The Idan Raichel Project, known for its fusion of diverse musical styles and ethnicities, will perform at the Fox Tucson Theater on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 7:30 p.m., in a concert cosponsored by the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona.
The group, which rocketed to fame in Israel with its first CD in 2003, has just released a new CD, “Quarter to Six.”
The title is based on a quote from Israel writer/actor/singer Yossi Banai, who died in May 2006. In one of his works, Banai describes seeing his mother staring silently out a window and asks if she is doing well. His mother responds, “It feels like it is quarter to six. It’s going to be dark soon.”
“This quote really affected me,” says Raichel. “It’s a way to describe the end of life. People learn to accept this time of the day, to come to terms with their life, in peace. And I thought of this moment in my life as also an interesting junction, a crossroads.”
Yet the songs on “Quarter to Six” are positive, says Raichel, reflecting his own growth and that of the Project. “I don’t see it as depressing, when I’m thinking of this moment Banai called quarter to six. I’m thinking that if the day was a lifetime, I’ve had an amazing day,” says Raichel.
“Quarter to Six” features guest appearances by Portuguese fado star Ana Moura, Palestinian-Israeli singer Mira Awad, German counter-tenor Andreas Scholl, Colombia’s Marta Gomez, Vieux Farka Touré and a selection of Israeli musicians.
Advance tickets for the Oct. 9 concert are available at www.foxtucsontheatre.org.
