From Al Jolson to Mark Ronson, musical history is awash with Jewish performers, producers and impresarios.
But did you know that the gramophone, and indeed the record, were the inventions of Emil Berliner, a German-Jewish immigrant to America? That the Dansette, the stylish record player that was a staple of British living rooms in the '50s and '60s, was created by Morris Margolin, a Jew who came to London from Russia? Or that it was Alex Steinweiss who originated the idea for individual record sleeves, revolutionising the way vinyl was marketed?
These are just three of the revelations in Jukebox, Jewkbox! a musical journey through popular culture which opens next week at the Jewish Museum in Camden.
In between supervising the installation of one of the main sections called, "This record has changed my life", curator Jo Rosenthal reflects on the crossover appeal of the exhibition, created in Austria and being displayed in the UK for the first time.
"For older audiences, there's the nostalgic appeal of being confronted with records that they grew up with. For younger audiences, it's because of the vinyl revival that's going on. And for the general public, we're in a musical neighbourhood," she says.
"If you trace the development of the gramophone, there are lots of Jewish stories. The exhibition is global in its outlook but we've added a lot of UK content. A lot of the history of Jewish record labels is bound up with the Jewish history of the 20th century."
The "life-changing" feature will have particular appeal to vinyl anoraks as it has been designed to recreate the classic record shop experience, when customers could listen in booths to the latest releases.
Displaying record sleeves running the gamut from the Beastie Boys to the National Federation of Temple Youth, the touch-screen panels allow visitors to listen to songs on headphones before bringing up a recorded explanation of the track's personal significance to one of a roster of musicians, collectors and cultural historians. One of many eye-opening inclusions is Release Of An Oath: The Kol Nidre (1968), by seminal psychedelic band the Electric Prunes.
But the commentary by BBC radio documentary maker Alan Dein explains that the recording was not actually by the Electric Prunes but by talented session musicians.
There will be a lounge area to view videos of Jewish relevance, whether Topol from Fiddler on the Roof, or Gwen Stefani's Fiddler pastiche, If I Was A Rich Girl. Punk fans will be served by selections from the Ramones and the Clash.
"The Ramones are in the exhibition, as are other punk and rock bands with Jewish members, for the way some of their records dealt with Jewish subjects in quite provocative ways," Rosenthal says.
"Thirty years after the Holocaust, they were doing these very irreverent songs dealing with the Second World War. That was their parents' generation and many would have been affected by the Holocaust."
For "really interesting social commentary", there is Israeli folk music from the '60s and '70s. "As Israel is becoming a military power, soldiers with guns in one hand and acoustic guitars in the other, are styling themselves like Bob Dylan."
There are Jewish stories behind the seven gramophones and one phonograph that form part of the display. And a breathtakingly beautiful Rock-Ola jukebox from the '50s has been stocked with a diverse collection of Jewish artists.
One issue that has defeated the organisers is reconfiguring the jukebox payment slot to accept sterling rather than euros. "We'll find some way of exchanging currency," she promises.
The story behind the Dansette is a particular favourite of the curator as "a lovely example of Jewish social history colliding with musical history."
Morris Margolin started out as a cabinet maker, one of the professions open to Jews in the East End at that time.
"He was trying to invent a cheaper version of what was then the radiogram [the music centre of its era]. What he and his sons came up with was a portable record player which doubles as a very stylish piece of furniture, something that you were proud to have in your front room. During the '50s and '60s, it is estimated that over a million were sold in the UK."
Jewish social history is also highlighted through a section of records produced specifically for Jewish audiences by organisations such as the United Synagogue. One features actor David Kossoff reading the Passover service.
There is even a musical history link to the Jewish Museum. Its founding chairman in 1932 was Wilfred Samuel, whose family's musical instruments company began manufacturing gramophones.
"Wilfred Samuel coined the name Decca for the gramophone company because he wanted something global that people wouldn't have trouble with in different languages." It was sold before the addition of a record label which shifted millions of discs, notably by the Rolling Stones.
As a football fan, Rosenthal particularly enjoyed curating the museum's 2013 exhibition Four Four Jew, showcasing Jewish involvement in football. As a music lover, her cup now runneth over.
"In the world we live in today, where music is disposable, getting back to the core of how music was first consumed is a really good thing to be doing," she says.
And her own musical taste? "I love a broad range of music which is intelligent and serious but is also fun - experimental electronic music, avant garde, contemporary music. But I probably spend a lot of my time listening to music from the '60s, '70s and '80s.
"I'm adding a record [to the display] by the quite provocative singer Peaches. And who doesn't love Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan?"
