ANTHONY MORDECHAI TZVI RUSSELL: THE MUSICALITY OF INTERSECTIONALITY

 Walk of Fame | Annabelle Kolomeisky

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The arts, whether it be the visual arts, music, or theatre, have a powerful way to influence the people who interact with it. This is part of the beauty of the arts, the ability it has to emotionally impact many. Anthony Mordechai Tzvi Russell explores this beauty in the arts through the intersectionality and exploration seen in his beautifully diverse music. Through Russell’s interesting take on music and the in-depth analysis of the Jewish texts from unique perspectives, one is almost invited to reflect on their own interaction with their Jewish identity and the ideas of intersectionality.

Anthony Mordechai Tzvi Russell | Source

Anthony Mordechai Tzvi Russell was born in the United States to a Christian family. Throughout his childhood, under the influence of his mother, he was strongly connected to music and found a passion in the art. As a young boy, Russell was very interested in the stories of the Bible, admiring the stories of the text. However, it wasn’t until Russell was 27 that he would begin exploring the traditions and look into the religion of Judaism. As Russell continued to discover Judaism, he continued to develop his craft and built a career as a professional opera singer in San Francisco.

Many of the projects that Anthony Mordechai Tzvi Russell has done throughout his career have explored the idea of intersectionality among traditional Ashkenazi Jewish and African American roots music. A few projects that Russell has worked on include Written in Breath, an enlightening comparison between classic Jewish texts and Yiddish texts are presented through song and performance; Tsvey Brider, a modern interpretation of music through a Yiddish lens; and Convergence, a unique album that explores the intersectionality of African American and Eastern European Jewish music.

Anthony Mordechai Tzvi Russell singing in a live performance | Source

The inspiration behind this unique take on traditional music is strongly influenced by Russell’s interest in expressing the “internal consonance between aspects of African-American and Jewish cultures.” This passion Russell has for looking into the combination of two such rich and unique musical styles is strongly rooted in the idea of telling stories about modern, ongoing struggles among these two distinctive yet connected diasporas.

Russell’s incredible work has brought him all around the world including Toronto. His performances include various fascinating venues including museums such as the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco. Russell’s influence goes beyond his shows as he continues to be an active member of the Jewish community outside of his performances. Inspired by an exhibition displayed in Toronto’s FENTSTER window gallery, Kutlura Collective along with several other Canadian Jewish organizations held a panel event discussing “Art and Artists on Being Black and Jewish,” which featured Russell as a key speaker. If you want to learn more about Anthony Mordechai Tzvi Russell, you can check out his website and listen to his SoundCloud to hear some of the incredible music he has.