Record Reviews
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  | GIDI GOV ~ NOT A DAY LEFT
HED ARZI 15420 (Barcode: 7293372154201) ~ ISRAEL ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1990 - 1991 Released: 1991
5th album by Israeli singer Gidi GovFind albums by this artist, in which he further explores the Rocky side of his career, utilizing the wonderfully husky range of his voice to the max. Performing some brilliant new songs, all especially written for this album by two of Gov´s ex-KaveretFind albums by this artist mates Alon OleartchikFind albums by this artist and Danny SandersonFind albums by this artist, supported by some of the hottest Rock players on the scene, Gov produces another Israeli classic Rock album, which became an instant classic and remains to this day as one of the most memorable moments from its past. This was Gov´s last album before a period, which lasted over a decade, during which he was involved in TV and film and did not record any solo albums. Definitely a must to all Israeli music fans!
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | GIDI GOV ~ ON MOUNTAIN`S EDGE
HED ARZI 64055 (Barcode: 7293372405594) ~ ISRAEL ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 2005 Released: 2005
7th album. Israeli singer Gidi GovFind albums by this artist is in a lucky position where he needs to prove nothing to anybody anymore; he´s done it all: Rock, Pop, Jazz, always perfectly and always with charm and talent. Gov feels completely at ease in any musical setting and his personality elegantly adds that special flair to everything he touches. This new album is a perfect example of his abilities – a great selection of songs, superb meaningful and intelligent lyrics, fantastic players (the cream of the crop of Israeli session players) and his husky / sexy voice - the result is just perfect, as always. As usual the songs are deeply personal, touching upon a wide spectrum of subjects, conflicts and reflections. The songs were beautifully arranged by Gov´s old friend (from the days of KaveretFind albums by this artist) Alon OleartchikFind albums by this artist, who also contributes several of his compositions. There is little need to add anything more about this album – it is world class, as good if not better, that anything recorded by any of the leading recording artists anywhere, which of course makes me proud. Even the packaging is stunning. Go get it now!
| | | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | 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 |
  | ALON OLEARTCHIK ~ OLEARTCHIK JAZZ
NMC (ISRAEL) 20431 (Barcode: 7290005217425) ~ ISRAEL ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1999 Released: 1999
This is a beautiful album by Israeli (born in Poland) singer / multi-instrumentalist / songwriter Alon OleartchikFind albums by this artist, best known as the bassist of the legendary KaveretFind albums by this artist, Israel´s most dominant Rock group in the 1970s. After Kaveret folded, Oleartchik studied music in the US and returned to Israel in the mid 1980 and has maintained a solo career since. Over the years he recorded a series of truly excellent albums, which deserve to be considered as some of the finest pieces of music created in Israel. This one, in particular, deserves a lot of praise as it is bold and unusual and shows his one true musical love: Jazz.
This album includes mostly Jazz standards, with lyrics translated into Hebrew by Oleartchik, and finds him for the first time in his recording career in the role of purely a vocalist, heading an ensemble comprising of some of the best Israeli Jazz players at the time of the recording: trumpeter Avishai CohenFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Eli DegibriFind albums by this artist, pianist Yonathan AvishaiFind albums by this artist, bassist Ofer ShneiderFind albums by this artist and drummer Shai ZelmanFind albums by this artist. One of the original songs by Oleartchik is also included as is one song by Degibri, which he also sings. The opening track is all scat / vocalese and has no lyrics. The music was recorded live at the Tel-Aviv Camelot club during a series of concerts that lasted for three nights. The best takes were selected for the album, and several alternate takes are included on the second (bonus) CD.
The familiar standards have been transformed, no only due to the Hebrew lyrics, but also thanks to Oleartchik´s brilliant arrangements, phrasing and adaptation. This album is not just a singer and a Jazz band performing vocal standards; there are countless albums like that of varying quality. This one is truly different, as much as Oleartchik´s musical identity, which has no parallels. This is a wonderful amalgam of classic Jazz, which mostly originates in the US, with his Polish roots (probably subconscious) and his Israeli musical upbringing, which is also pretty unique, as most other aspects of Israeli culture. This is obviously a labor of love from start to finish and should be first and foremost accepted as such, revealing its true nature. There is so much beautiful music on this album, that I can´t imagine any music connoisseur to remain untouched by it.
In some respects this album is conceptually similar to Gidi GovFind albums by this artist´s (ex-Kaveret lead singer) album "Moon DanceFind albums with this title", recorded three years later, which also presents Jazz (or Jazzy) standards with Hebrew lyrics and beautiful Jazz arrangements. Both these albums are among my favorite Israeli recordings and deserve to be discovered by audiences outside of Israel. The fact that both Oleartchik and Gov rejected the attempt to sing the standards in English is extremely important, as most non-English speaking vocalist repeatedly attempt to do so and more often than not fail miserably. Most warmly recommended!
| | Updated: 15/09/2024Posted: | CD 2 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | ALON OLEARTCHIK ~ OLEARTCHIK STYLE
TAV 8 (Barcode: 7290105160362) ~ ISRAEL ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2011 Released: 2011
When a person reaches certain age (and I´m saying this from personal experience) the urge to summarize one´s life achievements becomes imperative, for one reason or another. Israeli singer / songwriter / multi-instrumentalist Alon OleartchikFind albums by this artist (who is more or less my age) must have had similar thoughts when he decided to record this album, which is above all a life´s retrospective as far as his musical career is concerned.
