OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 57
J
N

of country and the genre 
called Americana, which 
encompasses bluegrass, 
country and rock. There 
is no traditional cantorial 
Jewish music on this 
recording. 
“Cantor Smolash 
mentioned to me that one of 
the things he wanted to come 
out of this residency was 
to get this music recorded 
and put it out to the Jewish 
community, so that’s where 
the idea for the album came 
from,” Markovitz said. 
“I’ve spent the last year 
being a smaller part of the 
services, but since services 
on Oct. 20 are going to be 
centered around the music 
I have written, I will be 
doing more to lead instead 
of playing as a support role.” 

Markovitz 
explained. “I’m really excited 
about that.”
Away from the temple, 
Markovitz performs with 
the quartet Wilson Thicket. 
He also appears on stage in 
musical performances with 
his wife, whom he married 
last June. They live in 

Ferndale. His career 
has included performances 
in a California studio band, 
on cruise ships and in clubs 
across the country.
Markovitz started playing 
guitar when he was 7 years 
old and became serious 
about music in his teens.

“With this album, 
I’ve learned more about 
being part of a team and 
collaboration,” Markovitz 
said. “I’ve been a performer 
for a long time and learned 
there’s so much more to 
it to connect with people. 
It’s not always about your 
performance. It’s about 
community singing and the 
group.” 

An Infinite Wave album art

Details
A live performance of the 
album An Infinite Wave can be 
heard 7-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, 
in services at Temple Israel in 
West Bloomfield. To get a free 
copy of the album, go to the 
temple website, temple-israel.
org/aninfinitewave.