- Joshua Nelson
Joshua Nelson is an American gospel singer and
Hebrew teacher.Biography
Background
Nelson is
Black andJewish cite news | last =Shimp| first =Rachel| coauthors=others as noted| title =Your last chance to see that brutal film noir, It's a Wonderful Life| pages=| publisher =Seattle Weekly| date =2006-12-20 | url =http://www.seattleweekly.com/film/0651/oddballs.php| accessdate =2006-12-20 ] (he has called himself "theKKK 's worst nightmare"). He became fascinated with music when he was 8, living inBrooklyn . His fascination lasted after he graduated from Newark'sPerforming Arts High School. [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20050422/ai_n14597158] He was the school's official soloist for the 4 years he studied there. He went on to do a 2-year college andkibbutz program in Israel studying at theHebrew Union College as well as theHebrew University of Jerusalem .While attending Hebrew University, he started blending Hebrew texts with gospel melodies and arranging Jewish
hymn s in gospel style, resulting in solo CDs like "Hebrew Soul."Jewish Gospel singing
Nelson transcends differences between races and faiths through his music. He is both an up-and-coming Jewish Gospel singer in the tradition of
Mahalia Jackson , and a Hebrew teacher full-time in the Hebrew school at Sharey-Tefilo-Israel, a Reform synagogue inSouth Orange, NJ , when he is not on the road. [ [http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2004/11/07/gospel_according_to_joshua_nelson/ Gospel according to Joshua Nelson - The Boston Globe ] ] He also serves as director of music at HopewellBaptist Church inNewark, NJ , which is housed in a former synagogue (the former B’nai Jeshurun. [http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:1rQCr_WsZlUJ:joshuanelson.com/biography2.html+joshua+nelson+jewish+gospel+brooklyn+newark&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=2]Through his composing, gospel singing, and chanting Torah, Nelson is the musical embodiment of cultural harmony, with his rich voice, charismatic personality, and personal mission to build bridges between the races. [http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:qYHYaSQj2-EJ:www.mediarights.org/film/keep_on_walking_joshua_nelson_the_jewish_gospel_singer+joshua+nelson+jewish+gospel&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1]
Nelson created a new sound that blends Jewish liturgical and African American spiritual styles.
Nelson has performed with musical legends including
Wynton Marsalis andAretha Franklin andStephanie Mills andBilly Preston , as well as gospel singersAlbertina Walker , the Barret Sisters, Hezekiah Walker,Kirk Franklin ,Dottie Peoples , Dorothy Norwood,Vanessa Bell Armstrong , Reverend Timothy Wright, and Bobby Jones & New Life. Nelson also performs frequently with the JewishKlezmer bandThe Klezmatics , and performed with the late jazz greatsCab Calloway andDizzy Gillespie .Nelson sang before Swedish Prime Minister
Goran Persson , and performed for an audience inJerusalem that included then-Israeli Prime MinisterAriel Sharon . [http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:DvAYahOvV1wJ:www.seattlejewishfilmfestival.org/viewevent.php%3Fshort%3D13+joshua+nelson+jewish+gospel&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=9]Film
A film was made about Nelson entitled "Keep on Walking: Joshua Nelson: The Jewish Gospel Singer" (2000). It was voted Best Documentary in the
Northampton Film Festival, and won the Best Film Award (thePaul Robeson Award) at The Newark Black Film Festival.The film aired on
PBS and affiliate networks nationally in 2003 and 2004. Internationally it aired on the national networks of Sweden, Denmark, France, Germany, Holland, Japan, Israel, and Italy in 2003 and 2004.TV
Nelson's TV credits include “A+ for Kids” on
WWOR -TV; “SingSation,” a Gospel program taped inChicago and broadcast nationally onCBS -TV (1995-97, 2005); andBlack Entertainment Television 's “the Bobby Jones Gospel Hour ” (1995-2003).Nelson also appeared on the “The
Oprah Winfrey Show ”, which aired October 2004 and December 2004. AlongsideJamie Fox , Mr. Nelson was named by Oprah as “The Next Big Thing.”Nelson singing live 2006 on YouTube - Adon Olam - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzOxEqd5HQw
Footnotes
External links
* [http://www.joshuanelson.com/ Joshua Nelson website, including articles from the
Chicago Tribune , TheNew York Times , and TheMontreal Gazette ]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.