MY Magazine VOL 5

ERANN DD
Rockin' my life
It was a traumatic birth that brought Erann Drori into this world In 1967,
a foreshadowing of the many hardships that were to come for the young man who
would find that he could only express his feelings through the music he created.
Text Michael Garvin | Photographer Jannick Boerlum
Erann’s parents were loving in their way, but
very strict. His father followed the Old Testament
Jewish belief that “using the rod” on
children was the only way of raising them
right. As a result, Erann grew up with lot’s
of love, but also much harsh treatment, that
causing him to stutter so profoundly that even at age 8, that
he could not form the words to ask for a bus ticket.
At the age of 12, Erann’s father sent him away to boarding
school in Israel. He was there for 3 years; away from his parents
and family. Many nights, Erann cried himself to sleep
from loneliness. He buried his pain in playing the piano…
his only friend. Out of this difficult time, came Erann’s
own music… Also, an amazing and life changing discovery.
Erann found that he did not stutter if he SANG the words
he wanted to say.
Returning to his home country of Denmark at 15, Erann,
began to focus on his passion for music; joining a band. He
sang at his brother’s Bar Mitzvah. It was there that Erann’s
uncle, Kjeld Wennick, head of Mega Records in Denmark,
became acquainted with the music that is Erann DD, and
signed him to the label opening a new world for Erann to be
able to share his unique sound with.
Erann’s life has been about overcoming hardships, knowing
each one came to him for a reason, to make him a stronger,
deeper, more determined artist, driven to share his emotions
through his heartfelt music and his incredible voice. His gift
is a gift to the world, and one that he loves to give.
It was in 2012 that Erann met with songwriter Michael
Garvin, and began a collaboration that manifested itself in
the new Erann DD album “Rockin’ My Life”, released on
Oct 30, 2015. Michael talks of his experience meeting and
working with Erann: “I met Erann DD, at a songwriting
camp in Copenhagen, Denmark, and he immediately made
an indelible impression me, I thought “Who is this Danish
cat, who sings with the heart and soul of a black man from
the southern United States?”.
I soon found out from the other people at the camp that
Erann was a big star in Denmark, as were several of the artists
there, but something was very very different about him,
No, I take that back, EVERYTHING was different about
Erann. First of all there was that amazing voice, but there
is an integrity in his delivery of a lyric that goes far deeper
than just the fabulous instrument from which that lyric radiate.
Erann doesn’t just sing you a song, he feels you a song.
And he makes sure you feel it too. I knew immediately that
I wanted to work with this man, and that we would do great
work together. I was thrilled when we were paired to work
together Mid week, and the magic I knew we would have
was there tenfold. Both sensing a love and understanding
for real, raw, honest, to the bone soul music. We knew something
very powerful was there between us and that we were
only beginning on the musical journey that would lie before us.
I invited Erann to come and work with me at my home in
Louisiana, where I grew up, the rural bayou country of the
southern United States where I have no he doubt grew up in
another life. We ate in the soul food joints, caught catfish in
the black cypress water, and wrote a simply amazing album
of soul music. While living the music we wrote.
Erann went home and put together a band that understands
what that music is about, and he recorded an album that nobody
else I know, especially from the world he comes from,
would have made. He was after one thing. Heart. Not the
kind of heart you get from drum machines and synthesizers.
The kind of heart you get from real human beings playing in
a room together. Unpolished and unapolo getic. Warts and
all, imperfections and all, nothing “airbrushed”. In a word
REAL, as real as it gets. The kind of real Otis Redding understood.
The kind of real Al Green and BB King understood.
Erann knew he was not making a safe pop record with
this album. Lots of artists can make safe pop albums. Only
Erann DD could have made this album. In his first single
from his new album “ROCKIN’ MY LIFE”, He sings “I’m
here to play …I kick it my way”. Yes my friends, he does.“
MY magazine | 43