mOSAIC PROJECT
Mosaic Project is collaboration between two Israeli composers/ producers, Shmulik Noifeld and Eyal Leon Katzav with the English lyricist Barry Gilbert.
This combination in the Mosaic Project has created music that expresses a unique feel. All too often music is categorized, "It's classical, it's soul, it's blues" etc. There is a certain type of safety in this; perhaps it's the same sense of security we feel when we identify ourselves with particular groups, ideals or political persuasions. This work tries to reflect the colors, sounds, aspirations and roots that are common to us all. Its mosaic attempts to transcend the borders we normally impose on ourselves; boundaries which, like a sleep, allows possibilities to pass us by. If we tear the old rules up, we will be able to see and listen through new eyes and ears.
The music Shmulik composes in the Mosaic Project draws on his hometown, Acre, a town where Jews and Arabs co-exist. Shmulik produce albums for Israelis singers, music for theatre, movies and popular TV series.
He is definitely amongst the leading composers in Israel for theatre,films, promos, ads and commercials. Shmulik is a senior lecturer in the Rimon Academy of music.
Shmulik began writing for the Mosaic project, two years ago. Eyal Katzav brought his vast experience in musical production and sound. Joining forces they both embarked on this project which is also a journey in time and place, a journey enriched by the events and surroundings we live in. While listening to the soundtracks one can feel how impacted and nourished are both music and words by our daily visual and additive impact.
Mosaic Project incorporates authentic Arab music played by Arabic musicians together with modern music played by Israeli musicians. Actually it makes for a musical voyage, a reflection in time and place of the music surrounding its producers. Mosaic Project leitmotiv is the link between the local and universal on the one hand, with the subjective feeling representative of the whole, on the other.
The music in Mosaic Project is colored with yellow, brown, red and blue just like the colors symbolizing Israel, its spirit, energy, landscape and people. The colors reflect well the high temperature, the flaring tempers in all senses politically, socially and of-course personally and emotionally.
As usual in such concept albums the producers intend to issue a CD and a DVD into which the best technical men have contributed. The best producers, photographers light and soundmen as well as publishers joined in with minimal cost to contribute their sentiment and interpretation while producing picture to the music written by Shmulik and Eyal in Mosaic Project. Shmulik and Eyal note with pride that people simply join the journey upon hearing the music and give their utmost to the creation. People stop and take time off their daily routine to give themselves and off themselves into one of the track sound. More than 150 people are so far involved.
The musical elements in Mosaic Project incorporate trip-hop, rock, Arabic and alternative music. All texts touch upon emotions, dreams and fantasies of people in the region.
The Mosaic Project variety of singers and players, each with his/her own style and character create a very interesting Mosaic. Professor Elias Tayssir, An OUD player as well as the flutist Amir Shishar, the singer Miri Mesika[which is now no 1 singer in Israel ] the bass player composer Avi Baleli has joined in.
Their contribution together with that of the Professor's accompanying Arabic orchestra makes a novelty that breaks boundaries, trends and textures. Indeed, it voices a need for a new era in music.
The producers of the Mosaic Project believe that soon enough listeners will ask for this type of east west mixture like the Indian trip-hop mix which has been popular in Europe lately demands for eastern music integrating authentic percussions Arabic flutes and trendy groove will be increasing indeed. We, as Israeli producers rooted both in modern and Arabic music are most able to lead this trend. Having grown up with UM-KULTUM, the famous Arab singer and imbibed the Muezzin Minaret prayers, we are certainly apt for it.
The soundtrack "influences" ( Mosaic Project no. 1 ) is a 7-minute journey through the local shades of music, we as Israelis, are accustomed to. Greek, Russian and Arabic sounds are enmeshed with the background of the electronic modern music of trip-hop.
The song "Rhythm by rhythm" (Mosaic Project no. 2) says there is a time for everything, a place and duration for everything. Each and every destiny is determined by the second. Its melody is totally west but a part, which is in Arabic vocals in oriental scales. Its very special and interesting interpretation clip done with 50 participants directed by Ram Baruch for the Mosaic Project.
The photographer Ziv Koren, put up his repertoire for the "Within sight" (Mosaic Project no. 3). Produced by Dror Moreh a 24-hour image of our life here is beautifully created. This is part of our introspection, of our looking within.
One of the songs in the album called "Philip" (Mosaic Project no 6) is about the life and tragic death of an Israeli captain - a hero who died on board his ship, which sunk due to a mysterious accident in the Chinese sea. Philip, a relative of Eyal inspired a rock hop-trip song. Its clip done with special effects was taken on a very similar ship to the one Philip commanded.
With promotion abroad as a prospect, the producers chose to write in the English language except for the song "Adom Lehadom" (Mosaic Project no. 7), a creation of Meir Goldberg, consisting of a reflection on our local society in puns .It is not man to man is foe but rather bloodhounds relationship or crimson blood to blood- golden sort of thing. In Hebrew the pun is significant as man, blood and the color red are similar words: man is Adam, red is Adom and blood is Dam. These puns add a twist of cynicism juxtaposing the romance, innocence and energy.
Mosaic Project is definitely a statement of the artists living and creating here. Mosaic Project is an attempt to envisage the world with dream, fantasy and cynicism. Energy, paranoia, innocence, sarcasm and glamour are all in
it together. This is the poetry of "the others" in a time when the "center" is collapsing. Their dialectic expresses a new era in music. One has to simply listen and imagine.
Mosaic Project producers wish to personally note to you that sometimes when one lives in a country such as ours, where one can't tell the next minute, where one asks oneself questions that are rarely asked by others, we feel the need to convey to the world that there are people, normal people living here. These people are the likes of me who are dressed just like the likes of you, hear the same kind of music, live the same daily life on the same universe. Mosaic Project is my call. I wish to make the people out there listen and feel who we are. We are no exception.
We are no less no more human or humane than anyone else.
We have the same beat and groove though slightly tinted and perfumed with the air around here.
I see Mosaic Project a kind of giving, a giving to the world of music. I also feel like we wrote on Mosaic Project track no 4. That if we know how, if you and us know how to do it right we can even dry the rain.
Well, to sum it up better I may say that Mosaic Project is my call and soul. That is why I put so much into it.
Thank you for reading this.