|
Local News
|
|
Written by Michele Justic
|
|
Thursday, 22 April 2010 12:17 |
 If you think his name is hard to forget, wait till you hear his music! I first encountered Oneg (yes, that’s really his name) at a friend’s simcha a few years ago. My daughter became so enamored with him (and we liked his music as well) that we bought his CD and played it continuously in the car for a long time. As I repeatedly listened to “Bring Us Together,†his second CD, new elements arose each time. With rock, Middle Eastern, Klezmer, and other influences, Oneg’s music stands out and remains fresh.
Perhaps his international background has something to do with his unique sound. Oneg was born in Moshav Modi’in, founded by Reb Shlomo Carlebach, z’l, in Jerusalem. His father was Carlebach’s right hand man. Oneg learned to play guitar at 14 and a few years later he and his brother formed the famed Moshav Band. Later, Oneg branched off and developed his own music career. He created his first CD, “Life To Your Soul,†featuring folk, country, and blue grass elements, in 2001 and has been asked to appear at many special events and festivals.
Besides Carlebach’s musical influence on Oneg, clearly his ideas have impacted him as well. This summer, Oneg is planning to embark on a Jewish unity tour. His previous tour spanned seven states in a month. This time he plans on expanding throughout North America and around the world. The tour will feature his new single, Shine Forward. Oneg explains that this song was written during Chanukah in the wake of the Gush Katif Disengagement. He was overwhelmed with thoughts and concerns for the Jewish people and realized that the present day conflicts recall our earlier history. Oneg explains, “The Maccabees struggled to restore the light that was gone. I wanted to try and do that in my own way as well. I want to have a ‘Call for Unity’ to go beyond the discord facing the community.â€
His tour will tie together his previous venues and upcoming destinations. Children from the group where he appears will send a poster to the group where he will appear next, with the phrase “Chaveirim Kol Yisrael.â€
To watch the Shine Forward music video, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9khcxbV0p0. To schedule Oneg for an appearance, e-mail onegshemesh@yahoo.com. Schools, camps, shuls, community centers, and special events are welcome.
|
5TJT RSS Feed