Finding the ‘Muzika’ in Israel

November 3, 2011 - 8:41 AM by David

Geva Alon being interviewed by Igal Hecht for 'Muzika'. (Photo: Ziv Kenet)

Americans and Canadians are going to be able to get a crash course in Israeli music and the people who make it when Muzika, a new half-hour 52-part TV series that focuses 52 of the most captivating musical voices in the country, begins its run this month.

Among the artists highlighted and interviewed in the series are Ahinoam Nini, David Broza, Hadag Nahash, Geva Alon, Asaf Avidan, Idan Reichel, Karolina, and Subliminal. The series is the brainchild of Canadian/Israeli filmmaker Igal Hecht, whose Chutzpa Productions boasts 40 documentaries – many of them about Israel – to his credit, and it’s co-produced by Israeli filmmaker Lior Cohen.

“The musicians will talk about their careers, highlights and their music,” Hecht told the Canadian Jewish News. “It offers a rare opportunity for people to enjoy some of the best music in the world, while at the same time see a different Israel.”

Hecht said that he shied away from delving into politics with the musicians, preferring to stick to their musical story. And rather than just focus on mainstream artists, he said that the show presents an accurate portrayal of the diverse melting pot of musical influences coming out of Israeli musicians, so there’s Ladino, hip hop, Hassidic, Mizrahi, reggae, and everything in between.

And one of the perks for Hecht was to be in intimate situations with some of his favorite artists – like sitting with David Broza in the musician’s living room and receiving a personal concert, or joining Ivri Lider in the studio.

While North American Jews and Israelis living abroad are natural target audiences for the series, Hecht is confident it will appear mostly to music lovers, regardless of what they know of Israel. Muzika will be screened beginning November 20 on CTS, Cross Roads Television in Canada, and on Shalom TV in the US.

Check out the show’s YouTube channel for some previews.

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