Yael Deckelbaum

Yael Deckelbaum (Songwriter and Vocalist ) was born in Jerusalem, Israel, in 1979 to an Israeli mother and a Canadian father. She grew up in a small village near the city. Her father, David Deckelbaum, a dentist and a banjo player, was a founding member of a folky, country, Celtic, good-time band, "The Jerusalem Taverners". He quickly recognized his daughter’s musical talent, and Yael has performed with her father’s band as a guest singer and musician throughout her entire childhood. At the age of 16, Yael won first prize in a national contest for the best young singer-songwriter in Israel. She was accompanied on stage by Jonathan Levy and Shaul Eshet. This is where the foundations of a future musical partnership were laid. Yael performed in many nightclubs, festivals [such as Jacob's Ladder,Shantipi World Festival, Gezer Festival], singing folk songs and playing covers for Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell and many others. In 1999, Yael performed as a vocal soloist with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra at a tribute concert to the Beatles. This was part of a world tour produced, directed, and conducted by Sir George Martin [arranger and producer for the Beatles]. There she met Shlomo Artzi – long considered Israel's leading singer-songwriter – and toured with him for more than a year, joining him on a hit duet of his famous album, Ahavtihem. Yael is also a third of "Habanot Nehama", a superb female pop trio that includes Karolina, leader of the band Funset, and Dana Adini, one of Israel's newest and best singing stars. The group performed recently together at the Geneva Convention with the band Shotey Hanevua [Fools of Prophecy], plus venues in Prague, Germany, "Radio City Hall" in NY, "Kodak Theater" in LA, and all over Israel and the United States. Their album todate has sold over 45,000 copies ( platinum) in Israel alone. The Making of Ground Zero Yael met Jonathan Levy the musical producer of ‘Ground Zero’ and the band’s bass player, at Zion Square – where Jerusalem youngsters hang out – when they were both 15 years old. They have been making music together ever since and dreaming about this collaborative album. Eleven years later, living in Tel Aviv and persuing their professional musical careers, they finally fulfilled their dream. "Ground Zero" is the result of six years of a musical journey and hard work. For this project, Yael was also joined by Shaul Eshet, keyboards, a fellow class mate at their Jerusalem high school, Dani Dromi, guitar, also from Jerusalem, and Nir Mantzur, drums. In the five years prior to the production of "Ground Zero", Yael has been performing solo and with the band all over Israel while recording and creating this, her first solo debut album.