Would the music of my father, Moshe Yess a”h, be relegated to a pile of scratched oldies in someone’s basement?
As told by Tali Yess to Barbara Bensoussan
When you think of family legacy, many people think of heirlooms, time-hallowed seforim, perhaps jewelry or property.
My father, Moshe Yess a”h, half of the 1980s-era Megama duo together with Shalom Levine a”h, passed away with a negligible bank balance and no heirlooms to pass on. Those things had never mattered to him anyway. What did matter — his music — created a legacy that continues to inspire Jewish fans and musicians to this day.
But it looked like that legacy was in danger of disappearing. His music, produced in an era of vinyl records and cassette tapes, had not found a place as music increasingly moved to streaming platforms. The masters for his LPs — including such classics as G-d is Alive and Well in Jerusalem and The Megama Record — had been lost in a fire many years ago, and the remaining albums had been played so often that most of them were scratched.
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