Yehudah Katz
| Yehudah Katz | |
|---|---|
| Born |
May 10, 1951 Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Origin | Tekoa, Gush Etzion, Israel |
| Genres | Jewish rock, folk, soul, world |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, producer, arranger |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, mandolin |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Associated acts | Shlomo Carlebach, Reva L'Sheva |
| Website | yehudahkatz |
Yehudah Katz (born May 10, 1951) is an American-born Israeli singer, songwriter, producer, arranger, and activist. He first rose to fame as the lead singer of seminal Jewish rock band Reva L'Sheva. As a solo artist, he has released three albums and performed with prominent Israeli singers like Ehud Banai and Kobi Oz. He is also the founder of the non-profit organization Artists and Musicians for Israel (AMI).
Katz, originally from Los Angeles, began his career as a backing musician for Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, performing on several of his albums in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He and his wife immigrated to Israel in 1993.
Shortly after Carlebach's death in 1994, Katz formed the band Reva L'Sheva with several fellow Carlebach-inspired musicians, including guitarist Lazer Lloyd and bassist Adam Wexler. Combining Carlebach's music with a jam band style similar to the Grateful Dead, the group was credited with inspiring a new wave of Jewish rock bands like Soulfarm and Moshav Band. They released six albums before disbanding in 2006, although they gave a reunion show in 2014.
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, Reform, and Conservative congregations, as well as a show at the New Life Baptist Church where they were accompanied by a gospel choir.
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