Matti Caspi
Encyclopedia
Matti Caspi is an Israel
i composer
, musician
, singer, and lyricist
. Born in 1949, he is regarded as one of Israel’s top musicians.
His music style is difficult to classify. He is influenced by classical music, Brazilian and Latin music
, Jazz
, Rock and other genres. It is possible to hear all these influences in his music. Sasha Argov
was one of the musicians who had a large influence on him; Caspi even recorded 2 albums of his songs with Argov’s co-operation.
Hanita
in the Upper Galilee
, and is of Romanian
ancestry on his grandfather's side. He studied piano
at the conservatory in Nahariya
.
After his military service he married Galia Superstein, and in less than a year they divorced. In 1972 he met actress (Patty) Doreen Lubetzky, and 3 years later they got married. They have two children, Brit (born 1981) and Bar (born 1985).
, he served as a performer in the Southern Command Group. He formed a trio with two of his friends, Gadi Oron and Ya’akov Noy, called The Three Fat Men. With this trio Caspi came out with his first big hit, Ani Met (I am dying).
After his service this trio became the They Don’t Care trio. In the Yom Kippur War
he toured army bases along with Leonard Cohen
, who arranged his song Lover, Lover, Lover with Caspi. During the 70s he worked closely with Ehud Manor
, another Israeli songwriter, and released some of his most popular songs: Lo Yadati SheTelchi Mimeni (I Didn’t Know You Would Leave Me), Brit Olam (Covenant of Love), and Shir HaYonah (The Song of the Dove).
Over the next few decades, Caspi had a prolific musical career, released dozens of records and collaborated with some of the biggest and most well known Israeli artists of the time: Shlomo Gronich, Ehud Manor
, Yehudit Ravitz
, and Shalom Hanoch
.
In 1989, Caspi met Rachel Wagner. Soon after he left his wife. The new couple emigrated to the US, and married in 1994 in California
. In 1997 Caspi returned to Israel and appeared in several concerts, including the Arad festival.
He has released several more albums, of which the latest is Nefesh Te´oma (Soul Mate) released in 2010.
Caspi has released close to 1,000 songs, both remakes of older songs and his original creations. His musical style is well known, especially for his harmony
and popular writing style. Musicologist Tzipi Fleischer said:
With some Israeli artists (chiefly Riki Gal), he not only took on the role of composer, but also of the producer. For Riki's 1996 album Ohevet otcha yoter (I Love You More), he took responsibility for complete production and also songwriting.
In 2005, he was voted the 91st-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website Ynet
to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest Israelis.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, singer, and lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
. Born in 1949, he is regarded as one of Israel’s top musicians.
His music style is difficult to classify. He is influenced by classical music, Brazilian and Latin music
Bossa nova
Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students...
, Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, Rock and other genres. It is possible to hear all these influences in his music. Sasha Argov
Sasha Argov
-Early life:Argov was born in Moscow. He immigrated to Palestine from Russia in 1934 with his parents.-Music career:He started composing at the age of five, began his formal music training one year later, and composed hundreds of popular songs. Among them were songs for the Israel Defense Forces,...
was one of the musicians who had a large influence on him; Caspi even recorded 2 albums of his songs with Argov’s co-operation.
Early life
Caspi was born in 1949 in KibbutzKibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
Hanita
Hanita
Hanita is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located in the western Galilee approximately 15 kilometres northeast of Nahariya, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Asher Regional Council. In 2011 it had a population of 500....
in the Upper Galilee
Galilee
Galilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...
, and is of Romanian
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
ancestry on his grandfather's side. He studied piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
at the conservatory in Nahariya
Nahariya
Nahariya is the northernmost coastal city in Israel, with an estimated population of 51,200.-History:Nahariya was founded by German Jewish immigrants from the Fifth Aliyah in the 1930s...
.
After his military service he married Galia Superstein, and in less than a year they divorced. In 1972 he met actress (Patty) Doreen Lubetzky, and 3 years later they got married. They have two children, Brit (born 1981) and Bar (born 1985).
