Ehud Banai
Encyclopedia
Ehud Banai is an Israel
i singer and songwriter.
, and listened to Elvis Presley
, Cliff Richard
, and later The Beatles
.
In 1971 he was drafted to the Israel Defense Forces
, and served in the Nahal
infantry brigade. In the kibbutz
he learned to play the guitar. After his discharge, he moved to London, where he played in the London Underground
for six months. It was during this period that he decided to become a musician.
He returned to Israel and lived in Ramat Gan and later in Rosh Pina. In 1982 he formed a band with singer Avi Matos. He made several other attempts at a breakthrough during the following years. He tried out for Shlomo Bar
's band, Habrera Hativit, but wasn't accepted. In 1986, Ehud and his band "Haplitim" ("The Refugees") broke through, with the hit single "Ir Miklat" (City of Refuge) and the rock opera
"Mami
".
In 1987, Banai and the Refugees released their self-titled debut, which is considered by many to be one of the best and the most important albums of Israeli rock
, with original mix of new-wave
guitar rock with some oriental
rhythms and sounds. Most of the album consisted of protest songs. The songs also included many Biblical subjects and allusions, such as the golden calf
and cities of refuge
.
Their follow-up, "Karov" ("Close (near)"), released in 1989, had influences raging from early childhood in Jerusalem, traveling in Europe, Bob Dylan
, the Banai family's Afghani/Persian
-Jewish background, to Jewish prayer
and piyutim, among others. He also released Under the Jasmine Tree, an album of Persian folk tales as told by his father.
During the 1990s, Banai released 3 albums ("The Third" was released in 1992, "In a Little While" was released in 1996, and "Tip Tipa" in 1998). "Ane' Li" was released in 2004. The song Blues Knaani (Canaanite blues) was written in memory of Meir Ariel
, and Hayom (today) was written for his wife.
In 2005, he was voted the 28th-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website Ynet
to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest Israelis.
Banai sang a duet with David D'Or
on D'Or's CD, Kmo HaRuach ("Like the Wind"), which was released on March 27, 2006.
A triple live album, "Mamshich Linso'a" ("Keep Moving") was released in October 2006.
Banai writes the lyrics and composes the music for almost all of his own songs. Banai, for the greater part of his musical career, observed Jewish traditions, and even “returned”
to Orthodox Jewish religious observance over the course of the early 2000s. Banai habitually scatters references to his connection to Jewish subjects throughout many of his songs.
In 2008, "On the Move", a documentary film
directed by Avida Livny and produced by Gidi Avivi
, Yael Biron and Dror Nahum, about Banai and the Refugees, participated in the official competition of the Jerusalem Film Festival
, in EPOS -the international art & culture film festival in Israel and has been screened in cinemateques around Israel
. The film traces Banai's early years on the music scene, through the struggle, musical passion, and deeply rooted friendship he shared with members of his first band, "The Refugees" – Yossi Elephant, Jean Jacques Goldeberg, Noam Halevi, and Gil Smetana.
In September 2008, Banai released Shir Chadash, an album of traditional Jewish songs (zemirot
), including several melodies composed by Shlomo Carlebach
.
Banai's album Resisei Laila ("Drops of the Night") was released in 2011.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i singer and songwriter.
Early life
Banai, of Persian Jewish and Afghan Jewish descent, was born in Jerusalem to the actor Yaakov Banai, the eldest of the Banai siblings, and moved to Givataim at the age of four.Music career
At the age of ten he learned to play the celloCello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
, and listened to Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
, and later The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
.
In 1971 he was drafted to the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
, and served in the Nahal
Nahal
Nahal is an Israel Defense Forces infantry brigade. Historically, it refers to a program that combines military service and establishment of new agricultural settlements, often in outlying areas...
infantry brigade. In the kibbutz
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
he learned to play the guitar. After his discharge, he moved to London, where he played in the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
for six months. It was during this period that he decided to become a musician.
He returned to Israel and lived in Ramat Gan and later in Rosh Pina. In 1982 he formed a band with singer Avi Matos. He made several other attempts at a breakthrough during the following years. He tried out for Shlomo Bar
Shlomo Bar
Shlomo Bar is an Israeli musician, composer, and social activist. He is a pioneer of ethnic music in Israel.- Biography :Born in Rabat, Morocco, in 1943, Bar emigrated to Israel a few years later. He learnt how to play the darbuka and other ethnic percussion instruments, performing in various small...
's band, Habrera Hativit, but wasn't accepted. In 1986, Ehud and his band "Haplitim" ("The Refugees") broke through, with the hit single "Ir Miklat" (City of Refuge) and the rock opera
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
"Mami
Mami (Rock Opera)
Mami is an Israeli rock opera that was written by Hillel Mittelpunkt, Ehud Banai, and Yossi Mar Haim. Shefi Yishai and Yossi Elefant were responsible for musical production and arrangement....
".
In 1987, Banai and the Refugees released their self-titled debut, which is considered by many to be one of the best and the most important albums of Israeli rock
Israeli rock
Israeli rock is rock music created by Israeli bands and singers.-The development of Israeli rock in the 1960s:Israel's initial attitude toward rock music was extremely negative. Israeli musicians of the time believed it was a trend that would soon pass...
