Mizrahi music

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Mizrahi music usually refers to the new wave of music in Israel which combines Israeli music with the flavor of Arabic and Mediterranean (especially Greek) music. Many Jews from all several Synagogue liturgical backgrounds have given the genre the title of 'Authentic Jewish', since the accent of Hebrew, as well as instruments used within the music, are reminiscent of Ancient Israel. In common usage, Mizrahi is an adjective referring to "Middle Eastern," as in "Mizrahi food," "Mizrahi person," or, of course, "Mizrahi Music." The literal definition of mizrahi in Hebrew is "Eastern" or "from the East."

Typical Mizrahi songs will have a dominant violin or string sound as well as Middle Eastern percussion elements. Mizrahi usually will be sung in a high note. The themes of Mizrahi pop songs are usually more simple than those of Israeli rock, focusing more on simple love stories (almost everything by Eyal Golan), or living the high life (Ethnix's Black BMW במו שחורה).

[edit] Emergence of Mizrahi music

In today's Israeli music scene, Mizrahi is an extremely popular style. Yet it is, in terms of Israeli music history, a somewhat recent phenomenon. Until the 1970s, the Israeli music industry was largely inhabited (some would say controlled) by members of Israel's "Ashkenasi elite". Whilst the widespread discrimination of Jews of Mizrahi and Sephardi background had begun to die down by this time, the owners of record labels quite simply weren't interested in Mizrahi music. Instead they signed music to their personal taste: American- and European-style rock and pop music. Examples of this include Kaveret and Shlomo Artzi in the 1960s and 70s, and earlier on "pioneer", more idealistic folk-musicians such as Naomi Shemer and Yehoram Gaon.

This all began to change when Zohar Argov, a kid from a development town who had grown up singing in his synagogue, released his defining Mizrahi hit, Perach BeGani (פרח בגני) ("Flower in my Garden"). Examples of more contemporary Mizrahi music artists are: Haim Moshe, Yosi (Saffi) Levy, Eyal Golan, and Kobi Peretz. Women have also begun to play a significant part in popular Mizrahi music with famous artists such as Sarit Hadad becoming extremely popular in recent years.

[edit] Most Known Mizrahi Singers

  • Men
    • Zohar Argov (deceased)
    • Gili Argov
    • Avi Bitter
    • Boaz Shar'abi
    • Yosi Eden
    • Yosi Saffi Levy
    • Tamir Gal
    • Tamir Sultana
    • Shariff
    • Moshe Cohen
    • Ravid Gueta
    • Haim Moshe
    • Moshik Afia
    • Kobi Peretz
    • Reuven A-Malah (the angel)
    • Shimi Tavori
    • Eyal Golan
    • Itzik Kala
    • Koko Me'Eilat ("Koko of Eilat")
    • Lior Narkis
    • Lidor Yosefi
    • Nati Levi
    • Ofer Levi
    • Shimi Mizrahi
    • Pini Hadad
    • Regev Hod
    • Shlomi Shabat
    • Sharon Zaharien
    • Zion Golan

[edit] External links


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