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Safam | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Genres | Jewish rock,folk rock |
| Years active | 1974 (1974)–present |
| Members | Dan Funk Joel Sussman Robbie Solomon Alan Nelson |
| Website | safam |
Safam is an AmericanJewish rock band fromBoston, Massachusetts. Singer-songwriters Dan Funk, Joel Sussman, Robbie Solomon, and Alan Nelson formed the band in 1974.
They have recorded over fifteen albums. These include eleven studio albums, twogreatest hits albums, and adouble album ofHannukkah andPassover songs.
Safam was formed in 1974 inBoston, Massachusetts. Dan Funk, Joel Sussman, and Alan Nelson were members of theZamir Chorale of Boston, but wanted to try performing outside a choral setting. They met Robbie Solomon when he moved to Boston fromBaltimore to attend theBerklee College of Music. They named the group Safam,Hebrew for "moustache", in reference to the facial hair they all had at the time.[1][2]
Safam initially performed primarily traditionalHasidic andIsraeli songs, particularly from the Hasidic Song Festival book, until they discovered Solomon and Sussman's talent at songwriting and began writing original music. One of their most popular original songs, "Leaving Mother Russia", was written by Solomon about the plight of Jewishrefuseniks unable to leave theSoviet Union, and was debuted at a 1977 concert at theHillel House atRutgers University before appearing on the band's second album,Encore (1978). Years later, while they were performing the song at a rally at theHeadquarters of the United Nations in New York City,Natan Sharansky, the song's inspiration, came onstage and stood with the band.[1][2]
During the 1980s and 1990s, the band performed throughout the United States, England, theCaribbean, and Canada.[2] In 2014, they performed at theBaltimore Hebrew Congregation and at Temple Beth Sholom inFair Lawn, New Jersey.[1][2]
Influenced by both traditional Jewish music and the American popular music of the 1960s and 1970s, Safam has a wide repertoire of songs and styles, including rock, pop,folk,Dixieland,calypso,Latin,Hasidic, andcantorial music.[2][3] They have self-identified their sound as "Jewish-American", with member Dan Funk saying, "Our sound is a synthesis of our Jewish and American roots...People walk out feeling good about their Jewishness."[1]
