"The Idan Raichel Project" - The Idan Raichel Project

The Idan Raichel Project

The Idan Raichel Project burst onto the Israeli music scene in 2002, changing the face of Israeli popular music and offering a message of love and tolerance that resonated strongly in a region of the world where the headlines are too often dominated by conflict. With an enchanting blend of Ethiopian and Middle Eastern flavors coupled with sophisticated production techniques and a spectacular live show, the Idan Raichel Project has become one of the most unexpected success stories in Israeli music today. While he regularly fills large concert halls at home, the upcoming international release of his recordings on the Cumbancha record label promises to introduce the work of this inspirational collective to a wide global audience.

From the beginning, Idan saw the project as a collaboration between artists who each bring their own musical culture and talents to the stage. "There would be no front man," Idan says. "I would sit at the side and watch things and see what occurs."

Every song would have a different singer, we would sit in a half circle and each musician would have a chance to demonstrate what they have to offer." The live show became symbolic of the album, as it brought together a group of people of different backgrounds but each is equal to the other.

This sentiment is reflected in the decision to name the collective The Idan Raichel Project. Says Raichel, "If I had called the album just 'Idan Raichel,' people would have thought that Raichel is the main voice on all the songs. I wrote the songs and I arranged and produced them, but I perform them together with other vocalists and musicians. On the other hand, we are not a group. It's something in between."

The international release of The Idan Raichel Project promises to bring even more renown to this inspirational recording project. Along with the release, The Idan Raichel Project plans to embark on a significant international tour that will bring them back to the United States, Europe and elsewhere to present their powerful and entertaining musical message to new audiences throughout the globe.