Matisyahu first gained attention more than 10 years ago, in part because of the novelty that he was a Hasidic Jew singing reggae and beatboxing.
Yes, it was perhaps a first. But the combo doesn’t seem so wild now. Of course Rastafarianism, the Jamaican religion at the heart of much reggae, has a lot of scriptural elements, and that sacred/biblical/textual connection with Judaism was something that made sense for Matisyahu to explore. But he loved the music first, before he came to see connections with his own spirituality.
Now Matisyahu, who has moved into a more jam-and-improv place with his material, has dialed back some of the focus on identity and religious affiliations, choosing instead to highlight the ways that music links him and has fans.
Matisyahu plays Toad’s Place, 300 York St., New Haven, on Wednesday, Dec. 27, at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $30. 203-624-8623 or toadsplace.com.
