Megama

The Megama Duo
Genres Jewish, Country
Years active 1978 (1978)-1980s[1]
Members
Moshe Yess, Shalom Levine

The Megama Duo was a Jewish country band consisting of Moshe Yess (d. 2011) and Shalom Levine.[2] The name Megama is Hebrew for "direction."

Yess was a native of Canada who worked as a musician and arranger for several well-known American pop music artists.[3] In the 1960s Yess shared stages with David Crosby, Jefferson Airplane & The Association. As a solo performer he played Las Vegas, Reno, and other hot spots.[2] In 1978 he moved from Hollywood, California to Jerusalem, Israel and formed the Megama Duo with Shalom Levine.[1] Yess recorded twelve albums and four children's music videos in all.[2]

Yess's and Levin's goal in creating Megama was to communicate the beauty and values of Judaism through American-style music. They toured for more than three and a half years. One tour, which consisted of 32 shows in 29 cities, lasted 42 days. "My Zaidy" was Megama's biggest hit. The well-known disc jockey of the WEVD radio station in New York, Art Raymond, claimed that it was the most requested song he had in eighteen years of broadcasting.[1]

Discography

The Megama Record

God Is Alive and Well in Jerusalem

References

  1. ^ a b c "The Greatest Hits of Megama... Plus!". Sameach Music. http://www.jewishjukebox.com/products/chassidic_music/896.asp. Retrieved 25 October 2010. 
  2. ^ a b c Sheffield, Skip (Dec 26, 1993). "Jewish folk Music". Boca Raton News. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GYAQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ao0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5548,4730166&dq=moshe+yess+%26+shalom+levine&hl=en. Retrieved 25 October 2010. 
  3. ^ "ISRAEL'S INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATED". Akron Beacon Journal: pp. B3 METRO. May 13, 1986.