Levenson (Lewensohn) Yasha (Jascha) (8 December 1902, Riga — ?) — violinist and conductor. One of the most popular light-music performers in Riga.

From 1921 to 1923 Yasha Levenson studied at the Jewish People’s Conservatory (violin class of Ya. Gurvich).

From 1924 to 1941 he worked both as a soloist and as a member of orchestras in cafés and restaurants of Riga and Jūrmala. He performed with many well-known Riga popular-music musicians, including D. Mikhalitsky (summer season 1934 at Mascotte in Majori) and O. Strok (summer seasons 1930 and 1931 at Lido in Majori; 1934 at Casino in Bulduri; autumn 1934 at Foxtrotdille in Riga; spring 1940 at Alhambra in Riga).

He conducted popular-music orchestras, including summer seasons in 1929, 1935, 1937 and 1938 at Mascotte (Majori); 1936 at Rococo (Majori); and winter seasons 1938–40 at K. Baumanis’s restaurant (Riga).

In 1933 he worked under contract with restaurant orchestras in Kaunas; in 1939 he toured the Netherlands for two months. He recorded two instrumental pieces for the Bellaccord studio.

Lit.: Segodnya 1921, No. 274; Segodnya vecherom 193?, No. 71.