Yossi Sassi
| Yossi Sassi | |
|---|---|
Yossi and the Bouzoukitara
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| Background information | |
| Born | 5 February 1975 |
| Genres | Art rock, oriental rock, progressive rock/metal |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, Producer, Composer |
| Instruments | Guitar, bouzouki, "bouzoukitara", saz, oud, cümbüş, charrango, etc., in total about 17 different string instruments |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Associated acts | Orphaned Land, Yossi Sassi band, Oriental Rock Orchestra, Marty Friedman |
| Website | yossisassi |
Yossi Sassi (Hebrew: יוסי סאסי), born February 5, 1975) is a guitarist and producer who merges traditional and contemporary music. He is the inventor of the "bouzoukitara". He is known for pioneering & evolving oriental rock, as well as the main composer, arranger and co-founder of Orphaned Land, an Israeli progressive metal band formed in 1991, and founder of the "Yossi Sassi band" (The Oriental Rock Orchestra). In 2012, Sassi released his debut solo album Melting Clocks, an album that got him voted for "Top Newcomer of 2012" by Rock Hard magazine readers for his solo work. His 2016 work with Yossi Sassi band, Roots and Roads, was submitted for Grammy's award consideration.
Sassi grew up in Petah Tikva, Israel. His father was a firefighter who enjoyed singing, and his mother Tamara a housewife. Sassi's father, David, comes from a family of 10 brothers and sisters, all of whom play an instrument, sing, or do both. His grandfather and namesake, Yossef Sassi, played the oud and chanted traditional religious songs. At age 7, Sassi learned to play the flute, and later sang in the school choir, and his interest in music grew when he encountered the guitar around the age of 14 during a visit to his uncle. Sassi borrowed the guitar, took some lessons from guitar teachers, but eventually decided to teach himself, practicing for 8 to 10 hours per day for years. Sassi dropped out of high school at age 17 to focus on his band Orphaned Land, combining Middle Eastern elements with metal music.
Yossi Sassi blends East with West, Rock with world music, melodic tunes with progressive passages, and traditional folk instruments with electric riffs. Sassi, signed to Warner Music/Verycords, has over 20 years of experience as a producer, composer-arranger and founding member of Orphaned Land.
Yossi plays 17 different types of guitars and traditional instruments, and has been invited to play live and share the stage with artists such as Metallica, Marty Friedman, Steven Wilson, Yehuda Poliker, and others.
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