Sapari

Gadi Seri, one of Israel's leading percussionists who had played in numerous world music projects having to do with Yemen (Ofra Haza, Noa, Gila Bashary and others), returns to the divan. There is something unique and charming to his electronic, ambient, authentic arrangements. - culture-agent.com \ Israel today

"Sapari" is a different story. With a world music title, it is divan poetry intended for international distribution under the definition of "Jewish Yemenite Poetry."Seri's "Sapari" is a personal affair but also a national one. It is unpretentious in that it does not take the poems and the singing where they don't belong, but rather leaves them as they are, touching on their roots in tradition and heritage, as pure and clean as possible. Being sung like they were sung for hundreds of years, the impression is that Seri merely touched the softness of the origin, caressed it with love and preserved it with compassion. He did not add "touches" in the name of updating and being contemporary. His arrangements are tender and orchestration refined and subtle,rendering it suitable for international ears. It is no wonder that the result is also authentic world music.
?As stated, the orchestration, electronic in character, doesn't try to make the melodies what they are not. Add beauty – yes, but no other means, such as dance elements. For let us remember, it is danceable in its own right and the "Yemenite step" existed much before the twist, disco and rock 'n' roll, like oil tin can for hand percussion preceded the leg drum and drum machine. And yet still, the musical production seems to allude to "Enigma" and "Gregorian Chants" that have a certain sacred aura to them – church-like in "?? ??????"and gospel-like in"???? ????", our own gospel music.
?This is no private affair of an artist or performer, but one of an entire ethnic group and national culture.


Translated by Idan Oren - Amos Oren, "The Stage"- habama.co.il

Without a doubt: this is Gadi Seri's life project onJewish Yemenite poetry. Moreover, I can't think of a similar product as serious, rich and special by a modern musician, third generation to Yemenite immigrants, on the roots of his ancestors' music; not just the sounds,anything having to do with the sound design. The result is fascinating. Seri managed to find the right balances between the didactic and the pleasurable, past and present, tradition and interpretation, the original sound and the new one - between the authentic local musical tradition and the sound that brings it into thesphere of world music in modern attire that does it respect.

Translated bu Idan Oren - Yossi Hersonski- www.yosmusic.com

Having worked with any Israeli musician you can think about, esteemed percussionist Gadi Seri went on ajourney into his heritage with a musical agenda. The production is modern and rich, yet preserves the original spirit and the result is magical and enchanting ancient music that you've never heard before- a mix of Hebrew, Arabic and Aramaic. Gadi Seri comes in loveand with a true sense of mission- and it is our gain. It is a cultural preservation project that more and more people should be exposed to as it warms the heart and uplifts the spirit.

Translated by Idan Oren
- Reuven Bardach, mynet.co.il