The musician was recently in Detroit,
Religion
Beat
A rocker and a cantor,
Doug Cotter tries
to inspire the kids.
SUZANNE CHESSLER
SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
for Jewish Education,
Jewish Experiences for
Families, the Jewish
Federation of Metro-
politan Detroit and
Temple Beth El.
"Keep the Flame Chai
— Alive" was a two-part
program designed espe-
cially for young audience
interaction. In the first
part, Mr. Cotler per-
formed contemporary
Jewish music, singing
his own compositions
while playing either a
piano or guitar. In the
second, he divided the
teens into groups and
asked that they write
and perform Chanukah
rap songs.
Each group had an
adult leader. Volunteers
included Rabbi Barry
Diamond of Temple Beth
El, Danny Phillips of
Temple Kol Ami, Penny
Steyer of Temple Shir
Shalom, Rabbi Arnie
Sleutelberg of Congre-
gation Shir Tikvah and
Raquel Pomerantz
Gerson of Congregation
Shaarey Zedek.
"This was the first
time I've ever done this
interactive high school
program," said Mr.
Cotler, whose travels
across the country have
spotlighted three differ-
ent types of presenta-
tions — religious ser-
vices featuring tradition-
al and contemporary
music, concerts that
showcase selections from
his albums and perfor-
mances with family
appeal.
"I wanted to challenge
the kids to write and
perform," he said. "I'd
like them to get some
firsthand appreciation
that you can be Jewish
and still be hip."
Mr. Cotler's own
career began when he
was a teen. At 14, he
.
early 100 high
school students
recently learned
about writing
Jewish music
from an enter-
tainer who has
enjoyed success
in both religious
and secular cir-
cles.
Doug Cotler,
43, a California
cantor who won
a Grammy award for a
song he composed for the
movie Flashdance, tried
out a new concert format
in a December program
sponsored by the Agency
started to sing in south-
ern California syna-
gogues and. Jewish com-
munity centers.
After graduating from
high school, he got a
scholarship to study in
Israel, where he mas-
tered Hebrew by speak-
ing it daily and attend-
ing classes at the
Institute for Youth
Leaders From Abroad.
Back in the United
States, he spent a semes-
ter at the University of
California and went on
to earn a bachelor's
degree in philosophy
from St. John's College.
"I took a little detour
from college," said Mr.
Cotler, who had planned
on entering law school. "I
joined a ski patrol in
Taos, N.M., and bought a
piano. I decided to see if
I could become a musi-
cian.
"I found a music
teacher who ended up to
be Mason Williams'
roommate in college, and
Mason came to visit. He
needed a bass player for
a new band he was form-
ing, and I bought a bass.
"Two months later I
was on the road with
Mason Williams. I
played with Jerry Jeff
Walker and John Denver
for a while."
Mr. Cotler's career
took a religious turn
again after his father
died. He agreed to finish
his dad's contract as can-
tor.
His next move was to
Los Angeles, where he
pursued a songwriting
career during the late
'70s and into the '80s,
paying his expenses by
working as a cantor and
performing in night-
clubs.
In 1984, he won the
Grammy for his song
RELIGIOUS BEAT page 92