Israeli on Tour with Whitney Houston
Silence to Sound – an Israeli on tour with Whitney Houston

February 02, 2010
By Marcy J. Levinson-Brooks

From Atlanta Jewish News
Submitted by: Y. Marie


Adi Yeshaya is a shy guy who makes amazing music happen for one of pop-music's icons in a really big way. He is the musical arranger for live performances by Atlanta's very own singing sensation Whitney Houston.

In Atlanta for the last few weeks, and heading out on Feb. 2, Yeshaya will be on the road for six months with Houston, on a multi-country tour. Yeshaya, the childhood best friend of Jewish National Fund's emissary Ronnie Porat, has had a successful and ever-growing career as a musician, arranger and writer. He's traveled far distances and worked hard for a kid who grew up on an Israeli moshav. Last week he and Porat reminisced at a Buckhead hotel about the school they both attended and both of their passion for music and the ensembles they would organize to jam with.

Yeshaya said, "Something clicked with me at an early age."

But music was not always heard in their school. In fact, there was silence – no funding for a music program. Like many kids who want something bad enough to make music with (i.e. – a drum set made of pots and pans) Porat and Yeshaya began playing music with some friends outside of school. Eventually, according to Yeshaya, a teacher at their school noticed the youth's drive for music, and brought in a music teacher.

"The school was cool to have hired an outside music director to put shows together," said Yeshaya. "Each one [student] had a part to play."

"That was it for me," he said.

Yeshaya said he remembers holding an instrument and the moment of going from silence, to musical sound had him hooked. His first instrument was an accordion, then the organ. In his late teens he moved on to piano focusing on jazz. Surprisingly, he said he never had formal or classical training. "It took a while to create a path for myself," he said. The natural ability Yeshaya had for playing "by ear" or without reading music was, "a blessing and a curse. I could play anything by ear, but my reading was non-existent."

After his abilities outgrew the knowledge of teachers, Yeshaya trained with one teacher whom he said taught him in a unique way that suited his talent. From there he grew into a unique musical style of his own. He and Porat recalled a musical and historic moment for both Israel, and the two. During the Yom Kippur War, both were sophomores in school. After the war ended, they played shows for injured Israeli Defense Forces soldiers. When he's not on the road, Yeshaya is an associate professor at Boston's Berklee College of Music where he teaches courses for the contemporary writing and production department.

Since he began arranging music for Houston's shows 10 years ago, Yeshaya said this tour will be the most extensive for him. As one of Houston's three keyboard players, Yeshaya is also tasked with taking care of the other musicians' arrangements as well as those for the four back-up singers. Other Houston shows have included performances on television shows, concerts with pre-recorded orchestral pieces and most recently Houston's performance on the American Music Awards.

While you may not see Yeshaya's name on any Houston albums in the credits, he's doing his magic on the road and behind the scenes as well. Some of the other music legends he's worked with include Aretha Franklin, Donny Osmond, Lena Horne, and two weeks ago another performance with Doc Severinsen. Although Yeshaya has a home in Minnesota, for his time in Atlanta, Yeshaya said it's a city he loves. He also loves the energy of rehearsing with the band. Tuesday was the first day of rehearsal that Houston was involved in, and he said it was an even better energy. "It was nice [rehearsal with Houston] when everything fell into place," he said. Not only does he love his work, but he enjoys his fellow musicians and Houston's musical entourage. "I don’t know that you can, on purpose, find yourself in a situation with nicer and more supportive people than this group. And above all, some of the best musicians ever," he said with a huge grin.

Yeshaya said his plan after he came to the United States in 1983, was to go to Berklee School of Music, go back to Israel and, "do what I was doing. I had no plan for how to be a musician in Israel."

After he met an American named Beth, who is now his wife, they got married and moved back to Israel. Not long after the overseas move, the Yeshaya's came back to the U.S. The years have brought Yeshaya many successes including his wife who is also a singer and songwriter; his children; and a successful career as a sought after and very busy musical genius.

Talk about going from silence, to sound.