By DORIS RUBENSTEIN
Adam Bohanan is a Black and Jewish Twin Cities-based musician and songwriter who tours nationwide. His music draws from soul, jazz, funk and R&B.
His influences include: Stevie Wonder, D’Angelo, Donny Hathaway, Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye.
A lifelong nerd, Adam also loves to incorporate playful wordplay and nerdy references into his songwriting. As a native Detroiter and Motown fanatic, I knew I had to do an interview with this guy.
Bohanan’s background is more Jewish than that of many of our AJW readers. He was born on Long Island to a Jewish mother; after his parents divorced when Bohanan was quite young, his England-born mother picked up her three kids and transported them all to Israel.
The family moved around a lot in the five years they lived there; the family called Rehovot, Tel Aviv and Moshav Bitzaron home over the course of five years. Those critical years gave him a lifelong fluency in Hebrew.
That fluency came in handy when the family moved to England, where he became Bar Mitzva. Like many Brits, Bohanan was sent to public (boarding) schools. One of them was a Jewish school, Carmel College, in Cambridgeshire. Summers were spent between Jewish summer camp in England and places in Israel.
After 10 years in England, the family moved to, of all places, Houston, Texas. His two years there were spent getting an Associate of Arts degree at a local college. But music was in his heart; so much so that he taught himself to play the guitar and compose. The Big Apple beckoned, and he decided to take a bite.
With a band that he put together, On the Sun, he played some of the Manhattan venues that are known to welcome new music and musicians: Mercury Lounge, Rockwood Music Hall, among others. It was in New York that he met his St. Louis Park-born wife, Erin Wuebker, who soon converted to Judaism.
When COVID-19 hit, they decided that living in a less dangerous place like Minnesota might be a better choice than remaining in New York, and they moved here in 2020. They can be found at Shir Tikvah now and then.
Bohanan has formed a new band with several local Jewish performers including: Aaron Levin on sax, Dan Carpel on bass, Ethan Ostrow on keyboards and backup vocalist Kata Fried. They’ll be performing a holiday gig dubbed “A Very Funky Hanukkah Show” on Sunday, Dec. 6, at The Parkway Theater in south Minneapolis.
Most of the songs are takeoffs on familiar Hanuka tunes, but with Bohanan’s unique style and lyrics.
However, Hanuka is not his favorite Jewish holiday. That status is reserved for Sukkot and Purim. Why? He explained, “I love building the sukka, decorating it. Purim? Because I like dressing up.” Surprisingly, he hasn’t written songs for those holidays. Will he?
“That depends on success of this show,” he said.
There’s a good chance this show will be successful. Bohanan has other major credits to his résumé; notably, in 2024, he was a semifinalist on season 26 of The Voice. On Team Reba, he was known for his “dirty soul” style and fun-loving attitude. Notable performances include: Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control,” Black Pumas’ “Colors” and Chris Stapleton’s “Think I’m in Love with You.”
Locally, you may have heard him perform at the Taste of Minnesota or at Uptown Porchfest.
Bohanan is not the Maccabeats. He may do “I Have a Little Dreidel,” but like you’ve never heard it before. For a unique Hanuka musical experience, pack up the kids, baube and zayde, and the neighbors, and head over to The Parkway. One night only!
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Adam Bohanan’s “A Very Funky Hanukkah Show” commences 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at The Parkway Theater, 4814 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis. Doors open 6 p.m. The show is appropriate for all ages. For information and tickets, go to: theparkwaytheater.com or call 612-822-8080.
(American Jewish World, November 2026)
