Cool beats and warm, heartfelt lyrics – there was much to enjoy at the Ozen Bar as Davidi Muskatel launched his debut solo EP. Bass player of the Shabak S, Davidi’s original songs move with those rhythms, yet the feel is very intimate, the musings of one man and his guitar. Davidi’s delivery is simple and direct, the words of his songs sung/spoken into the mic in his mellow voice draw the audience in, make it feel like a gathering of friends.
Much of the evening was performed solo, but some good friends did join Davidi onstage: Hadag Nachash drummer Moshe Asaraf joined Davidi for the song Redifa (chase) with its quiet beats, and insistent message to take leave of the chase and paranoia: “love is better.” Another song, I didn’t catch the title, and I can understand why in the musical production of the EP with Gilad Leshem, the decision was made to leave it out, but – I really like this song! It has a marching rhythm and takes off from an Israeli children’s song (BeMdinat Hagamadim – in the nation of dwarfs) to a somber song in pre-election mood: “It’s so much fun in the nation of dwarfs/none of us have any idea where we are marching.”
Aramat Arnheim Sharon with her lovely voice joined Davidi for a couple of songs, covers of Emunah and Lady (Hear Me Tonight), a song which fit very well in the evening’s repertoire of love songs. The challenge for an emerging songwriter with an EP is in creating an evening that feels complete, even though there are usually only half as many songs on an EP as on an album. Here I think that Davidi’s experience as a musician served him well – it was a great evening with a perfect balance of songs. In addition to the songs I’ve mention, Davidi performed an instrumental cover of a song by The Cure, and – a solo guitar tribute to Shabak Empire.
Yet the heart of the evening were Davidi’s original songs, whether he sang of the burning honey of love in Dvash, or the more political songs like Redifa and Shlita (control), a hip hop lament with a chorus that really makes you want to sing along.
