Chanan BenAmi was born Chanan Benami Gans on May 1, 1975 in Silver Spring Maryland. He received his first guitar at age nine from an older cousin and quickly began challenging himself with complex solos from Jimi Hendrix to Flamenco. Music became a life style and by the age of 15 he was already attracting a following, and playing in well-known clubs in the D.C. area. Chanan proved to be a prolific songwriter and guitar virtuoso. At the age of 20 he made his pilgrimage to L.A and was quickly introduced to prominent figures in the entertainment world. He opened for bands on the Sunset Strip including, Static X and System of a Down, while also jamming with major label artists.
In 1998, Chanan started Revel 8, a new band with former Kik Tracee singer and RCA recording artist, Stephen Shereaux, producer Stevo Bruno on bass and Paris Cronin (son of legendary singer, songwriter Kevin Cronin, REO Speedwagon) on
drums. By 2001, they had stirred up enough attention to headline at popular clubs such as, The ViperRoom and The Gig, and were written up in Hits Magazine as, “the hottest band in L.A.” Revel 8 was signed by manager, John Greenberg (Nickelback), and showcased by major recording labels such as Universal, Sony and Atlantic. Chanan, despite his taste of success, was left unsatisfied, and many important questions were left unanswered such as, what was the purpose of life, and how does one find true happiness?
Meditation became routine in the young rock star’s life, and the focus had changed from fame to meaning. To take a break from the LA scene, Chanan toured the west coast with singer, songwriter Danny McGaw, and created a duet of over 60 original songs. The goal was to touch the hearts of listeners and inspire positive growth and change in a turbulent world.
Ten years later, Chanan BenAmi has become an accomplished teacher, rabbi, musician and scribe, living in Jerusalem,
Israel. In his debut solo, rock album, The Wisdom of a Dream, Chanan applies his gifts as a musician and lyricist by
seamlessly fusing rock music with Torah concepts. Listeners are invited to hear the depths of the Torah’s wisdom and it’s relevance in today’s society through Chanan’s unparalleled synthesis of rock music and thoughtfully pointed lyrics. This crafted album is a reflection of Chanan’s mission to inspire people across a broad demographic spectrum to live a happier
more meaningful life.
Graham Tugetman (Percussionist/Drummer, Vocalist): The foundation of Graham’s drumming style is largely rooted in those of the Classic Rock greats including Keith Moon of The Who, John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, Mitch Mitchell of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Stewart Copeland of The Police, and more. His musical background is a blend of self-teaching bolstered by several years of receiving private lessons. Graham’s vocal contributions range from soft harmonies to tonal roars, having been brought up on a steady auditory diet of Classic Rock spanning from The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel, to Black Sabbath, Yes, and King Crimson. He has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Yeshiva University in New York City, and has recently completed his Master of Arts in Child Study & Education at the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Graham’s previous musical endeavors include working with the Nachum Segal Network’s Abraham Finkelstein, radio host of Saturday Night Segal, in the band Prophets N’ Blues (Aural Law EP), and on a collaboration between Abraham Finkelstein and the popular singer/songwriter Shauli for the single Shiviti.Since joining Benami, Graham has contributed his drumming and vocal skills both in the studio and on stage.
Trevor Friday (Bassist/Vocalist) is a performing/session musician based out of Oakville, Ontario. His bass playing style ranges from the aggressiveness of Geddy Lee (Rush), to the melodic grooving of John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin). Raised on classic rock and blues, music and performance became his primary interest at a young agepicking up the drum sticks at age 13. From there, Trevor moved on to be primarily a bass player performing in his first rock band at age 15. Trevor went on to study music and the bass guitar throughout high school and into postsecondary education as well as performing regularly. In 2011, Trevor was accepted to the Music Performance and Technology program at Canada’s Elite Entertainment Arts School, Metalworks Institute of Sound & Music Production in Mississauga Ontario. Trevor majored in bass guitar performance and studied from some of the best musicians in the Greater Toronto Area. While Attending Metalworks, Trevor studied all aspects of the entertainment industry as well as honing his craft as a professional bass player. He was hand selected for the opportunity to audition for Benami by his personal bass instructor. Since being chosen for the band, Trevor has now been performing and writing with Benami for over a year. Upon graduating from Metalworks Institute in early 2014, Trevor has been performing and recording regularly with Benami and various other bands and musical groups. He is currently hosting an open mic event with his acoustic duo “Brothers Acoustic” at local bar “Less Than Level” every thursday night in hometown of Oakville, Ontario. He is currently the active bass player for the metal band “Plethora” and also spearheads a classic rock cover band by the name of “Grab Freedom” both based out of Mississauga, Ontario. Trevor is looking forward to contributing all of his abilities to the Benami project and is excited for what’s to come!
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