“Avior Byron sings the protest of men, women and the disadvantaged in Jewish life. With this album’s appearance, Byron joins the Jewish musical scene… complexity, lyric that induce thinking, and music that on occasion highlights pain, on occasion, pleasure.” – Yitzhak Tessler, Ynet
Avior Byron was crowned by the media as “the first religious protest singer.” His lyrics cover songs of social protest, love songs, and songs appealing for tolerance and acceptance of the other. Humor and pain are the hues of his work, the sacred alongside the erotic. The diversity in Byron’s songs create unexpected integrations as far as texts and musical style.
Byron’s lyrics bear the influence of Jewish sources; his compositions merge texts from Jewish sources with modern musical arrangements that nonetheless display a close affinity with meaningful elements in Judaism. His style is a rock folk fusion, with influences from his classical education (PhD in musicology) and jazz.
“Ruth been waiting” is his first single from the album, “Songs for Tsippora” produced by Yuval Messner (Tatoo, Balagan) and debuting August 2015. The musical launch will take place at Alma College, 29 July 2015, Tel Aviv.
About “Ruth’s been waiting”: “Avior Byron, in a new song that is attractive from first listening: the combination of poetry (piyut) and Rock, romanticism and religion, and everything with a sense of humor. He created a beautiful song! To listen to again and again with pleasure!” Dudi Patimer, Nana 10
Songs for Tsippora
Avior Byron is currently working with composer, cellist and producer Yuval Messner (Tatoo, Balagan, East-West Ensemble, Tehillim Ensemble, and others) on his debut EP (extended play) album titled Songs for Tsippora. Through the popular site Kickstart, Byron recruited sufficient funds in June 2014 to back the recording of Songs for Tsippora, muscically accompanied by Tomer Sagi – bass, and Gil Faust – drums. In some performances Yuval Messner appears as guest cellist, and Yael Messner as background vocalist. The group appears in numerous venues throughout Israel.
Born in 1973 in Petach Tikva, Israel, Byron began studying classical piano at 10 years old. At 13, he added Jazz and Rock guitar under the tutelage of Kobi Shefi and Gil Dor, and later studied musical composition with Reuben Sarussi and Yuval Shaked.
Byron graduated from the Alma College Fellowship Program and has taught at Alma College. He has taught music at a number of colleges and universities, and currently lectures at Achva College.
Byron was commission by Oxford University Press to write a book exploring Schoenberg and Performance and his articles appear in diverse local and international journals.
