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The Diwan Project embraces a marvelous ancient musical tradition with love, integrity and professionalism
There is something graceful and not in the least pretentious about The Diwan Project ensemble’s request to audiences to refrain from applauding after each song during its concerts.
Indeed, there is a good reason for this departure from the norm. As the ensemble’s founder Gil Ron Shama observes, The Diwan Project, like a John Cage composition, requires silent contemplation.
The analogy is appropriate. As last week’s Diwan Project performance at Lehavot Haviva demonstrated, those quiet interludes exerted a power and magic of their own.
The reference to the American avant-garde artist was not intended to soften up skeptics. After all, those who are not members of the local hippy community may well find themselves discomfited by a concert that opens in sound and gesture with the mystical syllable Aum.
It would be a shame if that proved a deterrent. The Diwan Project embraces a marvelous ancient musical tradition with love, integrity and professionalism, and this concert soared to fabulous heights.
The ancient and modern meet in The Diwan Project. Based on the traditional poetry and parables of Jewish communities in the Arab states and Africa, and given fresh dimensions through new compositions, it blends the sounds and structures of – among others - Persian, Indian and Egyptian music with Western pop.
On stage, special emphasis is given to four of the ensemble’s singers and they are consummate performers – mostly laid-back, but at times, full of passion.
Gil Ron Shama and Liat Zion are steeped in pop and world music. By contrast, Dvir Cohen and Yinon Darwish are exponents of Yemenite piyut (liturgical poems). The latter were raised in traditional homes in Neve Amal, Herzlia – the neighborhood of the genre’s traditional father, Shlomo Bar – and their songs were among the evening’s highlights.
Their wonderful rendition of Nishmat Kol Hai (Soul of Every Life) breathed fresh life into the poem, yet respected its ancient beauty. Coming from the same tradition were Sar Hamemoone, Shmati Shimecha and Hallelu - all creating pure delight.
Also satisfying were works based on poetry from more distant cultures. Among them were Tabla, with its exotic Indian flavor, Kayal Taarog and Yaala Yaala, which evoked the cadences of Andalusia.
Complementing the singers were several of Israel’s foremost talents in the revival of Jewish and Eastern Classical music, including outstanding percussionist Erez Monk and wind instruments player Amir Shaha'asar who produced exquisite sounds.
Both contributed not only rich tonal color in several fabulous solos, but significant layers of cultural depth – for example, though their finely nuanced accompaniment to Jewish poetry, and their blending of Persian music with jazz and local pop.
Adding their magic were bass and Lira player, Udi ben Canaan and Alon Amano Campino, the guitarist and Oud player who co-founded The Diwan Project. Campino deserves special mention for his deft weaving of myriad strands. The result was a musical fabric that dazzled with its colors and touched all with its innate humility.
יום שני 02 במרץ 2009 02:47 מאת: ארז שוייצר
Monday, 02/03/2009, Haaretz / Gallery by Erez Shvitzer.
[Note: This article originally appeared in Hebrew]
- Haaretz (Israel)
“Anyone who caught the tour by the popular Israeli band Sheva last year will remember it as an extraordinarily uplifting experience – beating drums, lilting tunes and stirring mantras of peace.” - Australian Jewish News
“Hearing Hebrew sung with a modern beat and multicultural influences, was something like traveling through time and space to desert camps and sharing food, music and tea with neighboring villages.”
“…heady, powerful stuff”
- Santa Monica Mirror
Discography
The Diwan Project (2008)
Sheva - Live in Australia (2005)
Sheva - Garden (2002)
Sheva - Day & Night (1998)
Sheva - Celestial Wedding (1997)
Listen to music from The Diwan Project
http://www.israelarts.org/gil-ron-shama.html
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Bio
Gil Ron Shama is an acclaimed artist, musician and writer and an ambassador of goodwill on behalf of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Muslim countries.
His artistic work incorporates world music sounds together with poetry of the Jewish heart, African rhythms beating side by side with electronic beats- the ancient touches the futuristic and cultures meet beyond space and time.
Gil Ron Shama has traveled all around the world, studying drums and stories from tribes and locals. In Israel, he has founded theatres and theatre groups, acting, directing and performing throughout the country. He studied yoga and meditation in India and in 1997 was one of the founders of Sheva (Seven) band, which grew to be one of Israel’s favorite and most successful bands, and an internationally renowned band on the world music scene, having performed at major international festivals and venues worldwide. In 2006, Sheva won Best Live Album of the Year at the prestigious Independent Music Awards (IMA). Now, more than a decade after the band's formation, the group’s success continues with regular perfomances both in Israel and internationally.
In 2003, Gil Ron, together with Alon Amano Campino founded The Diwan Project – a unique cultural experience that brings musicians and audience together in a mutual song meeting of sacred music.
The Diwan Project album was released in October, 2008 to high critical praise and continues to sell extremely well in Israel.
For over a decade, Gil has been fulfilling his vision as a communicator between streams, nations, religions and cultures, carrying a message of peace, dialogue and harmony through music, words and listening. He is also an ambassador of goodwill in the Arab world in Muslim countries who don’t have regular diplomatic relations with Israel. Gil is also responsible for translating the admired Sufi poet Jalal a-din Rumi from English to Hebrew.
At the heart of Gil’s work is the connection between Judaism and Islam, the theological, cultural and human likeness of the two religions and the ways in which the similarities can be highlighted over the differences. His ground-breaking work is forging the way for both young Israelis and Jews from around the world to reconnect to their heritage and traditions. In Israel, Gil Ron's music projects have been hugely successful, sparking somewhat of a cultural and spiritual renaissance through his fresh, youthful, Oriental vibe.
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