World-renowned Israeli singer-songwriter Idan Raichel performs in Toronto and talks to us about his passion for music.  The evening which has an ‘intimate and interactive’ feel to it was hosted by Julian Brass.

Bio:

Only a few years ago, Idan Raichel was just some dreadlocked guy in a Tel Aviv basement, composing music on his synthesizers. First schooled on the accordion at the age of nine, Raichel branched out to Latin American and gypsy music. His time in the Israeli Army band solidified his musical skills. While there, he also came into contact with many Ethiopian Jews which tuned him into the greater frequency of world music.

Raichel’s multi-cultural music collective — The Idan Raichel Project — has also made a name for itself since its inception seven years ago. Highlights include playing at New York’s Central Park in 2007, at the Sydney Opera House in 2008 and two albums going triple platinum (selling over 120,000) in Israel in 2002 and 2005.

The band, which plays Israeli pop fused with tuneful melodies in global styles ranging from Ethiopian, to Moroccan, Spanish and Yemenite, features 90 musicians from Israel’s diaspora.