Mazel tov, it’s shofar season! If you’re new to the term, a shofar—made out of a ram’s horn—is an ancient instrument blown during Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. The sound of the horn is said to “awaken the soul,” a fitting way to begin the Jewish new year. And while the device is generally reserved for religious purposes, some musicians, including famous jazz trumpeter Lester Bowie, have been known to make use of shofars in their tunes. Experts are termed Tokea, which literally means blaster, or Ba’al Tekia, meaning master of the blast. From mavens to novices, here are some noise-making shofar blowers doing their thing.
