Prof. Yehuda Sommer Cohen, the Dean of Ono’s Jonathan Wohl School of Music, has recently published a book entitled, “Duke Ellington: A Musician in the Service of His People.” The book, published by Ortav, describes how Duke Ellington used music to support the struggle of African-Americans in the United States. Prof. Summer Cohen began his study of Ellington decades ago, as a student at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He continued to perform and conduct Ellington’s compositions at venues around Israel, and now has written a definitive book on the subject, one of the few Hebrew-language publications in the field of jazz. The book has gotten rave reviews from Israel’s premier arbiters of culture and widespread coverage in the country’s foremost media outlets such as:
- A radio Interview on the Kan Culture Show hosted by Baruch Askrov – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7n3kTQTo_c&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=OnoMusic
- “There’s Culture Here Too” radio program with Goel Pinto – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKcpYW1qi4c&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=OnoMusic
- “Voice of Music” radio magazine profile – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XD8y0unfXDo&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=OnoMusic
- Interview on Iris Lavie’s program “Before Shabbat” on the Kan B radio station – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYp92tur4Dc&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=OnoMusic
- A book review in the Haaretz newspaper – https://www.haaretz.co.il/gallery/music/.premium-MAGAZINE-1.9230101%c2%a0