The album includes twelve songs, ten of which are his own compositions and nine have his lyrics. One of the songs he did not write comes from KaveretFind albums by this artist´s repertoire and the other is an Israeli classic. Historically the songs span a forty years period, starting with the Kaveret days in the early 1970s and ending now, with one new song, which was recently written. But the album also amalgamates Oleartchik´s love of all things Jazzy, as the songs are performed in a superb new arrangement, which involves him singing the songs accompanied by a classic Jazz piano trio. He also plays occasional guitar and a few guest musicians participate on selected songs. The trio comprises of pianist Elad AdarFind albums by this artist, bassist Max OleartchikFind albums by this artist (Alon´s son and a classic example of a second generation bassist) and drummer Shay VetzerFind albums by this artist.
Oleartchik manages to perform these songs simply fabulously, with a clear and steady voice and intelligent phrasing, which when supported by the piano trio comes out as one of the best Jazz vocal recordings recorded in Israel. His original songs are remarkably adaptable and emerge marvelously delicious under these new arrangements. Oleartchik has a gift of making his music sound eternally young and fresh, relevant and kicking, as if untouched by time; a great gift indeed.
Strangely (or perhaps not) this might easily be the best album Oleartchik ever recorded, but regardless it firmly places him in the Pantheon of contemporary Israeli music, a place he truly deserves to be in. His consistency, modesty and musical excellence are simply beyond reproach.
This album is an ideal entry point for people not familiar with Oleartchik´s music and of course also a kind of "best of" (with a twist) for his faithful fans; Oleartchik style indeed. Absolutely not to be missed!
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | ALON OLEARTCHIK ~ ONCE IN THE GALILEE
NMC (ISRAEL) 20618 (Barcode: 7290008388412) ~ ISRAEL ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2002 Released: 2002
This is a wonderful album by Israeli singer / multi-instrumentalist / composer Alon OleartchikFind albums by this artist, mostly known as a member of the legendary KaveretFind albums by this artist, Israel´s most dominant group in the 1970s. After Kaveret folded, Oleartchik studied music in the US and returned to Israel in the mid 1980, and has maintained a solo career since. Over the years he recorded a series of truly excellent albums as a singer / musician / composer, which deserve to be considered as some of the finest pieces of music created in the country. Unfortunately his music never managed to achieve the popular acclaim, which it truly deserves, probably due to the fact that it is quite sophisticated and less immediately accessible than that of most of his peers.
This album includes music composed by Oleartchik a couple of years before the album was recorded. They were written during his stay in the beautiful Northern part of Israel, called Galilee, hence the title. The music is stylistically is a follow up to his previous album "Oleartchik JazzFind albums with this title", which finally revealed (on record) his deep love for that genre. However, that album included mostly covers of Jazz standards and used vocals whereas this album comprises of all original compositions by Oleartchik and is all instrumental (except for the last track, which is sort of a bonus). The music is wonderfully lyrical, melodic and intricate, mixing many elements and influences, including Middle Eastern and other ethnic motifs. The Jazz arrangements are all graceful and enhance the musical themes by wonderful solos performed by the ensemble members.
The album was recorded live and finds Oleartchik playing piano and guitar and accompanied by a great quintet, which includes very talented young Israeli Jazz musicians, who play trombone, saxophone, flute, guitar, bass and drums. The performances are truly excellent and the whole album is a most pleasant listening experience. Oleartchik managed over time to create a unique style, both as a composer and as a performer, and his immense talent deserves to be enjoyed by as many listeners as possible. Therefore this album is certainly a worthy starting point, especially for listeners who like the Jazzier side of things. Grab it!
| | | CD 1 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 |
  | ALON OLEARTCHIK ~ QUIETLY
NMC (ISRAEL) 20308 (Barcode: 7290005215032) ~ ISRAEL ~ Pop & Rock
Recorded: 1997 Released: 1998
This is the fifth album by Israeli vocalist / multi-instrumentalist / songwriter Alon OleartchikFind albums by this artist which is a retrospective look at his work up to that moment and presents rearranged and reworked versions of his songs. Of the thirteen tracks on this album, twelve are songs and one is an instrumental piece that closes the album. Oleartchik composed and wrote the lyrics for all these pieces with some minor exceptions. The album was recorded by just two participants: Oleartchik (who sings, plays piano and acoustic guitar) and guitarist Barak HanochFind albums by this artist (who plays acoustic and electric guitars and guitar synthesizer).
