Dudu Tassa and Jonny Greenwood to open the Jerusalem International Oud Festival
The 27th edition of the festival will take place from November 5 to 12 at three venues in the city and will include 16 performances. Among the productions: a tribute to Ahuva Ozeri on the tenth anniversary of her death, a meeting between a Moroccan vocal ensemble and Israeli paytanim, and a closing performance by Tipex with the Hafla ve-Hora orchestra.
The Jerusalem International Oud Festival will return to the city for the 27th time from November 5 to 12, and will take place at the Jerusalem Theatre, the Khan Theatre, and the Confederation House. The program includes 16 performances, including original Israeli premieres and guests from England, Greece, India, and Morocco. The festival is produced by the Confederation House under the artistic direction of Effi Binya.
The opening performance will bring together Dudu Tassa and guitarist Jonny Greenwood, a member of the band Radiohead, with songs from their joint album Jarak Qaribak, which renews classic Arabic love songs, alongside material from the project's sequel and songs from Tassa's "Al-Kuwaitim" albums. The show will feature veteran Greek singer Babis Tsertos, in a one-time debut performance in Israel, and singer and santur player Arty Katima, in a program dedicated to rebetiko, Greek blues, and smyrnaika, the music brought by Greek refugees from Turkey.
The festival will close with a performance by Tipex with the Hafla ve-Hora orchestra, which will focus on the work of the band and its leader Kobi Oz.
Among the other performances, an evening will be dedicated to a tribute to Ahuva Ozeri on the tenth anniversary of her death, where Avi Belleli will host Efrat Gosh, Hila Ruach, and Ruth Dolores Weiss. Shlomi Shaban will host Mark Eliyahu and the Kadosh brothers, and percussionist Itamar Doari will present a show ahead of the release of his first album. Also presented will be the show "New Nova," which will bring together a Moroccan vocal ensemble led by vocal artist Anas Belhachemi with five Israeli paytanim from the ensemble of the Center for Andalusian Culture and Piyut in Israel.
The Confederation House founded the festival in 2000, and it is dedicated to the oud instrument and the musical traditions of the Mediterranean basin and the Middle East. Last year, the festival took place in its 26th edition, during which 18 performances were presented.
