American musician John Acosta visited Israel in April. One of the goals of his visit, organized at the initiative of the Israeli consul in Los Angeles Hillel Newman, was scouting for local musicians to cooperate with the US film and television industry.
A son of a percussionist from Cuba, Acosta began his career working as a composer, guitarist, producer and engineer for artists within companies such as Warner Brothers, DreamWorks, Geffen, BMG, Elektra, and Capitol Records. Until recently, Acosta also served as the president of the Musicians Union of Los Angeles, representing over 7,000 artists. He is still a board member of the group. He is also appreciated for his warmth and ability to connect with people.
During his trip, Acosta met with several Israeli artists, including Tamir Greenberg, Guy Mintus, Riff Cohen, Liraz Charhi, Shay Amber, Patrick Sebag and David D'Or. While in Israel, Acosta also took part in several of their performances, while he and D’Or spent time creating together in the Israeli musician’s studio.
Acosta’s visit was considered a significant success. He is set to be in Israel again at the end of the year to attend the International Music Showcase Festival, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Yellow Submarine, a Jerusalem non-profit multidisciplinary center for music.