Photography by Irina Butyrina
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Kirill Malahov is a sound engineer of Music Brothers Records in Moscow, Russia. Irene's friendship and collaboration with Kirill began in late 80's in the Russian band Ra, where Kirill was the singer, and Irene the bass player. Kirill is the sound engineer with 25 year experience. He produced albums for numerous musicians as well as film sound tracks and is fairly called the maitre of the Russian sound. Almost all Irene's nusic was produced by Kirill Malahov at Music Brothers Records, including her albums "Live The Music" and "Music of Israelites and Jews of Africa and Asia" On Irene's CD "Live The Music", Kirill Malahov features not only as the sound engineer and producer, but also as a singer on some of the tracks.
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Photography by Piero Cefaloni
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Virginia Splendore, may her memory be blessed, an extraordinary Stick and bass player from Italy, collaborated with Irene in 2006 - 2007, the collaboration resulting in the duo Irene&Virginia. The duo toured twice around Europe with four Sticks, a bass, a guitar and an oud in a two-artist show where Virginia and Irene presented their original material, the fruit of their collaboration. Their collaboration also grew into deep friendship. Irene and Virginia recorded a few songs together at Virginia's studio in her house in Casaprota, and were planning another tour in 2010 when the plans were suddenly interrupted by Virginia's tragic death. In her new album "Music of Israelites and Jews of Africa and Asia", Irene used Virginia's fretless bass line that she had in her sound library in the song of the Igbo recorded in Nigeria, with the kind permission of her brother Marco Splendore.
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Jerry Marotta is well known for his work with such artists as Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney, Suzanne Vega, The Indigo Girls, California Guitar Trio, The Tony Levin Band etc. In 2007 Irene and Jerry performed together while touring around Europe with the trio Cides, Orleansky, Marotta. Jerry is also featuring in two songson Irene's CD "Music of Israelites and Jews of Africa and Asia" recorded in Uganda and India with his drums and percussion, including many unusual instruments, such as Taos Drums as well as on the music clip "Shalom, Mirembe!" recorded with the Abayudaya of Uganda. The tasteful and musical style of Jerry Marotta had great influence on Irene's approach to music. Jerry Marotta is the owner and producer of Dreamland Recording Studios in Woodstock, USA. To visit the official website of Jerry Marotta click here.
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Don Schiff is a bass, Chapman Stick , NS Stick and bowed guitar player known for his work with such musicians as Elvis Presley, Tina Turner, Lana Lane, Sheryl Crow and many others. He is also a composer who scored music for numerous films as well as his own albums. Don Schiff is one of the first and most renowned NS/Stick players. Irene's CD "Live The Music" features a song of Don Schiff "Deep Within My Soul" arranged and performed by Irene Orleansky and Kirill Malahov. However on Irene's album "Music of Israelites and Jews of Africa and Asia, Don appears as an NS/Stick player on the song recorded in Ol Kalaou, Kenya. To visit the official web site of Don Schiff, click here.
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Tony Levin is the bass, upright electric bass and Chapman Stick player best known for his work with Peter Gabriel and King Crimson. He also played on the albums of such artists as Cher, Alice Cooper, Pink Floyd, John Lennon, Sarah McLachlan, Sire Straights, Seal, Lou Reed and many others. Tony Levin is also known for inventing his "funk fingers" technique. He is the member of the bands Liquid Tension Experiment, Bruford Levin Upper Extremities and Stick Men. Tony Levin is playing the electric upright bass on the song recorded by Irene Orleansky in India on her album "Music of Israelites and Jews of Africa and Asia".
To visit the offial website of Tony Levin, click here. |
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Reuven Ben Chanan, the violin player, first collaborated with Irene Orleansky in 1987 while both were students of Moscow Studio of Jazz Improvisation. Reuven Ben Chanan is a graduate of Gnessin Academy of Music in Moscow and the winner of the price for the best young jazz players. He played together with such known jazz musicians as Igor Brill, Herman Lukyanov, Yaakov Okun and Felix Lahuti. Since 1992 Reuven has been living in Israel and performing as klezmer, jazz and fusion musician in Israel and abroad, including his collaboration with Musa Berlin, Bernie Marinbach, Aharon Razel, Udi Davidi, Israel Edelson, Uri Brener, Wlias Faingersh. Reuven Ben Chanan appears with his klezmer style violin on the bonus track "Sweet Mama" recorded in Israel and Ghana on the albun "Music of Israelites and Jews of Africa and Asia"
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Joshua Adjah Anang is a Ghanaian drummer who collablrated with Irene in several recordings made in Israel and Ghana in their project Ekome. His work as a drummer includes such traditional African groups as Kente Cultural Troupe, Pan African Orchestra, Wassa African Dance Ensemble, Kusum Ensemble, and Akuma Pa Dance Company. He toured and gave workshops together with his groups in Africa, Israel and Europe. He performed to the benefit of his country on a few occasions, such as the opening ceremony of the C.A.F Cup of nation Ghana/Nigeria in 2000 and the welcoming ceremony of her majesty Queen Elizabeth II during her second visit to Ghana in 1999.
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Danny Mahari is an Israeli Krar player born in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Though he has been living in Israel since young age, he is working hard on preserving and spreading the music and culture of Beta Israel of Ethiopia. Danny performs at most cultural events of the Ethiopian community of Israel. He started collaboration with Irene in 2008. The sound of his Krar, an ancient Ethiopian lyre, can be heard on the track recorded with Beta Avraham of Ethiopia for Irene's CD "Music of Israelites and Jews of Africa and Asia" as well as on the sound tracks of the film "Balla Ejj: the hidden Jews of Ethiopia" that will be released in 2014.
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Fredrick Kpakpo Addo is one of the leading Ghanaian dancers, though on Irene's CD "music of Israelites and Jews of Africa and Asia", he participated as an African flute player in a couple of tracks. He toured as a performer and gave numerous workshops in Africa, Middle East, Europe and USA. Today Fredrick Addo is successfully working on promoting Ghanain culture with his group Mumo Kome Ensemble. To read more about Fredrick and his group click here.
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Emilly Odai is a Ghanaian singer and dancer, the owner of unique and deep voice. She recorded together with Irene while working on their common project Ekome both in Israel and in Ghana. Her voice shines on the bonus track "Sweet Mama" on the CD "Music of Israelites and Jews of Africa and Asia"
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Photography by Leon Godwin
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Hannah Nemer is a senior Morehead Cain scholar at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. Often seen with a camera in hand, Hannah loves film-making and photography. Having worked with film the past ten years, she was thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with Irene Orleansky and the Abayudaya of Uganda to create a music video for this collection. Hannah has previously worked with the Abayudaya, spending three months with the community to create a short documentary and to conduct oral history-based research on the communal impact of Idi Amin's dictatorship. She also helped to produce the Abayudaya Youth Association's music video for "Jews in Africa." Hannah has joined Irene to create the documentary "Balla Ejj: the hidden Jews of Ethiopia".
To visit the official website of Hannah Nemer click here. |