Many TST readers, like me, are of an age that we can recall Pearl Harbor, the camps at Auschwitz, and the atrocities of the Japanese soldiers in Burma and the Pacific. We also remember the wonderful music of the time—Benny, the Dorsey brothers, Artie Shaw and more. Today, two generations or more, the atrocities are forgotten—Germany and Japan are among our closest friends and allies.
This is the epiphany that came to me this morning as I reflect on the atrocities of October 7 inflicted by Hamas which has led to the ongoing suffering of the Gaza civilians as Israel tries to uproot the fanatics.
Here in Tel Aviv, the music never stopped. After a short hiatus, Shablul, my favorite jazz club, opened its doors to a series of concerts with all proceeds going to help the thousands of Israelis who have been uprooted by the horrific shock attack. Musicians of all genres traveled throughout Israel to perform for the uprooted and homeless survivors living in makeshift accommodations.
A particularly poignant evening was one of the first concerts at Shabul in November featuring Achinoam Nini (Noa). Arguably one of the most famous Israeli singers world-wide, she is less known to the jazz world, though she has performed at the Montreux and The North Sea Jazz fests. Her music is influenced by the singer-songwriters of the ’60s such as Paul Simon and Leonard Cohen. Combining these musical a