, with original mix of new-wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
guitar rock with some oriental
The Orient
The Orient means "the East." It is a traditional designation for anything that belongs to the Eastern world or the Far East, in relation to Europe. In English it is a metonym that means various parts of Asia.- Derivation :...
rhythms and sounds. Most of the album consisted of protest songs. The songs also included many Biblical subjects and allusions, such as the golden calf
Golden calf
According to the Hebrew Bible, the golden calf was an idol made by Aaron to satisfy the Israelites during Moses' absence, when he went up to Mount Sinai...
and cities of refuge
Cities of Refuge
The Cities of Refuge were towns in the Kingdom of Israel and Kingdom of Judah in which the perpetrators of manslaughter could claim the right of asylum; outside of these cities, blood vengeance against such perpetrators was allowed by law...
.
Their follow-up, "Karov" ("Close (near)"), released in 1989, had influences raging from early childhood in Jerusalem, traveling in Europe, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, the Banai family's Afghani/Persian
History of the Jews in Iran
The beginnings of Jewish history in Iran date back to late Biblical times. The biblical books of Isaiah, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, contain references to the life and experiences of Jews in Persia...
-Jewish background, to Jewish prayer
Jewish services
Jewish prayer are the prayer recitations that form part of the observance of Judaism. These prayers, often with instructions and commentary, are found in the siddur, the traditional Jewish prayer book....
and piyutim, among others. He also released Under the Jasmine Tree, an album of Persian folk tales as told by his father.
During the 1990s, Banai released 3 albums ("The Third" was released in 1992, "In a Little While" was released in 1996, and "Tip Tipa" in 1998). "Ane' Li" was released in 2004. The song Blues Knaani (Canaanite blues) was written in memory of Meir Ariel
Meir Ariel
Meir Ariel was an Israeli singer-songwriter.He was known as a "man of words" for his poetic use of the Hebrew language in his lyrics. His influences included Hebrew poets such as Natan Alterman, S. Y...
, and Hayom (today) was written for his wife.
In 2005, he was voted the 28th-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website Ynet
Ynet
Ynet is the most popular Israeli news and general content website. It is owned by the same conglomerate that operates Yediot Ahronot, the country's secondleading daily newspaper...
to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest Israelis.
Banai sang a duet with David D'Or
David D'Or
David D'Or is an Israeli singer, composer, and songwriter. A countertenor with a vocal range of more than four octaves, he is a three-time winner of the Israeli "Singer of the Year" and "Best Vocal Performer" awards. He was also chosen to represent Israel in the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest, at...
on D'Or's CD, Kmo HaRuach ("Like the Wind"), which was released on March 27, 2006.
A triple live album, "Mamshich Linso'a" ("Keep Moving") was released in October 2006.
Banai writes the lyrics and composes the music for almost all of his own songs. Banai, for the greater part of his musical career, observed Jewish traditions, and even “returned”
Baal teshuva
Baal teshuva or ba'al teshuvah , sometimes abbreviated to BT, is a term referring to a Jew who turns to embrace Orthodox Judaism. Baal teshuva literally means, "repentant", i.e., one who has repented or "returned" to God...
to Orthodox Jewish religious observance over the course of the early 2000s. Banai habitually scatters references to his connection to Jewish subjects throughout many of his songs.
In 2008, "On the Move", a documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
directed by Avida Livny and produced by Gidi Avivi
Gidi Avivi
Gidi Avivi is an Israeli film producer, the founder of Vice Versa Films and a film festival director.-Education and Career:Avivi holds a Master's degree in Cinema Studies from New York University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Film and Television from Tel Aviv University.Avivi was Head of...
, Yael Biron and Dror Nahum, about Banai and the Refugees, participated in the official competition of the Jerusalem Film Festival
Jerusalem Film Festival
The Jerusalem Film Festival is an international film festival held annually in Jerusalem, Israel. The festival was the brainchild of Lia van Leer, who inaugurated it on May 17, 1984...
, in EPOS -the international art & culture film festival in Israel and has been screened in cinemateques around Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. The film traces Banai's early years on the music scene, through the struggle, musical passion, and deeply rooted friendship he shared with members of his first band, "The Refugees" – Yossi Elephant, Jean Jacques Goldeberg, Noam Halevi, and Gil Smetana.
In September 2008, Banai released Shir Chadash, an album of traditional Jewish songs (zemirot
Zemirot
Zemirot or Z'mirot are Jewish hymns, usually sung in the Hebrew or Aramaic languages, but sometimes also in Yiddish or Ladino. The best known zemirot are those sung around the table during Shabbat and Jewish holidays...
), including several melodies composed by Shlomo Carlebach
Shlomo Carlebach
Shlomo Carlebach , known as Reb Shlomo to his followers, was a Jewish rabbi, religious teacher, composer, and singer who was known as "The Singing Rabbi" during his lifetime...
.
Banai's album Resisei Laila ("Drops of the Night") was released in 2011.
Discography
- Ehud Banai and the Refugees (1987)
- Karov ("Close") (1989)
- Mitachat Siach HaYasmin (Under the Jasmine Tree), with Yaakov Banai (1989)
- Hashlishi ("The Third) (1992)
- Od Me'at ("Soon") (1996)
- Ane Li ("Answer Me") (2004)
- Mamshich Linsoa (Keeps on Driving) (2006)
- Shir Chadash (New Song) (2008)