If you met Lenny Solomon from Queens, you would not immediately think "rock star"! but "Schlock Rock Star"?... just maybe. He calls his music and his "band" Schlock Rock, and he'll tell you himself, he never imagined it would create the sensation that it has.
He started in the 1980's with one CD that he thought would just be for fun. A spin off on popular songs that he put jewish lyrics to. Although, his father encouraged him to make music his life's work, instead of accounting, (now isn't that a switch to begin with- a Jewish father who is encouraging a music over accounting?), Lenny was resistant to risk supporting a family on a musician's income. One day, Lenny received a fan letter, however, from a nice Jewish mother who wrote that her son would have nothing to do with Judaism except for listening to Schlock Rock night and day, and that he had to make more CDs!.
How can you argue with a Jewish mother who wants her son to connect a little bit with Judaism? If you are that connector, how can you break the chain? So Lenny took his mission from G-d, and starting making more music, and more music, and more music. He has many CDs and is still performing all over the country. What I saw with my family on Chanukah this year was a one man band, of Lenny Solomon and his keyboard as he turned our Beit Midrash into small concert venue where kids and adults alike were singing and rocking to "We got strong desire; we are always yearning for the Torah's learning".
("We Didn't Start The Fire..." Billy Joel). There was something for every generation. From 50's music to current hits. He sang about everything from Tu B'shvat to Rambam with the energy, ease and talent of a rock 'n roll veteran.
It doesn't get more Kohsercool(tm) than this. He was having a blast, we were having a blast. It was fun, tasteful, spiritual, positive, enjoyable and sincere and proud. The only Schlock in Schlock Rock are the recycled songs. He is otherwise original and a great entertainer, a real Star. I've never seen anyone pull this kind of thing off with such aplomb. He owned that music and he owned every lyric. He is talented and committed and totally Koshercool(tm).
He started in the 1980's with one CD that he thought would just be for fun. A spin off on popular songs that he put jewish lyrics to. Although, his father encouraged him to make music his life's work, instead of accounting, (now isn't that a switch to begin with- a Jewish father who is encouraging a music over accounting?), Lenny was resistant to risk supporting a family on a musician's income. One day, Lenny received a fan letter, however, from a nice Jewish mother who wrote that her son would have nothing to do with Judaism except for listening to Schlock Rock night and day, and that he had to make more CDs!.
How can you argue with a Jewish mother who wants her son to connect a little bit with Judaism? If you are that connector, how can you break the chain? So Lenny took his mission from G-d, and starting making more music, and more music, and more music. He has many CDs and is still performing all over the country. What I saw with my family on Chanukah this year was a one man band, of Lenny Solomon and his keyboard as he turned our Beit Midrash into small concert venue where kids and adults alike were singing and rocking to "We got strong desire; we are always yearning for the Torah's learning".
("We Didn't Start The Fire..." Billy Joel). There was something for every generation. From 50's music to current hits. He sang about everything from Tu B'shvat to Rambam with the energy, ease and talent of a rock 'n roll veteran.
It doesn't get more Kohsercool(tm) than this. He was having a blast, we were having a blast. It was fun, tasteful, spiritual, positive, enjoyable and sincere and proud. The only Schlock in Schlock Rock are the recycled songs. He is otherwise original and a great entertainer, a real Star. I've never seen anyone pull this kind of thing off with such aplomb. He owned that music and he owned every lyric. He is talented and committed and totally Koshercool(tm).
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