Alan Eder and Friends
Principal arranger, composer, and producer
Alan Eder has been a songwriter all his life and for over two decades has played and studied traditional West African and reggae music. Alan earned a Bachelor's degree from UCLA in ethnomusicology, a Master of Fine Arts degree from California Institute of the Arts in African Music Performance, and a Fulbright Scholarship to West Africa for studies and research in traditional musics.
Where drum-laden groove music of African origin and inspiration underscores well-loved songs for the "stand up for your rights" holiday of Chanukah.
From the Caribbean: One drop reggae, the Rastafarian Nyabinghi heartbeat of thanks and praises to the Almighty, and Ska's upbeat skanks. From West Africa: Traditional Ghanaian dance drumming and highlife. From Middle Eastern maksum played on doumbek and riqq (with clarinet) to batteries of Brazilian and Latin percussion as samba meets mambo for some salsa on their latkes.
Reggae Chanukah is the work of two dozen extraordinarily talented and generous artists, many with international reputations. Their lands of origin, native tongues, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, religious affiliations, and even their ages span a wide spectrum.
