By Eva Trieger
SAN DIEGO — Lenny Solomon has bass and treble clefs in his DNA. Inheriting this musical encryption from a long line of cantors on both sides of his family, Solomon has been involved with music since 1985. Though he was majoring in accounting at Queens College in New York, after three years Solomon gave over to his passion for music and began singing a different tune.
The Aaron Copeland School of Music polished his innate talents, setting the stage for his recent project, Daniel in Babylon.
With his roots in Jewish music and an interest in rock and roll, Solomon created the band Shlock Rock in 1986, which produced such music as “Kosher Cake” in the video above. However, in March of this year, Solomon was touring in Phoenix when he heard a rabbi teaching his children the story of Daniel. The musician was at once “divinely inspired” and he closely researched the text. The very words “enveloped” Solomon and within two months, he single handedly wrote an entire one hour and 45 minute operetta, replete with 26 songs that he promises will be catchy and memorable.
Kickstarter.com, an online service for fundraising creative projects is helping Solomon with this critical part of producing a winning musical. Once a show has been written, the website accepts donations for 30 days. The contributions can start as low as $2 and will happily accommodate much larger sums. Solomon has offered digital song downloads from the show to those who demonstrate faith in his project via donations. A video link to a sample of the show and Kickstarter.com is provided below:
Lenny Solomon is positively elated and his enthusiasm is truly infectious. He told me in a telephone interview from New York City he feels certain that Daniel in Babylon is Broadway-bound because he says that the story is universal, applicable to Jews and non-Jews alike. He described his experience of writing this entire extravaganza as “miraculous. G-d handed me a complete musical on a platter.”
When asked if he planned to re-create other Biblical tales, Solomon ventured that he’d very much like to explore the story of Jonah, however the next musical he’d like to write would be a tribute to the East Side of New York of his father’s era. He spoke with great awe of the hardships endured by those who lived during the Depression.
Solomon made aliyah 16 years ago and resides in Bet Shemesh with his wife and four daughters. He is committed to sharing his dream of Daniel in Babylon with theaters all over the world and he hopes to raise enough through Kickstarter.com to record his musical, get it transcribed and cast so that others can share his “overwhelming amazement.” It is clear in speaking with Solomon that, like Daniel, he feels the support of Hashem leading him to triumph!
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Eva Trieger is a freelance writer specializing in the arts. She may be contacted at eva.trieger@sdjewishworld.com