Shlomo Bar (originally
Ben Ghousi), Israeli composer, singer and percussionist. Born in Rabat, Morocco,
in 1943, Shlomo Bar came to Israel with his family at the age of five. The
family settled in Beer-Yaacov, a moshav in central Israel near the town of
Ramla, where he lived for the next fifty years. He was influenced by local
Indian-born musicians who introduced him to Indian classical music, among them
Jecka Mazgauker. Growing up in Beer-Yaacov, he was also exposed to a wide range
of Israeli music.
Shlomo Bar is the
founder and leader of “Habrera Hativeet” ensemble (1977). During the 1970's and
the 1980's, Bar's ensemble, “Habrera Hativeet”, played a crucial role in the
acceptance of so called “oriental” music into the (then largely) western Israeli
culture and musical traditions. The ensemble played highly successful protest
songs, in which elements from Moroccan Jewish prayers, and classical Arab music
were fused. Since its first album released in 1979, the ensemble has recorded
another nine albums until 2003.
Carmella Zarecki
Links
Habrera Hativeet
