In 1965, Melech B'n Arieh was born in Odessa, Ukraine. He began his musical career at the age of four and a half in the Odessa Conservatory under the watchful eye of Stefan Krizhanovsky and quickly excelled at performance and composition.
His first works were the "Sonatina Album for Children" along with a few songs he readily performed at any venue. The child flourished under the harsh environment of Communist Russia, but as it may, at that time a Jewish child would not have the opportunity to develop his career. His parents were congratulated for having an exceptionally gifted musician on their hands, and in the same breath were informed that he will never amount to anything and should go to where all Jews belong, the state of Israel. The family attempted to immigrate to the Jewish State, but with the rest of the family already settled in America, and they willingly followed suit.
At the age of thirteen, Melech entered the "Settlement Music School" in Philadelphia, PA and quickly began to progress in showmanship and Jazz Composition. During the seasons of 1979 and 1981, he repeatedly auditioned for a piano position with the Philadelphia Philharmonic Orchestra. At the age of sixteen, Melech entered the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts under full scholarship and mentorship of Sophia Levinson. Upon graduation, he embarked on a successful teaching career, while simultaneously exploring the local Jazz scenes in Philadelphia, New York, and Boston.
As an accomplished performer, Melech felt incomplete and began experimenting with Classical/World composition. By drawing inspiration from world masterminds such as Peter Gabriel, Sting, Sontana, as well as Jazz legends like Oscar Peterson, Chick Corea, Melech decided to marry his musical styles. The result of this union led to a musical innovation and an epiphany. The mixture of Classical/Jazz/World rhythms proved to be something very personal and unique to just him.
With his musical compilations, Melech realized the force behind his music. Yet, there was still something missing. The discovery of the missing element echoed something relevant from his heritage. His eyes and heart were opened when he heard a DJ late at night ask a simple question: “Who are you?” Melech long pondered that question. The evidence was starring him in the face – something he could not escape. He was a Jew. He delved ever deeper into Chassidic tractates and Kabalistic writings. His music took on an entirely new perspective. It was no longer just composition; it was a direction, a channel - a path to bring forth and show the world the spirituality behind the music.
In many ways, this brought a New Sound to the Old World.
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