Nada Records: New Releases by Tizmoret and Nagwa

Nada Records is one of the more established Israeli labels documenting the fertile local world music scene, including prominent Israeli outfits as the already disbanded Bustan Abraham (including collaborations with Indian masters Hariprasad Chaurasia and Zakir Hussain and the Irish nomad master Ross Daly), Eyal Sela and his Dharma Ensemble, Isfahan Ensemble, the Black Velvet and many more.

In its thirteen years of existence, the label has released over thirty discs that encompass myriad Middle Eastern traditions as well as Persian, Indian and even Irish music--and many fusions of these genres. These new releases by Tizmoret and Nagwa are welcome additions to Nada's boundary-dissolving message.

Tizmoret
Tizmoret
Nada Records
2005

Quite surprisingly, there are no remarkable klezmer bands in Israel, as if the renaissance of this Jewish musical tradition during the last decade has passed over the Jewish state. Tizmoret--popular orchestra in Hebrew--may mend this situation. This outfit is led by double bassist and bowed Turkish tanbur player Naor Carmi, a veteran of the last incarnation of Bustan Abraham. It presents Carmi's musical vision, which borrows from the Eastern European klezmer tradition but transforms elements into a Middle Eastern context. In such a spirit, Tizmoret has played a klezmerized version of one of Tunisian oud player Anouar Brahem's compositions in recent live shows.

This debut disc was recorded in 2003 with a lineup featuring soloists such as Daniel Zamir, formerly of Satlah, who has released his versions of alt-klezmer on Tzadik, the ever resourceful Gershon Waiserfirer on the baritone horn and oud, Jonathan Dror on saxes and the Armenian duduk, and Avishai Fisz on accordion.

The music draws inspiration from devotional Chassidic dances and the Lubavitsher Rebbe (who is quoted on the liner notes saying “be it through the keys of music, that man is being elevated and pulled spheres upwards”), Kabalistic theories (on “Back,” ”And Forth”), Jewish prayers, Iraqi and Turkish music, and of course, alt-klezmer groups like the Klezmatics.

Carmi managed to knit tight and economic arrangements that demonstrate the power of this octet and still leave plenty of room for each member of Tizmoret to express himself. Carmi's bass playing has the same melodic fluidity that you can find in great bassists like Norway's Arild Andersen, while his bowing of the tanbur is imaginative and contemplative. Waiserfirer is the second backbone of this outfit; his playing of the custom-made electric oud spices the music with funky overtones, while his soulful oud playing clearly reference American-Armenian oud player Ara Dinkijian and his now defunct band, Night Ark, mainly on such tracks as ”Palmtree Talk” and “On the Way.” Waiserfirer's humorous use of the baritone horn always pushes the music forward.

Since this disc was recorded, the lineup of Tizmoret has changed, and the outfit has enriched its experience as a wedding orchestra, still delivering the same passionate and soulful music with the same curious and open attitude. Warmly recommended.