001) * ''10: Live'' (Noam Hafakot, 2004) * ''V'Sham Nashir'' (Noam Hafakot, 2005)

With Shlomo Carlebach

*''Shlomo Sings with the Children Of Israel (Hiney Anochi V'hayeladim)'' (1989) – producer, acoustic guitar *''The Gift of Shabbos'' (1995) – producer, vocals, guitar *''Open Your Hearts (Music Made From The Soul, Vol. 1) (1986 Recordings)'' (1997) – producer, arranger, guitar, backing vocals *''Holy Brothers and Sisters (Music Made From The Soul, Vol. 2) (1986 Recordings)'' (1997) – producer, arranger, guitar, backing vocals

References

External links

*
AMI official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Katz, Yehudah Israeli male singer-songwriters Israeli singer-songwriters Israeli Orthodox Jews Living people Singers from Los Angeles American emigrants to Israel American Orthodox Jews Jewish rock musicians Jewish folk singers Reva L'Sheva members Israeli settlers Year of birth missing (living people)