Matti Caspi
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Matti Caspi (Hebrew: מתי כספי) is an Israeli composer, musician, singer and lyricist. Born in 1949, he is regarded as one of Israel’s topmost musicians.
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[edit] Biography
Matti Caspi was born in 1949 on Kibbutz Hanita in the Upper Galilee. He studied piano playing at the conservatory in Nahariya. For his service in the army, he served as a performer in the Southern Command Group. He formed a trio with two of his friends, Gidi Oron and Ya’akov Noy, called The Three Fat Men. With this trio Caspi came out with his first big hit, Ani Met (I am dying). After his service this trio became the I don’t Care trio. In the Yom Kippur War he toured army bases along with Leonard Cohen, who arranged his song Lover, Lover, Lover with Caspi. During the 70’s he worked closely with Ehud Manor, another Israeli songwriter, and released some of his most popular songs; Lo Yadati SheTelchi Mimeni (I Didn’t Know You Would Leave Me), Brit Olam (Covanent of Love), and Shir HaYonah (The Song of the Dove). Over the next few decades, Matti Caspi had a prolific musical career, released dozens of records and collaborating with some of the boggest and most well known Israeli artists of the time; Shlomo Gronich, Ehud Manor, Yehudit Ravitz, and Shalom Hanoch. In 1993 he divorced his first wife, Dorin, and moved to the US with his new wife, Raquel, who was also a musician. In 1997 he returned to Israel and appeared in several concerts, including the Arad festival. He has released several more albums, including his newest release; At Ha’Isha Sheli (You are My Woman) released in August 2005.
[edit] Musical Activities
Matti Caspi is regarded as one of Israel’s topmost musicians. He has released close to a thousand songs, both remakes of older songs and his original creations. His musical style is well known, especially for his harmony and popular writing style. Musicologist Tzipi Fleischer said:
- "He is the genius among his fellow artists, he sets an important milestone in the history of the music of the world. Only Caspi has invented his own new musical language. As I sit and analyze his harmonies I find myself amazed all over again each time. The fact that he functions as the performer, arranger and conductor has formed a certain reservedness and introversion, but the truth is that he is a musical wild man. He is the one who promoted sophistication and western standards to the region."
With some Israeli artists (chiefly Riki Gal), he did not only take the role of the composer, but also of the producer. For Riki's 1996 album Ohevet otcha yoter (I Love You More), he took responsibility for complete production and also songwriting.
His music style is difficult to classify. He is influenced by classical music, Brazilian and Latin music, Jazz, Rock and other genres. It is possible to hear all these influences in his music. Sasha Argov was one of the musicians who had a large influence on him; Caspi even recorded 2 albums of his songs with Argov’s co-operation.
[edit] Discography
Matti Caspi has released dozens of albums in the decades he has been working in the Israeli music industry. A list of some of his albums follows.
- They Don’t Care (1972)
- Behind the Sounds (1973)
- Matti Caspi - the First Solo Album (1974)
- Matti Caspi - the Second Solo Album (1976)
- Side A Side B (1978)
- Another Side (1980)
- Twilight (1981)
- Behind the Sounds 1984 (1984)
- My Second Childhood (1984)
- Side C Side D (1987)
- Crazy Paiz Tropical (1987)
- One to One (1988)
- Matti Caspi sings Sasha Argov / Mattityahu and Alexander (1990)
- Songs in Tomato Sauce (1990)
- The First Time A Caspi / They Don't Care Collection (1992)
- Buba Matti (1992)
- Matti (1993)
- Matti Caspi and Ehud Manor: the Great Songs (1994)
- Cherished Dreams (1995)
- Live in Arad (1997)
- Another World (1998)
- Media Direct Collection (1999)
- Duets (2000)
- Behind the Sounds 2002 (2002)
- Songs of Matti Caspi (2003)
- Ballads (2003)
- The Best (2004)
- You are my Woman (2005)
