Debbie Friedman

Biography

If viewed in terms of her prolific output of recordings, the extremely spiritual content of her compositions and her innovative dabbling in self-publishing, Debbie Friedman could be considered to be something like the Sun Ra of the Jewish music scene. She is certainly one of the most popular creators of Jewish music. She is also a teacher and cantor at the New Reform Congregation in Los Angeles, California, as well as being involved in the multi-faith center of worship that has risen out of the ruins of the World Trade Center area. She directed the music program at the Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute in Oconomowac, Wisconsin, creating an annual songleading and music workshop there entitled Hava Nashira. Her involvement with various educational institutions has produced an extensive series of credits. Like Sun Ra, Friedman's spiritually-driven ambition seems to have no limits, leading her to projects as ambitious as the direction of a 300 person chorale. Unlike Sun Ra, Friedman's original musical infuences came from the American popular folk music scene of the '60s and '70s, including the big names such as Peter, Paul and Mary, Judy Collins, Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell. Thus, two musical aspects that are distinctly non-Jewish, the influence of both Appalachian and country and western music, have impacted the Friedman sound that has had such a massive influence on younger Jewish singers and songwriters.



The Friedman song repertoire is basically fully integrated into much of the American synagogue liturgy, to the point that in many congregations it is considered traditional. Jewish children commonly grow up learning the Hebrew alphabet from Friedman songs, which are used in churches, schools, camps and community centers. This material has been extensively licensed on recordings, videos, songbooks, prayer books, haggadahs, textbooks, teaching manuals, children's books, healing publications, new ritual and self help books, not to mention internet websites. One hardly has to enter a synagogue in order to encounter Friedman, in other words. Show up for one's daily meeting with Barney, for example, and Friedman might be there in the background, as she is during the appalling Barney In Concert video, featuring Friedman's "The Alef Bet Song". The Hallmark company marketed a series of greeting cards based on her lyrics, yet this sort of tasteful merchandising scheme is not the heart of her musical activity. This would have to be her emotionally stirring concerts, in which she appears both solo and with the backing of a trio. While she often performs at the national conventions of major Jewish organizations, she also appears at prestigous venues such as Carnegie Hall, where she recorded a live CD in 1996. "Mi Shebeirach", a song of healing, is one of the most beautiful numbers that have appeared on some 20 Friedman releases. ~ Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide