Traditions and Transformations
Saturday, March 12, 7:30 pm
Temple Sinai, Oakland
2808 Summit St.
Part of the 21st Annual Jewish Music Festival: March 4-26, 2006
Ablberto Mizrahi website: www.thecantors.com/mizrahi.htm
Cantor Alberto Mizrahi (of the PBS special “The Three Cantors”) and
Jack Mendelson (of the film “A Cantors Tale”) take liturgical singing of Ashkenazi and Sephardic traditions to new heights with NY Jazz pianist, Anthony Coleman.
Greek-born tenor, Alberto Mizrahi, one of the world’s leading interpreters of Jewish music, has thrilled audiences worldwide in recitals, symphony concerts, and opera. Affectionately known as the “Jewish Pavarotti,” Mizrahi’s repertoire, spanning nine languages, makes his performances unique in the field.
Growing up in Brooklyn, Cantor Jacob Ben-Zion Mendelson witnessed the dwindling days of the Golden Age of Cantors (Hazzanut). Following a recent historic concert in Carnegie Hall, celebrating the 5Oth anniversary of the Cantors Assembly, the New York Times hailed his performance as "stunning."
Accomplished keys player Anthony Coleman will be accompanying Jack Mendelson. Coleman has gained recognition as an inspired player and talented standout of the avant-garde and klezmer-oriented jazz coming out of NYC's downtown.
Accompanying Mr. Mizrahi, Tova Morcos began accompanying singers professionally at age 14. She has expertise in a broad range of musical styles; from operatic to classical cantorial, Yiddish, Israeli, musical theatre and pop. Dror Sinai is an international performer, educator, and the founder of Rhythm Fusion, Inc. in Santa Cruz, CA. He has performed as a solo artist and has appeared in with Yair Dalal, Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Yuval Ron, and Alessandra Belloni. Rachel Valfer studied music at the Institute for Eastern music in Jerusalem, where she played in their ensemble. She now performs with Bay Area-based Za’atar, the Neydavood ensemble and Smyrna Time Machine.
High Resolution photos for these artists are available immediately upon request or will be available on the festival website www.jewishmusicfestival.org/press. For further information, please call Ellie Shapiro, (510) 848-0237 x126 or
The Jewish Music Festival is a program of the Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center