Jo (Yosef) Amar was born in
Oujda, Morocco in 1930, and came to Israel in 1956, already
an experienced singer, at the age of 26. His first hit was "Yismah
Moshe", after which he performed and recorded many songs,
still loved today by both listeners and young singers and
musicians. Jo Amar is considered the first singer to
introduce Moroccan Jewish liturgical music in Israel, as
well as a pioneer in the social protest of Moroccan Jews
against the Ashkenazi establishment in Israel.
In 1970 he settled in New
York, and performed in the USA and in Europe as a cantor, as
well as a teacher in workshops for cantors. He also
published an anthology of Moroccan Jewish liturgical
music.
His discography features more than 20 albums recorded over
the course of a long international career including two that
he recorded with the Israeli Andalusian Orchestra in 2000.
Jo Amar resides both in Israel and Los Angeles, USA, and has
4 children and 10 grandchildren.
Carmella Zarecki
