Yair Dalal
| Yair Dalal | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Background information | |
| Born | 1955 (age 61–62) Israel |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, instrumentalist |
| Instruments | Oud, violin |
| Website | www |
Yair Dalal is an Israeli musician of Iraqi-Jewish descent.
His main instruments are the oud and the violin, and he also sings as accompaniment. He composes his own music and draws on Arab and Jewish traditions, as well as European classical music and Indian music. He is also a peace activist, and works to enhance understanding and communication between Arabs and Jews.
Yair Dalal was born in Israel in 1955, though his parents were Iraqis who had immigrated to Israel the year before. Growing up, he was exposed to many different kinds of music, and studied violin at Givatayim Conservatory, just east of Tel Aviv. Though he was influenced by Iraqi folk music, he was also interested in Western rock. In his early twenties, he started played the oud. In his thirties, he lived on Kibbutz Samar, on the southern tip of the Arava Desert, and started playing music with the Bedouin tribe Azazme. His experience playing music with Bedouin tribes helped him find the identity he has today, and inspired him to write music that bridges the gap between Israelis and Arabs. His musical style is now influenced by European classical, jazz, blues and Arab music. He describes it as, “It is Arabic, it is Iraqi, it is Jewish, and Israeli.” Nowadays, when he performs, he often wears a loose white robe or long jacket, with a cloth draped over his shoulder like a prayer shawl. He says this shows his heritage and spirituality without being orthodox or overly religious. He also believes in the emotional and transformative power of music.
During the first Gulf War, he composed a piece with his then band, called Midian. The piece has a violin part which imitated the sound of Scud missiles falling from Iraq to Israel. After that, he began touring and recording both as a solo artist and with his band, Al Ol. Between 1995 and 2002, he recorded seven solo albums. In 1994, he wrote and performed the song “Zaman el Salaam” during the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony for Rabin, Peres, and Arafat.
Among his many efforts to promote peace between Arabs and Israelis, Dalal has created a “Concert for Peace,” and written an album entitled “Inshallah Shalom,” which loosely translates to “God willing there shall be peace.” He has toured with a band of Palestinian musicians, but when the second intifada started, they were forbidden to travel together. The album they recorded features a cover of The Beatles “We Can Work it Out.” He also believes strongly in his passion for playing the oud. He curated the 2001 Oud Festival in Jerusalem, and says, “Oud music is a bonding factor... this is the music which Jews and Arabs grew up on together.” Because of his involvement with the Middle East and Arabs, Dalal was refused entry into the US after 9/11.
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Wikipedia