African Music in Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv is moving and shaking to a new underground sound that began a long, long time ago in Africa

Featured March 10 Words by Dan Savery Raz
Photos Nitzan Hafner
African Music in Tel Aviv

As the sun goes down in Tel Aviv, a hypnotic tribal beat can be heard coming from a beach near Jaffa. Known to locals as Drum Beach, it's the meeting point for the drummers and dancers who make up a distinctly African music scene, one that is fast becoming part of Tel Aviv's nightlife. Every Friday, the beach attracts all kinds of revellers, from beach bums to businessmen, suntanned locals to sunburnt tourists.

They come to hear sounds not traditionally associated with Tel Aviv, which is better known for its colourful trance and gay nightclubs. But in many ways, Tel Aviv, or TLV, is now opening its arms to Africa. Inspired by their travels and the growing Ethiopian immigrant population, Israelis have welcomed a unique "world music" scene, with its roots running much deeper than the realms of Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon's Graceland album, and hippiedom.

It began, as they say, in Africa - Ethiopia to be precise. The story of the Ethiopian Jewish community is an epic tale of biblical proportions. The origin of Ethiopian Jews (or Falasha Mura) is unclear, but some believe they were descendents of the lost Israelite tribe of Dan. Although small groups of African Jews returned to Israel in the 1950s, the majority arrived during Operation Moses from Sudanese refugee camps in 1984 and Operation Solomon in 1991. Almost the entire Falasha community was air-lifted to safety in order to escape civil war and famine. Operation Solomon set a world record for a single-flight passenger load when 1,122 refugees were squeezed onto one aircraft and in just 36 hours almost 14,500 Ethiopians were airlifted in 34 flights.

In recent years, these immigrants have started to find their voice in Israel. The clearest example of this cultural development is the Idan Raichel Project (www.idanraichelproject.com), a group that fuses Middle Eastern and Ethiopian music. With his long black dreadlocks and turban, Idan is one of Israel's most recognisable musicians. "If you know nothing about Ethiopia, you might think it's just a bunch of huts in villages," says Idan. "So it's important for people to see Ethiopian musicians onstage."

In 2006 the group performed at the Ethiopian Music Festival in Addis Ababa. It has been said that Idan's music crosses cultural borders, but he downplays this: "I just love playing music with my friends."

Today, other Israeli musicians are making African-inspired music. In the underground scene, some bands are swapping electric guitars and synthesizers for ancient wood and wind instruments like the n'goni (African harp) and the balafon (African xylophone). It's almost the complete reverse of Bob Dylan's notorious decision to "go electric" in 1965.

Israeli bands like Kabako, who were inspired by the native music of Burkina Faso in West Africa, and percussion band Tribal Dance, represent a new sound that some are calling "organic music". That is, music not produced on a computer.

If you listen carefully, the sound of Africa can be heard in bars and clubs across the city. The Block (35 David Hachami Street), a popular nightclub in Tel Aviv, runs African-themed nights and if you don't mind your hands aching, you can learn how to play the djembe at one of its drumming workshops.

The block often invites African drumming masters like Thomas Guei to play and last year the club arranged a special night called Journey to Africa - a tribute to the music of Fela Kuti. The name Fela Kuti may not be as recognisable as Bob Marley or James Brown, but in the 70s he was a living legend in Africa. If James Brown was the Godfather of Soul, then Fela was the Godfather of Afrobeat - funky, fast and furious music.

"For me, it all started with Fela Kuti," says Israeli DJ Yano, who specialises in Afrobeat and reggae. "Afrobeat is powerful music and [he] used to have 25 people onstage, including trumpeters, guitarists, singers and percussionists."

"Ten years ago I used to go to music shops like Krembo (15 Sheinkin Street) in Tel Aviv with my friends and we'd celebrate every time we found an Afrobeat record," he laughs. "Now my kids laugh at me because they can get it all instantly from the internet."

DJ Yano, who has his own radio show on 106FM, says African music has deep connections to Israel. "You can find it in other countries too, but the roots and words in Afrobeat seem to resonate here," he says. "It's like the music was transported to a different time and different people."

The African influence reaches further than music. Last year the city played host to the Nollywood Babylon festival of Nigerian cinema. You can also find many African art shops like Uma Jaffa (5 Ben Yair Street, Jaffa) and Almaz Ethiopian Workshop (Gan Hayir Shopping Centre, Ibn Gvirol Street). There were two recent African "ballets" produced by theatre group Bangoura (www.bangoura.co.il), held at the Suzanne Dellal Theatre in Tel Aviv's fashionable Neve Tzedek neighbourhood.

The tribal vibe is even filtering down to weddings and Bar Mitzvahs. Nokoba (www.nokoba.com), an African drumming and dance troupe based in Israel can be hired to liven up family occasions and is proving popular. Nokoba was founded last year by Israeli-Ghanaian couple Benjamin and Maital Kouleho.

Maital believes the reasons for this tribal revival are simple: "It brings happiness to people and gives them a chance to let it all out. It connects [people] by doing something ancient - communicating and celebrating through the drum.

"Sometimes we play to people who can't speak English and our guys can't speak Hebrew, so with music we find a common language where no translation is needed," she adds. "If you have it in you, it's easy." www.visit-tlv.com

FIVE REASONS TO LOVE TLV

TRIBAL VIBES

Going strong since 1994, the Barby is one of the coolest clubs in downtown Tel Aviv. Next door to an old kibbutz city, it attracts a young bohemian crowd bobbing to Afrobeat and Rasta rhythms. 52 Kibbutz Galuyot Street, www.barby.co.il

BLOCK PARTY

Opened last year, the Block was an instant hit on the TLV nightlife scene. Now a buzzing nightclub with lasers, chill-out areas and three bars, big-name guest DJs spin anything from tribal house to Motown. 35 David Chachami Street, www.block-club.com

STOMPING STAGESHOW

Mayumana is Israel's version of Stomp and fuses a world of music and dance. Mayumana House, 15 Louis Pasteur Street, Jaffa, www.mayumana.com

BEATS ON THE BEACH

Drum Beach is the best way to start the weekend every Friday evening. Feel free to join in the mayhem outside the old Dolphinarium nightclub on Tel Aviv's seafront, or simply watch the sunset with a beer. www.drumbeach.co.il

LAIDBACK AND LIVE

For a more chilled-out and sophisticated atmosphere, head to Shablul Jazz Club on Tel Aviv's port, featuring live fusion and jazz from Israeli and international musicians. Hangar 13, Tel Aviv Port, www.shabluljazz.com

WHERE TO STAY IN TEL AVIV

UNDER �80
BELL HOTEL TEL AVIV

Save your pennies for Tel Aviv's nightlife by staying at this family-run three-star, a 15-minute walk from Jaffa. Doubles from �79.50, book at www.hotels.easyJet.com

UNDER �130
MARINA TEL AVIV

Discover Tel Aviv's nightlife from this comfortable four-star, close to restaurants and the banging beats of Drum Beach. Doubles from �125, book at www.hotels.easyJet.com

UNDER �200
CARLTON TEL AVIV

This luxury boutique hotel is in a prime spot overlooking the Marina, near Drum Beach and a short taxi ride to trendy club Barby. Doubles from �193.50, book at www.hotels.easyJet.com