In 2006 at the reform synagogue Temple Israel in Tallahassee, Florida, Steve and a congregant named Al Sulkes teamed up for a presentation of American Jewish Composers. Al, the wise one, talked; Steve, the pianist, played. It was a roaring success, like opening night of a winner on Broadway. Sadly, Al passed away a few years ago. Steve is carrying on the tradition by having created this concert series. Sternberg gives a short background on each composer and plays their tunes. In Part 1 he presents the lives and music of Irving Berlin, the Gershwin brothers, Frank Loesser, Kurt Weill, Jerry Bock, Jerry Herman, and Sternberg himself! Part 2 features Rodgers & Hart, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Sheldon Harnick and Billy Joel. Part 3 covers the lives and music of Leiber & Stoller, John Kander & Fred Ebb, Bob Dylan, Bacharach & David and Leonard Cohen. Sternberg's American Jewish Composer shows have delighted and educated audiences with this background look into these composers' lives, accompanied by Sternberg's exquisite and boisterous piano playing and singing of these composers' tunes.
