Nachman Fahrner
| Nachman Fahrner | |
|---|---|
| Born |
1972 Paris, France |
| Genres | Roots rock, Americana, rockabilly, rock, swing, jump blues |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, musician |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1987-present |
| Website |
www |
Nachman Fahrner (born September 21, 1972) is a contemporary religious Jewish musician in Israel. He is a convert to Judaism. Fahrner's main influences are Elvis Presley, Django Reinhardt, 1940s and 1950s blues, R&B, and rockabilly. He received encouragement from Luther Allison and was a long-time friend of French jazz guitarist Patrick Saussois. Both his musical styles and songwriting distinguish him from other religious musicians who often combine traditional Jewish music with folk/rock elements and choose their lyrics from verses from the Torah.
Career
Fahrner started singing and playing rhythm-guitar as a child after discovering Elvis Presley through his parents' record collection. He soon performed at school-events and private parties.[1]
At age eleven he began teaching himself lead guitar by playing along with records of Memphis Slim, Elvis Presley, and Luther Allison. An encounter with Allison left a profound impression on a young teenage Nachman. While shaking hands, Luther looked at their black and white hands and said, "Black and white. That is what rock and roll is all about."[2] Around this time Fahrner discovered the music of jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt.[3]
Nachman's career as lead guitarist took off when he joined the Roadrunners[4][5] in 1988, one of the few rockabilly bands with a female lead singer. In 1990 he moved to Paris and was hired by the teddy boy/rockabilly band Jim and the Beams. The band toured the European continent, performing primarily for biker and rocker audiences.[1] Fahrner became part of the Parisian Gypsy jazz scene through friends Jean-Yves Dubanton and Patrick Saussois, incorporating this style into his guitar playing.[6]
By the mid 1990s, he was in demand as guest player, playing with acts such Claudia Colonna and French rockers Hotel Du Nord.[7] In 1999 Nachman, a descendent of Turkish Jews, declined an offer to join Patrick Saussois' band in order to travel to Israel and convert to orthodox Judaism.[7][8]
Since then, Fahrner has been teaching guitar and performing in Israel[9] and Europe.[10] He was the founder and leader of the Jerusalem Swing Jam"[6] He started writing songs with an emphasis on spiritual themes,[7] in particular the teachings of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov.[11] In 2012 he released the album Azamra, a collection of original songs, as well as Early Recordings, volumes one and two.
Discography
- Minor Swing (1991)
- Azamra (2012)
- Early Recordings vol.1 - Rockabilly (2012)
- Early Recordings vol.2 - Jazz (in memory of Patrick Saussois) (2012)
References
- 1 2 "Rockabilly Europe".
- ↑ "Memphis Flash fanzine interview 20.09.2012, retrieved from fahrnermusic.com".
- ↑ "Memphis Flash fanzine interview 20.09.2012".
- ↑ "Archiv Oesterreichicher Popularmusik".
- ↑ Falter (29/09): 53. 2009. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - 1 2 "rockabilly.nl - bio".
- 1 2 3 "Memphis Flash fanzine interview 20.09.2012".
- ↑ "Tennessee Jukebox Band, bio".
- ↑ "Buddy Holly Memorial concert in Tekoa". (Tekoiton) תקעיתון. February 2009.
- ↑ "Rockabilly Reunion 2010".
- ↑ "Breslev Presley". Breslev.co.il.