Danny Maseng

Don Tourliev "Danny" Maseng (; born in 1950) is an Israeli-born performer. An actor, singer and writer, Maseng is known as a composer of contemporary Jewish Liturgical music. He currently leads MAKOM LA, a spiritual community in Los Angeles, California.

Biography

Maseng was born in Tel Aviv, Israel to Norwegian-American pilot Trygve Johannes Maseng and American-born Eve Davidowitz. Maseng's father, Trygve, arrived in Israel as a volunteer for the Air Force during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. While serving, he met Maseng's mother, Eve and Trygve converted to Judaism before the two wed in 1949. Maseng has described his family as creative stating "everyone was an artist, philosopher or a professor."

Maseng rose to stardom in Israel at a young age and was the star of one of the first TV shows in Israel. Maseng came to America in 1971 to star on Broadway in the musical Only Fools are Sad under the patronage of Golda Meir. and starred as Manasseh Da Costa ("King of Schnorrers") in the revival of the Broadway Musical King of Schnorrers in Los Angeles at the then "Westwood" now Geffen Playhouse.

In 1995, Maseng debuted his critically acclaimed one man show Wasting Time with Harry Davidowitz at the John Houseman Theater off-broadway, where it enjoyed a long run and has since toured with it abroad.

Maseng has released a dozen albums and appeared as a guest star on numerous television shows including many of the shows in the Law & Order franchise, Wild Discovery and One Life to Live; and has also done extensive voice-over work for JoS. A. Bank, American Express, Hewlett Packard and Hoehn Motors.

Maseng's setting of "Elohai N'tzor" was covered by Pink Martini on their 2010 Album Joy to the World (Pink Martini album).

Jewish career

In addition to his performing and composing, Maseng helped found and run the Steven Spielberg Theater Fellowships for the Foundation for Jewish Camp and also served as the Artistic Director of the Brandeis-Bardin Institute in California. He was also the founding director of the Jewish Arts Institute, a program run out of the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center in Falls Village, Connecticut.

Maseng ran the Hava Nashira Jewish Songleader's institute for several years, where he worked closely with Debbie Friedman, Craig Taubman, and other prominent Jewish musicians.

For several years, Maseng served as the spiritual leader for Congregation Agudas Achim in Livingston Manor, New York. He later served as the Artist-In-Residence/Cantor for Temple Israel of Columbus in Ohio. Maseng served as the Chazzan and Music Director of Temple Israel of Hollywood from 2008-2015.

In 2007, Maseng was appointed the Patron Artist of the Jewish Institute of Cantorial Arts at the University of Potsdam in Germany, the first cantorial school in Germany since the Holocaust.

Maseng has been involved in many interfaith and peace efforts. In 2008 he performed in honor of Prince Hassan bin Talal at the Abraham Geiger award ceremony in Germany. He has also been a supporter of J Street, the liberal Jewish advocacy group that seeks a peaceful end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In 2015 Maseng founded MAKOM LA, a spiritual community in Los Angeles, CA.

Partial discography

Beyond the Gates - 2014 Heaven on Earth - 2010 Just Like Home (With Michael Skloff) - 2008 Yedid Nefesh - 2004 Labor of Love - 2002 Tapuach Zahav (Reissue: Hataklit Records) - 2001 Soul on Fire - 2000 Wasting Time With Harry Davidowitz - 1996 Songs for the Sabbath (SISU) - 1995 On Silver Wings - 1982 Danny Maseng: First Edition (ACUM Records) - 1975

Compilations

Danny Maseng Retrospective (Hataklit Records) - 2014 Immersed: Music for Mayyim Hayyim - 2007 Celebrate Shabbat (Craig N Co) - 2006 American Jewish Summer (Jewish Music Group) - 2006 Mitzvah Music - 2005 Shabbat Anthology: Volume One (Transcontinental) - 2003 Kol Dodi: Jewish Music for Weddings (URJ) - 2002 Ruach 5761: New Jewish Tunes (Transcontinental) - 2001 Israel Our Homeland: The First Songs (ACUM) -1981 The Songs of Israel (ACUM) - 1980

Partial filmography

Above and Beyond (2014) Segment on DVD Extras The Other Men in Black (2013) Hava Nagila: The Movie (2012) Blessed Is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh (2008) Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2002) 1 Episode Law & Order: SVU (1999-2001) 2 Episodes Deadline (2000 TV series) (2000) 1 Episode Law & Order (1993-2000) 3 Episodes Prince Street (1997) 1 Episode Muhammad Ali: The Whole Story (1996) Wildest Africa (1995) One Life to Live (1994)