GESHER: The Hebrew word for bridge.

Gesher is the Hebrew word for bridge. It is also the name of a new duo whose music is beginning to take root in Jewish communities around the world...from New York to Los Angeles to Paris. By setting the Shabbat texts to new and original melodies and cutting edge production, Gesher is progressive and innovative while remaining true to its Jewish identity and tradition. The project was written and produced by multi-platinum selling composer Michael Hunter Ochs and features lead vocals by nationally recognized Cantorial Soloist, Daniel Leanse. Accompanied by an all-star band including keyboardist Matt Rollings (James Taylor, Dixie Chicks, Lyle Lovitt) and violinist Jonathan Yudkin (Shania Twain, Big and Rich), and guest artists such as Alana Grace and Joshua Nelson, Gesher has been described as "more than song, it is the spirit of the Jewish people."

Michael Hunter Ochs

Composer/Producer Michael Hunter Ochs is ending 2006 on a high note. Michael's song "In Her Eyes" is featured on JOSH GROBAN'S third CD, "AWAKE."

During the last several years, Ochs has garnered widespread recognition and universal appeal as evidenced by his Multi-Platinum certification by the RIAA, as well as his capture of the Nashville Songwriters Association International award for Song Of The Year and The Gospel Music Association Dove Award for Song of the Year for 1998's, "On My Knees," performed by Jaci Velasquez. Michael is a versatile songwriter, having had songs recorded in genres ranging from country to alternative rock, classical crossover to even Gospel. Michael was honored when DreamWorks Motion Pictures licensed his composition "Live" for the national advertisements for the Steven Spielberg/Tom Hanks film, "The Terminal." Ochs co-wrote the theme song for the Lifetime Television series, "I Married A Princess" and his music has recently appeared in the Warner Brothers film, "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" and the 20th Century Fox film, "Aquamarine." His song "One And Only" (co-written with Jeff Cohen and Teitur) was featured as the love theme and closing credits in the Uma Thurman summer comedy, "My Super Ex-Girlfriend." Ochs work can also be heard on many television soundtracks, including the Julia Louis-Dreyfus sit-com "The New Adventures Of Old Christine," "Dawsons Creek," "Jack & Jill," "As The World Turns," "The Young And The Restless" and "The Guiding Light." Michael's songs have been recorded by major label acts including Curtis Stigers, Jaci Velasquez, Eric Heatherly, Teitur, Nicole C. Mullen, Andrew Dorff, The Wilkinsons, Alana Grace, Natalie Grant and Jennifer Marks. Ochs has been a staffwriter for Almo-Irving Music and has owned and operated a recording studio on Nashville's Music Row since 1999.

Ochs is an accomplished pianist and guitarist and is the Composer in Residence at Congregation Micah in Nashville, TN.

Daniel Leanse

Lead vocalist Daniel Leanse spent his formative years in West Los Angeles playing in cover bands and listening to The Beatles, Allman Brothers and Bob Dylan. He fondly remembers the first concert he ever attended, Carole King at the Greek Theatre. Leanse developed a deep respect for these master artists and decided to major in music and literature at UCLA. He also began collecting guitars and counts among his favorites, "a '63 Strat, a '58 Martin 0-17 and an unreal 1960 Martin Gut string."

Leanse arrived in Nashville in 1996 to pursue a career as a songwriter. He joined BMI and immersed himself in the culture of the Nashville songwriting community, becoming a regular at the Bluebird Café and The Ryman Auditorium. In 1998, Leanse's path took a sharp turn when he landed the job as Cantorial Soloist at Congregation Micah in Brentwood, Tennessee. Leanse decided to focus all his passion and energy into his Cantorial role and attended numerous Jewish Music workshops to hone his craft, including the Hava Nashira OSRUI and Mifgash Musicale at HUC in Cincinnati. In 2002, after having led the music at Congregation Micah for four years, Leanse decided it was time to head back to the West Coast and was hired by Congregation Beth Am in Paolo Alto, California to be their Cantorial Soloist.

The Evolution of Gesher

One Friday evening in the fall of 2000, Ochs introduced himself to Leanse after a Shabbat service at Congregation Micah, and the two became instant friends. "I had always regarded Cantors as these
highly authoritative, classical figures," says Ochs. "Dan had this imposing presence, yet at the same time was very approachable.
It was evident that the congregation deeply connected with him, his spirit and his interpretation of the traditional synogogue music."

It wasn't long before Ochs began sitting in on the piano during Sabbath services and within 6 months he was hired by Congregation Micah to be their composer-in-residence and accompanist. He and Leanse began working out new and beautiful arrangements of the classic Sabbath songs and "suddenly, this contemporary Jewish music permeated the entire Shabbat service," says Lisa Silver (Micah member and Cantorial Soloist). "Yet," she continues, "it still felt traditional and their harmonies melted everyone in the sanctuary."

Shortly after Michael's tenure at Micah began, he composed a rendition of the 15th Psalm, and he and Leanse also wrote a setting for Mi Chamocha. "Rabbi Kanter, and the staff and congregation were so encouraging, that before I realized what was happening, my songwriting career was taking a back seat to my new-found interest in setting the entire Shabbat service to original music. And," Ochs continues, "I knew I had to record it in a way that was completely American and modern, while retaining a Jewish heart and identity."

As the project moved forward, overwhelming images of bridges began appearing all around, and it was clear that the word GESHER was the perfect name for the band. Church groups were visiting Congregation Micah (in Nashville), in an effort to reconnect with their Jewish heritage. And, "Michael was having this crazy songwriting success in Gospel Music with the #1 hit song 'On My Knees,'" says vocalist Daniel Leanse. On an extaordinarily personal note, Ochs also discovered that his great, great grandfather was a reknowned Cantor in Kiev, Russia, during the late 1800's. With this realization, Gesher became a personal link between Michael and a forgotten family history. While producing the album, Ochs also had a meeting with the non-profit organization Seeds of Peace. The goal of Seeds is "to empower the children of war to break the cycle of violence." There are currently children from 22 nations connecting with each other by participating in this exceptional program.

When Daniel relocated to California following the first recording session, the two remained committed to finding a way to complete the album. Daniel would fly back to Nashville periodically to sing his vocals. All the while, Ochs was working on the project full time, producing the tracks and calling upon the most accomplished musicians in Nashville to help him realize his vision. As a pianist himself, Ochs was particularly honored when his friend Matt Rollings, best known for his work with superstars including Lyle Lovett, Dixie Chicks, and James Taylor, graciously agreed to play piano and keyboards for the entire record.

"One of the coolest moments while making this record, was when Jonathan Yudkin (violin, cello) arrived at my little studio, all tan and in his Bermuda shorts," Ochs reflects. "He had flown in the night before, after working on Shania Twain's album for 3 weeks in the Bahamas, and here he was pulling out all these traditional Jewish licks...with a twist."

"We are so thankful to all the players who contributed to these tracks, it can't even be put into words," says Ochs. Andy Selby, who had recently been programming projects with Dove Award winner Nicole C. Mullen and Tommy Sims, writer of "Change the World," and too many other hits to list, worked selflessly with Ochs. "Some nights Andy worked until 3 in the morning, many times with his baby daughter asleep on his lap. He was so dedicated to the project, I thought his wife was going to make him move in to my place until it was finished," quips Ochs.

The first recording session of Gesher was on Memorial Day, 2002. Exactly 2 years later, on Memorial Day of 2004, Ochs handed the completed master over to the manufacturing lab with a final "Amen."