The Piano Festival puts the piano at center stage, and every performance presents songs as arranged for piano – still, there is something special about those songs written for the piano. When Gedy Ronen sits at the piano and sings, the words and music are one. The piano is an instrument suited for songs of the heart, and love – lost, found, complicated, is an integral part of these songs, but there is an intimate, emotional feel even to those songs that reflect on political issues. And with all that, is a positive vibe, an essential joy that radiates from Ronen, and is translated into the groove of the music. Intimate songs with intricate themes and lyrics, some are quiet and contemplative, and some with a rock beat you can dance to.
Gedy Ronen performed with Ori Winokur (bass & more) and Gadi Peter (percussion & more) on Wednesday, November 9, 2016 in the Minze Blumenthal Gallery at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. There was something altogether “more” about the whole experience… there’s a sense of illicit pleasure about being in the museum after hours, listening to music while surrounded by art.
Gedy Ronen is a piano man from way back – playing keyboards in his first band Devek, and with a demonstrated affinity for words – his second band 1:1 composed music to the poems of Eran Bar Gil, and he is also a member of The Back Yard, a super-group in its understated way, with Ronen joined by Tomer Yosef (Balkan Beat Box) Itamar Zeigler (Balkan Beat Box) and Yaakov Rotblit (who wrote the lyrics to Shir LaShalom and many, many, many, other wonderful songs). Along the way, in addition to performing and producing, Ronen has been writing his own songs, and is working on his first solo album (produced by Winokur) – these are the songs featured in his performance at the Piano Festival.
There’s a strong sense of place in these songs, even if they were not written in Hebrew, they have a very Israeli sensibility. An older song, Herzl Boulevard tells of a town that centers around just one road, while Ham BeYafo (Hot in Yafo) is a love song to an elusive love with a happy groove. Maagal Mishtatfim Rabim sings about the workshop culture we live in, “the empowerment workshop followed by a laughter workshop.” There’s a wry humor in the songs, as well as a political consciousness, as in the song Ronen called “our favorite” HaTiyul (The Trip), that says “We’ll keep as a memento the stones that were thrown in the street.” (translations from the songs, are my own, unofficial) The trio sound great together, and Ronen’s voice has a mellifluous quality that is not lost, even in the louder, rock songs. A fine night at the Piano Festival and the museum, and much to anticipate from Gedy Ronen’s upcoming album.
