Where Classic Rock Meets Middle Eastern Music: Yossi Piamenta in Park Slope

This Saturday March 29: The Yossi Piamenta Band plays at the Jewish Music Cafe. Doors open at 9:30 p.m. Reserve now at the JMC website.

Not familiar with the Jewish Music Cafe? Elie Massias, one of the 2007 Park Slope 100, started the Jewish Music Cafe at at 401 9th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues) because he thought the Slope needed a place where people who can get an ice cold bottle of He’ brew Beer, a slice of Mrs. Selter’s famous Cheese cake, a Kosher Cappuccino and enjoy great bands playing Klezmer, Sephardic, Avant Garde jazz, Hassidic rap and Israeli trance in the heart of one of NY’s most ethnically diverse neighborhood.

And who is Yossi Piamenta? Here’s a bio from his website.

Yossi is a self-taught musician who would turn on the Jerusalem radio and play along. That’s how he learned how to play. He used money from gigs to buy the best audio equipment, international albums and music magazines. Yossi’s self-acquired education led him to become one of the most skillful and original guitarists on the Jewish and secular music scene. Yossi’s original style is best described as a hint of jazz, a drop of blues, and a whole lot of rock ‘n’ roll filtered through a purple haze of Oriental funk.

After finishing boarding school, Yossi joined a “Top 40” cover band as their lead guitarist. Then he joined the army, and played in the Army Band. After completing his army service, Yossi became a full time musician. During the Yom Kippur War Yossi, together with his 15-year old brother Avi, now an international acclaimed flutist, played for the soldiers. After that, Yossi and Avi immediately formed “the Piamenta Band.” The rest is history. The band went on to play with the most prestigious Israeli musicians. They were dubbed the “Mizrahi Rockers.”

In 1976 Stan Getz discovered the Piamenta Band. 3 weeks later Getz sent Yossi a ticket to America, where Yossi was introduced to the crème de la crème of American musicians. Getz was so impressed with Yossi’s music that he cancelled his schedule for 3 weeks to cut an album with Yossi. The album was so successful that Getz tried hard to sign a lifetime contract with the Piamenta’s but when Yossi saw what went on in the showbiz industry… he declined and ran towards his Jewish roots.

With 6 official studio albums and appearances at the most distinguished venues in the world, the Piamenta Band is the most requested name in Jewish events. Piamenta Management is planning a tour of colleges and universities. As far as plans for the near future, the Piamenta Band will be working on producing an album with Eddie Kramer, the engineer who cut albums for Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, KISS and more. Piamenta will soon be a household name, God willing.