Ray Gelato: British Bandleader and Major Force Behind the Revival of Swing Music
Ray Keith Irwin, known professionally as Ray Gelato, is a British jazz, swing, and jump blues saxophonist, singer, and bandleader.
Moroccan Jewish Music: Striving to Preserve a Rich Heritage That Is Disappearing
The Jewish community of Morocco once numbered more than 250,000; now only…
Eugen Engel: Murdered by the Nazis, His Opera Is Performed in Germany Eight Decades Later
Eight decades ago, Eugen Engel, a Berlin-based Jewish textile tradesman by day, was murdered by…
Adam Lambert: From ‘America’s Got Talent’ in 2009 to Star Singer/ Songwriter Today
Singer/songwriter Adam Lambert got his big break in show business by appearing on…
Clive Davis: Record Producer Who Has Guided the Careers of Many Music Stars
Clive Davis, an iconic record producer and music industry executive, has won five Grammy…
Marvin Hamlisch: EGOT Award-Winning Composer for TV, Broadway Stage, and Silver Screen
He was one of only 16 EGOT winners, meaning he garnered Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards. He was one of only two people…
Kosha Dillz: The World’s Only Rapper Who Is Named After Pickles and Raps About Bagels!
Although many in the… uh… older crowd might question characterizing rapper Kosha Dills (and perhaps all rappers) as performing “music,” it is undeniable that rap and hip hop have a huge fan base. Thirty-nine year old Dillz (birth name Rami Matan Even-Esh) is the son of Israeli immigrants to the U.S. Although he rhymes in…
Carole King: Legendary Singer/Songwriter for Six Decades, With 118 ‘Billboard’ Pop Hits!
Active on the music scene since 1958. Wrote or co-wrote 118 pop hits on the Billboard “Hot 100.” Made 25 solo albums, the most successful being Tapestry. Record sales estimated at more than 75 million copies worldwide. Winner of four Grammy Awards. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall…
Stephen Sondheim: Perhaps the Greatest Figure in American Musical Theater History
Stephen Sondheim (90) is considered to be one of the all-time greats — perhaps the all-time great — of the American musical theater. His best-known works as composer and lyricist include A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,…
Ivy Gitlis: Israeli Virtuoso Violinist and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Dies at Age 98
Renowned Israeli violinist Ivry Gitlis passed away on Dec. 24, 2020 at age 98. He died in Paris, where he had lived since the late 1960s. Over his very long and prolific career, Gitlis performed with many of the world’s premier symphony orchestras, but he also played with rock stars and jazz bands. In 1990,…
To learn about these and many more AmazingJews, watch a compilation put together by JewOfTheWeek.net in 2015 and posted on YouTube.