“Oh, times have changed since you became king” Asaf Avidan’s mournful vocals flow through a sea of instruments – Asaf Avidan and the Mojos are rehearsing for their performance tomorrow night at the Israeli Opera with 40 members of the Raanana Symphonette Orchestra, conducted by Michael Wolpe, artistic director of this unique concert. An outrageous rocker with crossover appeal (Avidan’s song Weak, from his debut album The Reckoning was used in the soundtrack of the film The Tree 2010) and a voice that resonates with a powerful wail, Avidan has embarked on an adventure of a different sort with his new concept album – Through the Gale.
Songs that came into being on a two week vacation in the quiet of the Pacific, received classical arrangements under the artistic direction of Michael Wolpe and will be performed at the Israeli Opera as part of the Classic Rock series on January 19 & 23, 2011. The concert will include songs from Through the Gale, and well known songs from Asaf Avidan and the Mojos’ previous albums.
Watching Avidan rehearse with the symphony, literally at the back of the room, Midnight East wondered, how does it feel for the fiercely individualistic bandleader to be inside such a group experience?
“It feels great sharing the load,” said Avidan, “I’m taking a step back; I realize my place here – in the pre-production, the arrangements and creative process. Michael knows what he’s doing. I am just another musician; there are so many elements involved.”
Yet the chameleon-like performer admits with a smile, “I’m never un-involved – too much of a control freak.”
Avidan appreciated Wolpe’s analytic approach to the songs, saying, “Wolpe really looked at the material for hours and hours, deconstructing and visualizing the songs, adding color and landscape. I work intuitively – I don’t think.” Avidan feels that Wolpe’s approach brought out elements already present in the songs and “translated” them into the orchestration.
Unlike songwriting, which is a private experience for Avidan, creating the arrangements was very much a group experience. Producer Ori Winokur connected Asaf Avidan and the Mojos (Asaf Avidan – vocals, guitar, harmonica; Roi Peled – guitars; Ran Nir – bass; Yoni “Joni Snow” Sheleg – drums; Hadas Kleinman – cello) to Michael Wolpe and Wolpe in turn suggested bringing his 4th year students from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance into the process. There were eleven students involved: Erez Avisar, Netta Shahar, Erez Raveh, Asher Goldschmidt, Adir Levy, Dotan Moshonov, Otni Oron, Asaf Matityahu, Ofir Braun, Meir Bricksman, and Israel Glicksberg. “Each one received a section to arrange,” said Winokur, “we gave them general guidelines and Michael Wolpe directed the process. Then we had a writing workshop in Sde Boker where we all went over the material.”
The Sde Boker gathering must have been quite a jam session. Avidan says, “We all went down South and brainstormed…Hadas and Peled – everybody who had any input was listened to.” Working with such a talented and communicative group of people was “a blessing” says Avidan.
What’s next for the talented musician? After the concerts at the Israeli Opera Asaf Avidan and the Mojos will head out to performances in India, and his next album – a “jazzier” one he says, is already recorded. “I don’t think in a linear path,” says Avidan, “I shoot all over the place, whatever has to come out. I like to widen the palette, work in different genres.”
Asaf Avidan and the Mojos at the Israeli Opera
January 19 & 23 at 21:00, tickets are 135/155/175 NIS, to order call: 03-6927777.
AYELET DEKEL
