Ronen Kohavi
Jerusalem, Jerusalem District, Israel
Music
Press
This is a translation from the Dutch review.
At the age of 12 Ronen Kohavi form Israel learned to play the guitar and formed his first band with some schoolmates. Later her founded a Rock group called the Mercedes Band. He stayed with them for a number of years through the release of their first record. Ronen then moved to England where he put together another band the Powerrock group Rooster. A year later he returned to Israel and recruited some veterans of the live music scene. Sagi Azulay (bass) and Oren Dai (drums). His solo debut is titled Brixton Bootleg. The album owes its name to the time spent in Brixton England, and is not a live recording. The album was mixed by Jamie Candiloro star producer, who coaxed a raw sound out of unprecedented warm and energetic songs.
With a nice soulful voice, the Israeli singer presents the listener with a bucket full of rocking Americana wonderful laidback songs. On Brixton Bootleg you will not find any moments that feel like a grind. There is a special Neil Young-like serenity in Let Me Know and a nostalgia in the fat guitars of They Say. The melodies on this record are easily absorbed in your memory. Brixton Bootleg is an album with strong songs with irresistible riffs and romantic popballads. Producer Jamie Candiloro already have several successes seen with REM, Willie Nelson and Ryan Adams. I am happy that Ronen Kohavi will be added to that list.
- Alt Country NL
(Translated from the original Hebrew)
Former guitarist for the Mercedes Band, Ronen Kohavi has released his first single. The song, titled "The Thing I Care for Most" is off his debut album "Brixton Bootleg" and features Oren Dai on the drums, Oren Menashe on the piano, and Sagi "Shaggy" Azulay on the bass. In addition the record was produced by Jaime Candiloro, and mastered by Grammy winner Gavin Lurssen. At the end of the month Kohavi will embark on tour starting with a gig the 24th of February at Levontin 7 in Tel Aviv.
http://www.nrg.co.il/online/47/ART2/048/086.html
- Maariv NRG
Discography
First album "Brixton Bootleg" will be available early 2010.
Photos
Bio
Ronen Kohavi
December, 2009
Ronen Kohavi (Rô•nen Kô•hah•vç) discovered the guitar when he was 12, and from that moment he knew he was going to be a musician. At the age of 14 he formed his first band and, by the time he was 16, Ronen had left home for the road. He has been on stages ever since.
In 1997 Ronen and others founded the Mercedes Band. They signed to Anana – a well known Israeli record label – and began touring the country.
As the band began to pick up momentum, Ronen began to find his vision as an arranger and as a producer. He produced albums for Israeli bands like 951, Yoav and the Moontrees and Eli Cohen. He also became a sought after guitar player play– both live and in studio sessions – for many top Israeli acts, including Teapacks, Tal Levi, Oded Gadir, Funk'n'Stein and Uri Banai.
In 2004, Mercedes Band's self titled debut album, an album that featured much of Ronen's signature style and arrangements, was released to rave reviews and wide audience approval. Selling in the thousands, this was proof to Ronen that his music has an audience – and that his decision to leave home for the life of a musician was not made in vain.
So, Ronen pushed the envelope once again and, in 2006, he left Mercedes Band for England where he toured with his newly-formed power rock trio, Rooster. While there, the love-stricken Ronen began writing his first solo project that would become Brixton Bootleg. Six months later, back in Israel, Ronen recruited some old friends, who happened to also be veterans of the local Israeli scene, Sagi "Shaggy" Azulay on bass, Oren Dai on drums and Oren Menashe on piano.
After mixing by Jamie Candiloro (R.E.M., Luscious Jackson, Ryan Adams, Willie Nelson,…) and mastering by three-time Grammy winner, Gavin Lurssen (Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, John Lee Hooker, Elvis Costello, Leonard Cohen,…), Brixton Bootleg is set to be released this winter. Here's what Jamie had to say about it " There was a lot of energy on those tracks so it was really a matter of keeping things in focus … every song has it's own identity yet the whole thing feels very glued together".
In the meantime, Ronen is once again "on the road" and touring Israel with his band to bring Brixton Bootleg to the people.
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