These new versions, which are much more personal, intimate and fragile, are as a result paradoxically also much more striking than the originals. Oleartchik performs the songs at a slower tempo (in most cases) and the delicate and sensitive instrumental accompaniment is absolutely brilliant. The overall effect is a superb example of camaraderie and mutual respect between these two musicians, which is quite rare in a world where competition is considered an ideal.
Oleartchik´s music proves once again that is has universal qualities, which are independent from the way they are executed. They sound great when performed by a full band and are as much effective in a duo or solo setting. Of course they are also aesthetically some of the best songs the Israeli Rock produced over the years. There are but a few other Israeli songwriters who are capably of such divine melancholy, tenderness and melodic perfection, even when being anything but "simple" or immediate. What a pity that Oleartchik is not appreciated in accordance to his exceptional qualities.
This is a true gem, which sadly won very little attention at the time it was released and is now out of circulation. If you can find a copy, grab it immediately, as it is will give you many musical pleasures!
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  | ALON OLEARTCHIK ~ ROCK & TENDERNESS
TAV 8 (Barcode: 7290011118709) ~ ISRAEL ~ Pop & Rock
Recorded: 2007 Released: 2007
Over a decade after his previous album as a singer / songwriter, veteran Israeli musician Alon OleartchikFind albums by this artist returns with a double album, full of new songs he composed and wrote the lyrics for, with a few exceptions where the lyrics are by Israeli poets. The songs are divided stylistically, as the album´s title suggests, into a more up-tempo Rocky songs on one CD and the more intimate, romantic songs on the other.
Ten years is a very long time to wait, but since Oleartchik was active in the interim releasing several albums, which presented the Jazzy side of his musical personality, his name did not drop off the local scene. Of course nobody, who was a member of the legendary KaveretFind albums by this artist, can be easily forgotten. At any rate the album was definitely worth waiting for, as it introduces a set of wonderful songs, several of which were immediately included in the pantheon of Oleartchik´s evergreens. His superb musicality and keen sense of melody are always a source of excellent melodies and intelligent lyrics, which somehow make perfect sense, albeit probably to the somewhat matured listeners.
The double CD concept emphasizes that Oleartchik is a great romantic at heart (must be his Polish heritage), since the second CD seems to be much more immediately striking. Written from the perspective of his life´s experience, Oleartchik´s songs about the joys and pains of love are more convincing than ever. The delicate string or brass arrangements, which are present on almost all the songs on the second CD, highlight their tender affinity and bring out the lyrical atmosphere. Most of the music has a distinctive Jazzy undertone, which willingly or not has become Oleartchik´s second nature.
The first CD is full of good songs, but somehow they are less stylistically coherent and definitely only marginally Rocky, and therefore less faithfully represent the title than those on the second CD. The last track on that CD is a long instrumental jam, which showcases the abilities of the entire band and stylistically belongs to the Jazz-Rock Fusion genre.
Overall this is a very personal album by a mature artist, who has plenty to say, both as a composer and a lyricist. There are, after all, only a handful of artists of his caliber in Israel and therefore his work becomes sooner or later a part of the Israeli cultural fabric, which is being slowly woven by artist like him. It takes a few listening sessions to fall in love with this material, as is always the case with any non-trivial content, but eventually the effort is richly rewarded.
If you own the album, you know what I´m talking about and if you don´t – it´s never too late, and the sooner the better!
| | | CD 2 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend |
  | YONI RECHTER / ELI MOHAR ~ THOUGHTS AND POSSIBILITIES
HED ARZI 15690 (Barcode: 7293372569029) ~ ISRAEL ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1995 Released: 1995
2nd album sharing the names of these two Israeli music makers (Yoni RechterFind albums by this artist - composer and Eli MoharFind albums by this artist – lyricist), but in fact they have been life-long friends and co-writers of hundreds of songs recorded by all top Israeli artists, including Gidi GovFind albums by this artist, Arik EinsteinFind albums by this artist and many more. Rechter is a superb composer and his unique lyricism and skill to craft touching and memorable melodies make him the most important Israeli songwriter in the last decades. Mohar, a romantic poet and publicist, wrote some of the most touching and beautiful song lyrics ever written in the Hebrew language (of course the non-Hebrew speaking people are unfortunately unable to enjoy and appreciate those). Together they are simply unbeatable – every song is a pearl and an everlasting addition to their songbook. As if all this is not enough, this album has a bonus value: Rechter and Mohar invited all the top Israeli singers to be guest vocalist and they are featured on some of the songs. The list includes Gidi Gov, Danny SandersonFind albums by this artist, Ephraim ShamirFind albums by this artist, Alon OleartchikFind albums by this artist (all four were members of the legendary KaveretFind albums by this artist group with Rechter), Yehudith RavitzFind albums by this artist, Arik Einstein and others – a true who’s who of the Israeli music scene. This is an important album for the local music scene, one that will remain fresh for many years to come.
Side note: Eli Mohar died of cancer a week before these lines were written. His amazing talent was always an inspiration for me and his memory will be treasured as long as I live.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
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