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Lazer Lloyd's sizzling

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Don Cohen

I Contributing Writer

f the blues was born from disaster
and hope, the idea of Jewish blues is
a pretty snug fit. So jamming with
Lazer Lloyd, dubbed "Israel's King of the
Blues;' to celebrate Purim — when the
Jews narrowly averted disaster — seems
like a good fit, too.
Adat Shalom Synagogue in
Farmington Hills is bringing the
American-born Israeli to town for three
programs March 6-8 to celebrate both
Shabbat and Purim.
"Music is the sound of celebration;'
says the married father of five from
his home in Beit Shemesh, west of
Jerusalem. "Music can unite us. We need
to stay away from politics and love each
other, learn from each other and really
meet each other:'
The name Lazer Lloyd is a combina-
tion of his Hebrew name, Eliezer Pincus
and his Western given name, Lloyd Paul
Blumen. Born in New York, Blumen, 48,
grew up in Connecticut, where he was
playing clubs on the shoreline by age
15. After studying music at Skidmore
College, he went home to form a blues-
rock band influenced by blues, gospel,
Southern rock and guitar traditions of
power and groove, from Jimi Hendrix to
Wes Montgomery.
The band's demo record, featuring
Blumeris finger-flying guitar and rich,
powerful vocals, attracted the attention
of Atlantic Records, which brought him
to New York to record, as well as open
for Prince and the late Johnny Winter.
While in New York, he shared Shabbat
with the charismatic, prolific singer/
songwriter Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach,
whose engaging melodies have been
warmly embraced across the Jewish
denominations.
"He was so deep, and I was super
blown away," Blumen says. He fell in
love with Carlebaclis teachings, and
with Shabbat and Judaism. He says he
and Carlebach would play together,
seamlessly melding Chasidic and other

I

"I think blues in all its forms con-

tinues to generate a devoted fol-
lowing because it's real; it's about
everyone's life story and it heals,"
says Lazer Lloyd, above.

melodies with the blues. In 1994, with
Carlebaclis encouragement, Blumen and
his guitar moved to Israel.
Soon he was playing lead guitar and
singing with the influential Israeli jam
band Reva L'Sheva (A Quarter to Seven).
For a decade, he recorded and toured
with them.
In 2004, he released his first solo proj-
ect, Higher Ground, mixing inspirational
folk rock with rawer guitar and vocals.
His roots-rock trio, Yood, toured Israel
and U.S. college campuses. The 2012
Lazer Lloyd electric album, My Own
Blues, was selected by the Israeli Blues
Society as Best Israeli Blues Album.
"The Israeli Blues Society has helped
put blues on the map in Israel:' Blumen
says. "We've got a lot of good artists
coming here and a lot of good players:'
In 2013, he was signed to Blues Leaf
Records and released an acoustic album,
Lost on the Highway, and later this year
he'll have a new self-titled album.
He performs four to five nights a week
in Israel as either a solo acoustic act, part
of blues/rock duo or with his trio, the
Lazer Lloyd Band. He also helps build
the Israeli blues movement by giving
blues lessons to kids.
"Music opens up the gates for under-
standing:' he says. He encourages Jews to
experience their heritage the same way
one hears and experiences any type of
music: very personally.
"Try to experience Jewish heritage
firsthand without any intermediary;'
Blumen says. "Do it for yourself' ❑

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Lazer Lloyd appears three
times at Congregation Adat
Shalom in Farmington Hills:
7 p.m. Friday, March 6, he
discusses "Livin' Lovin' Israeli
Blues: A Musician's Journey
Home"; 7:30 p.m. Saturday,
March 7, he performs at a Purim
fundraiser;11 a.m. Sunday, March
8, he performs at Megillah
Mania, a family performance. Call
(248) 851-5100 for details.

Reservations
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February 19 • 2015

1984460

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