Record Reviews
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  | KAVERET ~ IN A BOX – ANTHOLOGY 1971-1976
HED ARZI 7294276650301 (Barcode: 7294276650301) ~ ISRAEL ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1971 - 1976 Released: 2013
In June 2013 the seven original members of the legendary Israeli group KaveretFind albums by this artist reunited again, this time for the very last time, to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of their debut album "Poogy TalesFind albums with this title". The reunion saw them performing a series of sold out gigs in the biggest venues available in Israel, with audiences ranging from the group´s original fans (now aged well over 60) and their grandchildren, singing along with the group members (still in good shape) the words of all their songs, a truly heartwarming experience. Gidi GovFind albums by this artist, Danny SandersonFind albums by this artist, Ephraim ShamirFind albums by this artist, Yitzhak KlepterFind albums by this artist, Alon OleartchikFind albums by this artist, Yoni RechterFind albums by this artist and Meir FenigsteinFind albums by this artist managed to create the biggest Israeli musical legend, almost by mistake, but so far without any competition whatsoever.
The reunion also served as an opportunity to release this Box Set, which includes six CDs and two DVDs, all with previously unreleased material by group recorded in the 1970s – nothing short of miraculous and astonishing, considering that the total output of the group comprises of just three albums. The material on the CDs includes demos, radio and live recordings, including some ultra rare never previously heard material and even some songs Kaveret performed in English on their 1976 USA tour and audition for the PolydorFind albums on this label label, which unfortunately did not win them a recording contract they hoped for. Some of the material was recorded before the group was actually formed, when the founding members were still members of the IDF Nachal ensemble. The two DVDs include early TV performances (in black & white) and reunion concerts from 1984, 1990 and 1998.
The phenomenal and lasting success of Kaveret is a complete mystery; the group consisted of excellent and ambitious musicians, who wrote and performed sophisticated songs, often involving Progressive Rock phrasing and Jazzy instrumental passages, witty and quite barmy Zappaesque humor and other outlandish elements, and yet they somehow synthesized the first instance of true and original Israeli Rock, which one way or another captured the minds and hearts of the Israeli audiences for years to come.
This Box Set is a great tribute to the group and its contribution to the Israel Culture and musical heritage. Although it does not uncover any sensational new material, it presents a retrospective view of the creative processes that stood behind the group´s repertoire. Die hard fans of the group will grab this instantly, but it might prove to be a bit too much for the average listener.
Beautifully remastered and accompanied by a 120 pages booklet with the lyrics and a plethora of photographs from the early days of the group, this is definitely a collector´s heaven.
| | Updated: 26/01/2019Posted: | CD+DVD 8 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | SHEM TOV LEVY ~ IN THE MOOD (EXPANDED EDITION)
PHONOKOL 4257 (Barcode: 7296134425724) ~ ISRAEL ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1976 Released: 2008
1st album by Israeli flautist / pianist / composer Shem Tov LevyFind albums by this artist – finally released on CD 32 years after it was originally recorded. Levy was of course one of Israel’s best and most talented musicians at the time and a bold innovator, pushing the boundaries of early Israeli Rock, mostly in the Prog direction. After this brilliant debut album, Levy was to join forces with Shlomo GronichFind albums by this artist and Shlomo YdovFind albums by this artist to form the legendary No NamesFind albums by this artist, and soon after another legendary ensemble SheshetFind albums by this artist. Levy composed and arranged all the music on this album, which includes 4 vocal tracks and 5 instrumentals. He also wrote the lyrics for two of the vocal tracks. On the two other vocal tracks Levy used poems written by famous Israeli poets Lea GoldbergFind albums by this artist and Dalia RabikovitchFind albums by this artist, as was quite customary in Israeli Prog on the 1970s. The brilliant melodies, which Levy composed, are perhaps the only truly “Israeli” music written at the time, full of Jazzy chord changes, polyrhythmic pulsation and clever incorporation of Middle Eastern motifs. The instrumental performances are brilliant, as he used the best players on the local scene at the time, like guitarist Yitzhak KlepterFind albums by this artist (ChurchillsFind albums by this artist, KaveretFind albums by this artist), bassist Ehud IngerFind albums by this artist, drummer / guitarist Haim RomanoFind albums by this artist, drummer Meir IsraelFind albums by this artist and many others. His flute playing is absolutely mind-blowing of course. He also arranged the music for the string ensemble, used on some of the tracks. In retrospect, this is an extraordinary debut album, full of exquisite music and endless timeless gems and definitely on of the best albums recorded in Israel in the 1970s. This new editions adds four bonus tracks, all great examples of Levy’s superb talent as composer and arranger, including an extra-rare live recording of a live No Names performance, singing a medley of Beatles songs with a typical humorous twist. An absolute classic!
| | | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | ALON OLEARTCHIK ~ ORIGINAL ALBUMS
NMC (ISRAEL) 22435 (Barcode: 7294276224359) ~ ISRAEL ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1985 - 1996 Released: 2012
This is a Box Set collection of original albums by Israeli singer / composer Alon OleartchikFind albums by this artist, a member (bassist) of the legendary KaveretFind albums by this artist, Israel´s first supergroup, which conquered the country´s music scene in the early 1970s and influenced the future of the local music scene more than any other singular band or musician since. In contrast to other Kaveret members (Yoni RechterFind albums by this artist, Danny SandersonFind albums by this artist, Gidi GovFind albums by this artist, Ephraim ShamirFind albums by this artist and Yitzhak KlepterFind albums by this artist), who launched their individual (and sometimes collective) musical careers while Kaveret was still active, Oleartchik decided to leave Israel in late 1976 in order to study the music he truly loves – Jazz - at the Berklee Collage in Boston, where he was discovered as a particularly gifted student, graduating in record time. Later he moved to NY and played with local musicians in several different groups, covering different genres. He returned to Israel in 1984 to participate in a Kaveret reunion tour and decided to stay and continue his career back home. The set includes the following albums: "OleartchikFind albums with this title" – 1st album released in 1985, "As IfFind albums with this title" – 2nd album released in 1987, "Tell Me What You FeelFind albums with this title" – 3rd album released in 1993 and "Let`s Say I`m YoursFind albums with this title" – 4th album released in 1996. Oleartchik wrote the music and lyrics (with very minor exceptions) to all the songs on these albums. On the first two albums he alone plays all the instruments (again with minor exceptions) and on the next two he´s accompanied by three other musicians, which furnishes these albums with a slightly more "band" sound. The overall level of these songs, their versatility on one hand and exceptionally high musicality on the other, makes them truly remarkable and positions Oleartchik as one of the best and consistent music creators in the country. He manages to elevate himself above all genre differences, creating a natural and honest cross-genre music, which amalgamates Pop, Rock, Jazz and World Music influences smoothly and elegantly. Oleartchik, who is somewhat introverted and above all very modest, a rare quality among showbiz people, appears rarely in the public eye and is criminally underappreciated. Often referred to as a "musicians´ musician" it is quite a pity his great music is relatively little known despite critical acclaim. Hopefully this will change in the near future. This is some of the best Israeli music ever made and of course it is absolutely essential listening. This reissue saves this music from the cruel fate of oblivion, which is a most commendable act of keeping our Culture alive. A must!
| | Updated: 26/01/2019Posted: | CD 4 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Recommend To A Friend |
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