Craig Taubman is a singer and composer, known both for his Jewish liturgical music for the synagogue and his popular contemporary music.
Taubman studied music at UCLA and moved to Israel and lived there for almost 3 years, where he played in several bands and ensembles. Later, he wrote a children's album that led to a contract for music writing for the Disney channel. In 1997 Taubman was asked by Rabbi David Wolpe from the Conservative synagogue 'Sinai Temple' in Los Angeles to write modern music for the Friday night prayer. “Friday Night Live” was performed in the synagogue once a month at first, and then every two weeks, and had a musical setting, with guitars, clarinets, keyboards, and several singers. Those events were popular among young audiences and were attended by more than 1500 people at a time. The songs that Taubman wrote for this setting were gathered in an album by the name “Friday Night Live”.
Taubman was also the producer of 'Celebrate Hip-Hop' a compilation of Jewish hip-hop worldwide that includes tracks by Mook E., Solomon & Socalled, Etan G., and the Hip Hop Hoodíos.
Hashkivenu - from Friday Night Live
More information:
Craig Taubman in the ReformJudaism.org: https://reformjudaism.org/craig-taubman
About Taubman as a Jewish composer who is coming form the Conservative movement, about his music and audience: Kligman, Mark. “Contemporary Jewish Music in America” in The American Jewish Year Book, vol. 101, 2001, 45-6.
Jewels of Elul, Taubman's project for the high holidays: https://www.jewelsofelul.com/2020/08/20/elul-1-rabbi-nicole-guzik/
About Friday Night Live:
About the popularity of “Friday Night Live” and 'One Shabbat Morning”, both events with the music of Taubman:
Jack Wertheimer, 'The American Synagogue: Recent Issues and Trends', The American Jewish Year Book, 2005, Vol. 105 (2005), pp. 45-46
About the evenings of Friday Night Live: “Will Friday Nights Ever Be the Same?”
About the musical choices Taubman made in Friday night live: https://www.beliefnet.com/entertainment/2000/03/friday-night-live.aspx
Performing live:
Craig Taubman - 2013 URJ Biennial – sings “Ani VeAta” both in Hebrew and English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh7eqLLzqKc&ab_channel=UnionforReformJudaism
A video from the last Friday night live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyEuX8ecGAs&ab_channel=CraigTaubman
