Singer, songwriter and producer Ravid Kahalani brought this year’s Israel-Philippines Friendship Concert to new heights as he performed Yemen Blues in Manila.
Joining the Philippine International Jazz and Arts Festival (Pijazzfest), Kahalani performed rhythm and blues from Israel at the 12 Monkeys Music Hall and Pub in Century City Mall, Makati City on February 25.
Filipina musician Nicole Laurel Asensio joined Kahalani in the Friendship Concert.
Born to a Jewish Yemeni family, Kahalani is an important star in the Israeli music scene. His love for African-American soul and blues, roots music and traditional songs ignited his passion to perform. He has performed in over 150 shows with Yemen Blues, a group which he founded in 2010 with intense musicians from Tel Aviv, New York and Uruguay. Yemen Blues mixes Yemenite, West African and Jazz influences, and creates powerful mambo and North African rhythms with vocals reminiscent of ancient Arabic chants mixed with funk and blues.
The 11th annual Philippine International Jazz Festival included 16 days of musical performances from more than 50 local and foreign artists. The International Jazz Gala was on February 27 while the Pijazzfest Gala was on February 28 at the Palasyo de Maynila.
Alongside the Jazz Festival, Kahalani also brought Israel’s rhythm and blues to young Filipinos through lecture-workshops in the Far Eastern University, University of the Philippines Diliman, and University of Santo Tomas.