Musical career
For his service in the armyIsrael Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
, he served as a performer in the Southern Command Group. He formed a trio with two of his friends, Gadi Oron and Ya’akov Noy, called The Three Fat Men. With this trio Caspi came out with his first big hit, Ani Met (I am dying).
After his service this trio became the They Don’t Care trio. In the Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
he toured army bases along with Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
, who arranged his song Lover, Lover, Lover with Caspi. During the 70s he worked closely with Ehud Manor
Ehud Manor
Ehud Manor was an Israeli songwriter, translator, and radio and TV personality.-Career:Manor began working for Israel radio in the 1960s, as a musical editor...
, another Israeli songwriter, and released some of his most popular songs: Lo Yadati SheTelchi Mimeni (I Didn’t Know You Would Leave Me), Brit Olam (Covenant of Love), and Shir HaYonah (The Song of the Dove).
Over the next few decades, Caspi had a prolific musical career, released dozens of records and collaborated with some of the biggest and most well known Israeli artists of the time: Shlomo Gronich, Ehud Manor
Ehud Manor
Ehud Manor was an Israeli songwriter, translator, and radio and TV personality.-Career:Manor began working for Israel radio in the 1960s, as a musical editor...
, Yehudit Ravitz
Yehudit Ravitz
Yehudit Ravitz is an Israeli singer-songwriter. She was born in Be'er Sheva, in southern Israel. As of 2010, she had released 20 albums and has been performing for nearly 20 years, also musically producing several albums for other musicians.-Music career:...
, and Shalom Hanoch
Shalom Hanoch
Shalom Hanoch is an Israeli rock singer, lyricist and composer.He is considered to be the father of Israeli rock and the most important artist of that area. His works have profoundly influenced Israeli rock and modern Israeli music...
.
In 1989, Caspi met Rachel Wagner. Soon after he left his wife. The new couple emigrated to the US, and married in 1994 in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. In 1997 Caspi returned to Israel and appeared in several concerts, including the Arad festival.
He has released several more albums, of which the latest is Nefesh Te´oma (Soul Mate) released in 2010.
Caspi has released close to 1,000 songs, both remakes of older songs and his original creations. His musical style is well known, especially for his harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
and popular writing style. Musicologist Tzipi Fleischer said:
- "He is the genius among his fellow artists, he set an important milestone in the history of the music of the world. Caspi has invented his own new musical language. As I sit and analyze his harmonies I find myself amazed all over again each time. The fact that he functions as the performer, arranger and conductor has formed a certain reservedness and introversion, but the truth is that he is a musical wild man. He is the one who promoted sophistication and western standards to the region."
With some Israeli artists (chiefly Riki Gal), he not only took on the role of composer, but also of the producer. For Riki's 1996 album Ohevet otcha yoter (I Love You More), he took responsibility for complete production and also songwriting.
In 2005, he was voted the 91st-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website Ynet
Ynet
Ynet is the most popular Israeli news and general content website. It is owned by the same conglomerate that operates Yediot Ahronot, the country's secondleading daily newspaper...
to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest Israelis.
Discography
Caspi has released dozens of albums in the decades he has been working in the Israeli music industry. A list of some of his albums follows.- They Don’t Care (1972)
- Behind the Sounds (1973)
- Matti Caspi – the First Solo Album (1974)
- Matti Caspi – the Second Solo Album (1976)
- Side A Side B (1978)
- Another Side (1980)
- Twilight (1981)
- Behind the Sounds 1984 (1984)
- My Second Childhood (1984)
- Side C Side D (1987)
- Crazy Paiz Tropical (1987)
- One to One (1988)
- Matti Caspi sings Sasha Argov / Mattityahu and Alexander (1990)
- Songs in Tomato Sauce (1990)
- The First Time A Caspi / They Don't Care Collection (1992)
- Buba Matti (1992)
- Matti (1993)
- Matti Caspi and Ehud Manor: the Great Songs (1994)
- Cherished Dreams (1995)
- Live in Arad (1997)
- Another World (1998)
- Media Direct Collection (1999)
- Duets (2000)
- Behind the Sounds 2002 (2002)
- Songs of Matti Caspi (2003)
- Ballads (2003)
- The Best (2004)
- You are my Woman (2005)
- Soul Mate (2010)