Gershon Veroba (born 1959) is an American composer, performer and producer of Jewish music.[1]
He sang from when he was a child in his father's choir and for friends, but focused professional career actually began in 1980, when he recorded as a singer, keyboardist and even a drummer in a band formed by guitarist, Steve (Shmuel) Simenowitz, called Jewish Blues on a now-collectible album called "Out Of The Woods" Nova Records, Lake Ronkonkoma, NY, MRS 111 (also starring the late blues legend, Roy Buchanan).
In 1981, he teamed up with composer/producer Yerachmiel Begun to form the group, Judaea. He became the lead singer, co-composing and co-arranging on the only album they made, "The World To Come"[2] in 1981.
In 1982, Gershon recorded his first album, "Man To Man",[3] (now out-of-print), on which he became the first Jewish artist to ever record an album doing all vocals and playing all keyboards, synthesizers, drums, percussion, bass and guitars.
Through the next two decades, while pursuing his solo career, he also served as a bandleader and featured performer with wedding bands including The Messengers, Neginah Orchestra, Ruach, Simcha Orchestra (NY), Steven Scott, Hank Lane, Robby Helprin's Simcha Orchestra (LA), Amiran Dvir (Israel), Nefesh (Chicago) and a continuing 18 year relationship with NY's Neshoma Orchestra.
To date, he now has been featured on over 50 albums, plus 12 solo albums of his own. Through the 90's, he became known for performing adaptations and parodies of mainstream pop songs, re-written with Jewish themes, some in Hebrew, but mostly in English. The "Variations" album series, featured him as the main artist for its four-volume run between 1993 and 2004. Gershon produced his own adaptation album, "Impressions"[4] in 2003 and produced an all-star sequel, "Second Impressions: Don't Stop"[1] in May, 2009. His return to original compositions culminated in the 2007 release, "Reach Out," which contained 7 English songs of his own that had strong messages of Jewish life and introspection rarely, if ever, attempted by Jewish music previously. This included a song telling of a person's questioning G-d's silence, "Speechless," co-composed by his friend, Chassidic superstar Avraham Fried.
His unique role in the Jewish music business as a "bridge" between secular and Jewish music has become a source of admiration and controversy. Many fans and even hard line rabbis have praised his work as having the rare qualifications of valid fusion between delicate religious Jewish acceptance and the mainstream pop culture of the Diaspora. Others have criticized him, grouping him with those who encourage the dangerous influences of the non-Jewish culture.
Thousands of fans and continued to support his music and his views, seeing him perform around the world, including Nassau Coliseum, Lincoln Center and Town Hall in NY, on the Chabad Telethons and receiving a resounding stamp of approval from scores of major performers who have seen him or performed with him, including the late Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, zt"l, Mordechai Ben-David, Sam Glaser, Safam, Mike Burstein, Gad Elbaz, Blue Fringe, Freddy Roman, Robert Klein, Paula Abdul,[5] Jon Voight, Steve Allen, Jackie Mason and others.
Gershon has even spoken out against inappropriate influences in Jewish music and continues to defend his work as combining important human messages of Jewish life with great music and connecting the two only if they are truly compatible, whether original or borrowed.[6] In the years he has remained in the spotlight, many younger Jewish musicians and performers claim Gershon to be a major influence on their work.