Aaron Bensoussan came to the United States in 1968 and studied at the Telshe Yeshiva in Chicago and the Yeshiva Torah Vadaat in New York City. He studied the art of Sephardic liturgical music with his father as well as with other master musicians and began his Cantorial career at the age of 24 as Hazzan of the Sephardic Jewish Center in Forest Hills, NY, a position he held for five years. Mr. Bensoussan has performed in concert halls, theatres, temples, festivals and community centers all over the United States, Canada, Israel, Europe and Australia, including the Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv, the Jerusalem Theatre in Jerusalem and Carnegie Hall in New York City. Aaron is also an accomplished player of the oud (Middle Eastern lute). He has released four solo CDs: East & West, OLE!, Sepharad '92 and Joyous Chants. Aaron Bensoussan is currently the Cantor at Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue in Toronto, Ontario.
Gerard Edery was born in Casablanca and raised in Paris and New York City, speaking several languages throughout his childhood while absorbing a variety of musical traditions spanning three continents. Considered one of the leading interpreters of Sephardic Song, he has been honored with the Sephardic Musical Heritage Award and has received a Meet the Composer grant for his original songs. Gerard has been featured in major concert halls and festivals in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Far East, Israel, Morocco and Mexico including the United Nations in New York & Geneva, Lincoln Center, Merkin Hall, the Vilinius Folk Music Festival, The Smithsonian Institute, the International Festival of Sacred Music in Morocco and the Spitalfields Festival in London. Gerard is a prolific recording artist and has released ten CDs which are available on Sefarad Records as well as “The Gerard Edery Sephardic Song Book.”
Greek-born tenor, Alberto Mizrahi, one of the world’s leading interpreters of Jewish music, is Hazzan of the historic Anshe Emet Synagogue, Chicago. Hazzan Mizrahi also serves on the faculty of the H. L. Miller Cantorial School in New York, is a member of the Executive Council of the Cantors Assembly, on the Board of the Zamir Choral Foundation, and is the artistic director of Chicago's Spertus Institute concert series. He has thrilled audiences worldwide in recitals, symphony concerts, and opera. Affectionally known as the “Jewish Pavarotti”, Mizrahi’s repertoire, spanning nine languages, makes his performances unique in the field. He is featured in the PBS special, from the Spanish Portuguese Synagogue, Amsterdam, in a gala USA/Europe televised performance of CANTORS: A Faith in Song, as well as with the legendary jazz pianist, Dave Brubeck and his quartet in “Gates of Justice” performed at the Brubeck Festival (July 2004) San Francisco, and the Newport Jazz Festival (August 2004) conducted by Russell Gloyd.
George Mgrdichian has been credited with taking the oud from the cabaret to the concert stage. He has a broad repertoire that includes classical, folk and popular music from many cultures, as well as his own compositions, and has appeared extensively at colleges, universities and major concert halls throughout the United States and Europe. His debut recital took place at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. His New York City debut recital at Town Hall was followed by an invitation to appear as guest artist on a program with the New York Philharmonic, an event which marked the first appearance of the oud with a major symphony orchestra. The artistry of Mr. Mgrdichian can be heard on over 65 recordings, including The Now Sounds of the Middle East which received Special Merit Awards from Stereo Review and Billboard magazines.
Rex Benincasa has been a freelancing drummer and world music percussion specialist in New York City for 24 years. Along with hundreds of television/radio soundtracks and commercial recordings, he has performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Carlota Santana Spanish Dance, Zorongo Flamenco Dance, Andrea DelConte Danza Espana, Pilar Rioja and the Grammy Orchestra, the Sacramento Ballet, the Washington Ballet and the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. Mr. Benincasa has recorded albums and movie soundtracks for Karen Mason, Stephanie Pope, Foday Musa Suso, Philip Glass, Sesame Street, NFL Films, The Sons of Sepharad, The Ivory Consort and The Gerard Edery Ensemble, to name but a few, and has played many music scores for all kinds of productions.
Emmanuel Mann was born in France and has become one of Israel’s top bass players. He became a member of Israel’s first ethnic group, Habrera Hativ’it, and later co-founded Bustan Abraham (an internationally acclaimed Jewish and Arabic ensemble). Mr. Mann has performed at the Israel Festival, the Budapest Spring Festival, the Hong Kong Asian Arts Festival, le Theatre De La Ville, the Lille Festival, the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Womad Festival, the Krakov Jewish Music Festival, Sao Paulo SESC, World Expo- Seville, the Akbank Jazz Festival Istanbul, the Kennedy Center, Symphony Space, Town Hall, the Beacon Theater and the Jewish Repertory Theater. He has done workshops at the Berklee College of Music in Boston as well as the Julliard School in New City.
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