Shlomo Bar

Shlomo Bar (1943- ) is an Israeli musician, composer, and social activist. He is a pioneer of ethnic music in Israel.
Biography
Shlomo Bar was born in Rabat, Morocco. His family immigrated to Israel when he was six. He learned how to play the darbuka and other ethnic percussion instruments, performing in various small lineups and as a backing musician for artists such as Matti Caspi on tours. In 1976 he played in Yehoshua Sobol and Noa Chelton's Kriza (Nerves), a play about social injustice and discrimination again Mizrahi Jews in Israel. Bar set to music and performed several of Sobol's songs, including "Yeladim Ze Simcha" (Children are joy).
Bar then formed his own group, "Habrera Hativeet" (literally, "Natural Selection," but they call themselves "Natural Gathering") with bassist and producer Yisrael Borochov. The original lineup was Samson Kehimkar, an Indian violin and sitar virtuoso, Miguel Herstein, an American guitarist, the bassist Yisrael Borochov, and Bar on percussion and vocals. Yisrael Borochov had a stark influence on the sound of the group, and before he left had arranged, recorded and produced the first two albums of the band. Disagreements over where the direction of the band was going led him to split from Bar and to form the East West Ensemble.
The first album, "Elei Shorashim" (Origins, or a Return to Roots), combined traditional Moroccan and Yiddish music, with Indian elements and motifs, as well as new renditions of songs by Israeli poets. The songs were long, some of them running for eight minutes, and the subject matter was unusual for the time.
The lineup went through several changes in the 1980s and 90s.
Bar's musical influences are broad, including Bob Dylan and Miles Davis on the one hand, and classical Indian music and Jewish liturgy on the other.
Discography
With Habrera Hativeet:
1979 - "Elei Shorashim" (Origins)
Tfila - A Prayer
Children Are Happiness - Yeladim Ze Simcha
In The Village Of Todra - Ezleinu Bikfar Todra
Dror Yikra
Kotzim - Thorns
A Moroccan Wedding - Hatuna Marokait
1980 - "Mechakim LeSamson" (Waiting for Samson)
Hassidic Dialogue - Du siah Hassidi
Spring - Aviv (Bhairavi)
The Love Of Theresa Dimon - Ahavata Shel Theresa Dimon
Walking to Caesarea - Halicha LeKeisaria
The Dark Girl - Shecharhoret
Be True - Heye Davek
Alone - Levad
1982 - "Chut Shazur" (Woven Thread)
The Market Song - Shir Hashuk
Sultanas Lament - Kinat Sultana
To God I Shall Hearken - El El Ashacher
Who Knew - Mi Yada
Bread and Garment - Lehem Beged
Haji Baba
My Field - Shdemati
1985 - "Mitoch Kelim Shvurim" (Out of Broken Vessels)
Thou Art Land - At Adama
Danino the Immigrant's Run - Ritzato Shel Haole Danino
Or Haganuz
Hama
My Love Shall Come to His Garden - Yavo Dodi Legano
A Song of Degrees - Shir Lamaalot
1988 - "Michutz LaChomot" (Outside the Walls)
Who's There - Mi Shama
When Shall Zion be Established - Matai Techonan Ir Tzion
E'eroch Mahalal Nivi
The Flute - Hehalil
An Air - Neima
Your Fingers - Et Etsbeoteicha
1991 - "Nedudim" (Wandering)
A Seed Sleeps - Yashen Lo Garin
Naked and Bare - Erom VeEria
Walking to Caesarea - Halicha LeKeisaria
I Am an Innocent Girl - Ani Tama
Seven Sections - Shiv'a Medorim
Wandering - Nedudim
Three Were Founded - Shlosha Nosdu
Honi The Circle Drawer - Honi Hameagel
Reaching an Understanding - Hidavrut
1993 - "Peimot Shchorot" (Black Beats)
Yafa Ahuvati - Beautiful is My Beloved
My Land to The Redeemer - Artzi Lagoel
The Desert Speaks - Hamidbar Medaber
10/14 (a percussion piece)
And Then As Stream Waters - Veaz Kemei Nahal
Hamsa
A Song For Peace - Shir Lashalom
For Thou Art a Man - Ki Ata Adam
Black Beats - Peimot Shhorot (a percussion piece)
1994 - "David U Shlomo" (David and Solomon) - with David D'Or
Halleluijah - Haleluya
A Voice From the Heavens - Kol Mehashamayim
In the Village of Todra - Etzlenu Bikfar Todra
In Your Heart - Belibech
My Field - Shdemati
Don't Cast Me Off - Al Tashlicheni
Protect the World - Shmor Al Haolam
The Mercy Gate - Shaar Harachamim
A Song For Peace - Shir Lashalom
The Sailor's Love - Ahuvat Hasapan
Instrumental
A Prayer - Tfila
Comes From Love - Baa Me'ahava
Tfila
He Will Come - Hu Yavo
1996 - "Yachef" (Barefoot)
My Heart - Libi
The hope of God - Tikvat Hael
Walking to the Palace (Instrumental) - Halicha Laarmon
Neglected - Mezulzelet
He is Great - Adir Hu
The Immigrant Danino's Run - Ritsato Shel Haole Danino
A close friend - Haver Karov
Batash (Lit. meaning: A meeting between two elements)
Reveal The Story - Saper Saper
Lover of My Soul - Yedid Nefesh
Barefoot - Yahef
2003 - "Maim Ne'emanim" (Faithful Waters) - A Collection
CD1
Tfila
Yeladim Ze Simcha
Etzleinu Bikfar Todra
Kinat Sultana
Dror Ikra
Hatuna Marokait
Sheharhoret
Ahavata Shel Teresa Dimon
Shir Hashuk
Hagi Baba
Mi Yada
Ritzato Shel Haole Danino
At Adama
El El Ashacher
CD2
A Song of Yearning - Shir Kmiha
A Japanese Legend - Agada Yapanit
Et Etsbeoteicha
Hahalil
Halicha Lekeisaria
Erom Veeria
Hamidbar Medaber
Shdemati
Honi Hameagel
Ani Tama
Saper Saper
Yedid Nefesh
Mezulzelet
Haver karov
Zemer Nouge
2006 - "Ananim Nemuhim" (Low Clouds)
Low Clouds - Ananim Nemuchim
Genesis (Light) - Or (Bereshit)
The Seagulls - HaSchafim
And again - Veshuv
Da-re
Woman's poem - Shirat Isha
The Noon-Land's song - Shir Admat Hatzehoraim
Circles - Maagalim
Formless and Void - Tohu Vavohu
2010 - "Besod Tfilat Arar" (In a Secret of Solitary Prayer)
References
External links
The MOOMA database (Heb)
A recent interview (Heb)
Bar on his Biblical heroes. (Heb)
1943 births
Living people
Israeli male composers
Moroccan emigrants to Israel
Israeli people of Moroccan-Jewish descent
Jewish Israeli musicians
20th-century Israeli male musicians
21st-century Israeli male musicians
20th-century Israeli composers
21st-century Israeli composers
21st-century Moroccan Jews
Musicians from Rabat
People from Sderot