Mike's Oud Forums

Interesting article about Yousef Shem Tov

David Parfitt - 7-21-2012 at 01:30 AM

Came across this fascinating article about the Iraqi Jewish oud player Yousef Shem Tov, who features on Yair Dalal's album 'Samar':

http://www.haaretz.com/art-etc-the-player-1.136129

David

Masel - 7-22-2012 at 01:40 PM

thank you! i have a few cds of yosef yaakov shem tov (or yusef al 3wad يوسف العواد;) given to me by yair dalal playing mostly taqasim, and a whole cd of his compositions preformed by i think the arabic orchestra of the israeli broadcast channel (made up mostly of famous jewish iraqi musicians like salah alqueiti, avraham salman, salim alnur, elias shasha, and of course yosef shem tov.

this is a song he composed, it is the song that made me fall in love with iraqi music, it is very beautiful. it is called "kul ma amr 3la darkum" (everytime i pass by your house, i remember the times that passed). the singer is filfel gourji.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pRhyLyURpE

رمضان كريم لالصايمون

David Parfitt - 7-22-2012 at 01:51 PM

Hi Masel

Is there any chance you'd be prepared to share those taqasim CDs? I would love to hear them!

All the best

David

Masel - 7-23-2012 at 02:19 AM

yes i will upload some soon

David Parfitt - 7-23-2012 at 03:12 AM

Thank you!!! Can't wait!

All the best

David

John Erlich - 7-23-2012 at 10:34 AM

The HaAretz article is from 2004. I found a nice 2005 photo of him, labelled, "The late Yousef Al Awad..." Do we know when he passed away?

Thanks,
John


Yousef Shem Tov 2005 Photo with Oud.jpg - 147kB

Rambaldi47 - 7-24-2012 at 01:57 PM

Quote: Originally posted by John Erlich  
The HaAretz article is from 2004. I found a nice 2005 photo of him, labelled, "The late Yousef Al Awad..." Do we know when he passed away?

Thanks,
John

On the Hebrew Wikipedia it says he died on April 1, 2007.

Here's a eulogy article (in Hebrew) by Ben Shalev.

I remember there was a documentary some 10 years ago
which has followed him and his fellow musicians (Abraham Salman
on the Qanun, Jojo Mousa & Felix Mizrahi on the violin, Albert Elias
on the Nay, among others) reminiscing on their time in the Rashut-
Hashidur Orchestra (1970s) where once Moshe Eliyahu, Ya3akov
Mourad and Faisa Rujdi were the head performers, and lamenting
the relative decay of the Classical Arabic and particularly their Iraqi
musical culture in Israel. I think Yair Dalal was invovled in the
making of the film, and he's also performed with them some pieces.

Here's a song that he'd composed performed by Sabri Chalf:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2e3PcBCDxw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2M3TI0hP3E

John Erlich - 7-24-2012 at 04:37 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Rambaldi47  
[/ rquote]
I remember there was a documentary some 10 years ago
which has followed him and his fellow musicians (Abraham Salman
on the Qanun, Jojo Mousa & Felix Mizrahi on the violin, Albert Elias
on the Nay, among others) reminiscing on their time in the Rashut-
Hashidur Orchestra (1970s) where once Moshe Eliyahu, Ya3akov
Mourad and Faisa Rujdi were the head performers, and lamenting
the relative decay of the Classical Arabic and particularly their Iraqi
musical culture in Israel. I think Yair Dalal was invovled in the
making of the film, and he's also performed with them some pieces.

Was the film "Cafe Noah"? http://www.amazon.com/Taqasim-Cafe-Noah-Felix-Mizrachi/dp/B000TPZDW...

Todah raba,
"Udi" John

Rambaldi47 - 7-25-2012 at 05:25 AM

Yes, that's the one, John. :)

excentrik - 7-25-2012 at 12:03 PM

Musa Elyahu had an amazing voice...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp2pTe97PlA&feature=related

Rambaldi47 - 7-26-2012 at 06:59 AM

Quote: Originally posted by excentrik  
Musa Elyahu had an amazing voice...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp2pTe97PlA&feature=related

I couldn't agree more. :)

Here he is with Faisa Rujdi and Ya3akov Mourad and the
entire orchestra performing several Muwashahat in Hijaz:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSSWE1vtBiA

excentrik - 7-26-2012 at 01:54 PM

It's a shame how the Arabic traditions in Israel have been nearly wiped out in favor of "fusion" and an almost systematic assimilation to euro-centric culture. Arab-Jewish culture is deemed foreign. Sad.

John Erlich - 7-26-2012 at 02:14 PM

But, just as in Greece, there has recently been a revival of traditional Near Eastern music. Although it's come too late for many highly regarded Jewish musicians born and trained in the Arab World to be spared a life of obscurity, indifference, and neglect at the hands of the dominant Eurocentric culture in Israel, I am heartened to see the skills and institutions arise in Israel to train a new generation of performers of traditional M.E./N.A. music. Based on what I've personally experienced, I think this development has positive implications for a more inclusive Israeli culture in the future, and helps create some impetus for Israeli-Palestinian peace (IMHO).