Hamakor (band)


Hamakor was an Israeli Jewish rock band from Mevo Modi'im. They were formed in 2006 by lead singer Nachman Solomon and released two albums, The Source and World On Its Side. The group's fluctuating lineup at different times included musicians like Bruce Burger, Chemy Soibelman, and Mendy Portnoy, and members would go on to participate in groups like G-Nome Project, Shlomit & RebbeSoul, and Zusha.

History

Origins (2006–2007)

Lead singer and founder Nachman Solomon grew up in Mevo Modi'im, a communal village founded by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. He is the son of Diaspora Yeshiva Band violinist and founding member Ben Zion Solomon, while his brothers Noah, Yehuda, Meir, and Yosef formed the influential Jewish rock bands Moshav Band and Soulfarm. Nachman performed with his family regularly from a young age.
Hamakor was formed at Mevo Modi'im in January 2006 by a 19-year-old Solomon and lead guitarist Lazer Grunwald, although the latter was replaced with Yakir Hyman after he moved to the United States a few months later. During the band's first year together, they opened for Moshav Band and Aharit Hayamim and became monthly fixtures at the local Mike's Place.

''World On Its Side'' and dissolution (2010–2015)

The band released their second album, World On Its Side, on July 20, 2010. By this time, the band had acquired Yosef Solomon on bass, keyboardist Gavriel Saks, and drummer Eliezer Grundman. The album spawned two singles, "Illusion" and "Memories".
After a period of inactivity, the band resurfaced in 2014 with the Solomon brothers accompanied by guitarist Ben Katz, keyboardist Mendy Portnoy, and drummer Chemy Soibelman of The Groggers. The band released a single, "Lift Me Up", and announced plans for a third album of the same name. However, in a 2016 interview, Nachman Solomon confirmed that, following several member departures, the band had "kind of died out" a few years prior.

Other projects

Several members of Hamakor have gone on to other musical endeavors:

Musical style

Hamakor played a mix of grunge, trance fusion, folk, and classic rock with Hebrew and English lyrics. Band members cited influences from Pearl Jam, Phish, John Scofield, Disco Biscuits, Red Hot Chili Peppers,. Lead singer Nachman Solomon's songwriting was influenced by funk, reggae, jam band, and blues music, as well as the music of the Banai family, and the group's concerts often featured covers of The Who, Guns N' Roses, and The Grateful Dead, as well as Jewish artists like Shlomo Carlebach. Although many of Hamakor's lyrics were religious-themed, Nachman Solomon argued that non-Jews could also enjoy their music, saying, "The words are meaningful and spiritual, but we don't play mostly songs based on biblical verses".

Members

Past members

Discography

;Albums
  • The Source
  • World On Its Side
;Singles
  • "Illusion"
  • "Memories"
  • "Lift Me Up"