OUR STORY
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The Nigun Quartet plays Hasidic melodies with the rich musicality of jazz.
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Jazz makes space for a subtlety that allows for the renewal of the nigun - the Hasidic melody. It opens the door to the power of the moment, and serves as a vehicle of communication between the musicians and the audience.
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The music of the Nigun Quartet juxtaposes improvisational freedom and rhythmic and harmonious complexity with simple, repetitive melodies that invite the audience to participate with their voices.
The result: An altogether singular, magical, contemplative experience.
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TOM LEV â—‹ SAX
Tom is a graduate of the Berklee School of Music and the Rimon School in Tel Aviv. He has performed in and worked with a variety of projects and ensembles within the realm of jazz and Israeli music in and out of Israel. Tom has collaborated with renowned artists such as Frank Gamble, Dave Samuels, Ralph Peterson, Ketchio Lopez, and Ernie Lawrence, as well as leading Israeli artists including Yonatan Razel, Eviatar Banai, Berry Sakharof, Idan Raichel, and others. After completing his studies at Berkeley, he returned to Israel and began to play with various groups in the realm of Jewish music. Today he is a significant player in the world of new Jewish music: he is active in many ensembles, as both a musician and a director.
MOSHE ELMAKIAS â—‹ PIANO
​Despite his young age, and with a virtuosic personal style, Moshe appears to be one of the most promising pianists among the new generation of Israeli jazz musicians. He is a graduate of Israel’s Academy of Music, and has played both throughout Israel and abroad with drummer Manu Katche, Producer Lary Klein, singer Mor Karbasi, the Tal Gamlieli Trio, the Yogev Shetrit Trio, and many others. These days Moshe studies at the New England Conservatory while performing and recording around the world.
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OPHER SCHNEIDER â—‹ BASS
From the mid 1990s, Opher Schneider was one of the most sought-after bassists on the Israeli jazz scene. He has played with some of the best musicians in Israel and abroad: Stephon Harris, Donald Harrison, Anthony Hart, Gregory Tardy, Birreli Lagren, Jimmy Lovelace, Arnie Lawrence, Alon Olearchik, Eli Degibri, Itai Kris, Avishai Cohen, Jess Koren, Erez Barnoy, and Shai Zalman are just a few of them. Opher has played in the best clubs in Tel Aviv and New York such as the Smalls Jazz Club, Blue Note, and Merkin Concert Hall, as well as in various jazz festivals in Israel: Red Sea Jazz Festival, Tel Aviv Jazz Festival, the Israel Festival, and more. Since his return to Israel from New York, and his return to observant Judaism, he has dealt mainly with Jewish music and education. Today, Opher returns to the jazz scene with the Nigun Quartet, in which he gives expression to the special combination of jazz and Jewish spiritual life.
YOSI LEVY â—‹ DRUMS
Yossi, a graduate of the Rimon School of Music, began his musical career as a jazz musician. He played with many celebrated jazz artists including Ilan Salem, Amikam Kimmelman, Mamlou, and others. He soon discovered the world of reggae and African rhythms, and became a prominent drummer in this realm in Israel. He played and collaborated in Israel and abroad with the bands Roots Afrika, Chevy Band, and more. In recent years, Yossi has played with Sheva, Yuval Banai, Assaf Ayalon, Yossi Fine, Hamadregot, Aharon Razel, and others.
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