In this project the clarinetist Eyal Sela celebrates a special musical tradition that developed in the area around Mount Meron near Zafed in Galilee. Jews from Eastern Europe have settled here ever since the end of the 18th century, their klezmer mingling with the Oriental and Sephardic tradition that had previously dominated. Arab, Greek and Turkish influences joined in as well, a sign of the openness of this region – not just in musical terms.
Eyal Sela's project is based on the Book Sohar, a seminal cabbalistic work ascribed to the Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. To this day, to mark the anniversary of his death, the L'ag B'omer is celebrated 33 days after Passover with a reading of the Piyutim – religious poems with musical accompaniment. Eyal Sela took the different versions of these melodies as his musical foundation. His approach is to build a bridge between sacred and concert music, lending musical emphasis to the cosmopolitan atmosphere of the Meron region.Eyal Sela: Turkish clarinet, Vocals
Avi Agababa: Turkish Mazhar | Pakistani Dahola | Darbuka
Gershon Weiserfirer: Oud
Noam Topelberg: acoustic bass guitar
Mark Eliahu: Kaamanche, Baglama
Dima Graziani: Electronic Loops
|
