Ahuva Ozeri - A Voice Calls to Me In the Desert

A voice calls to me in the desert and I am alone
My eyes I will turn to you in prayer
My tortured soul my tortured soul
I lift my voice to you in prayer
Go to Israel they are crying to you
And I am in the desert they want my soul
Merciful and compassionate maker of wonders
Please my God send me to my people

Ahuva Ozeri rose to fame thanks to her soulful voice but she will also be remembered as a talented composer, beloved vocal coach and captivating performer, who never ceased to smile and encourage young artists, even after she lost her vocal chords to cancer 16 years ago. Many considered her to be the mother of Mizrahi music and she is alreay greatly missed.

Maya Avraham-Morning Arrives

This is the first song from Ahuva Ozeri's latest album "Silence Above Me" which you can listen and buy here: http://avodaivrit.bandcamp.com/album/--5 and it's a perfect choice for a first song. It really sets the tone of the album and makes you just want to play it straight and enjoy the ride. At first I thought this was an album of covers to Ozeri's songs because of the different artists singing here but in fact it's an original-sadly Ahuva can't sing the vocals anymore due to illness and although the wide range of artists do an excellent job her voice is really missed. Here's one of her classics: "Ringing Bells". Maya Avraham's voice might be familiar to you because she's part of the breakthrough Idan Raichel Project and here's one of their classics. I was just browsing through her facebook page (https://he-il.facebook.com/mayaavrahammusic) when I saw a post by her announcing that she'll be singing for Obama during his visit! It's a huge honour and she completely deserves the respect. I saw an interview with her not too long ago and she seems like such a modest and caring person-a true soul singer, just like Ahuva. Maybe I've been reading too much news but when I went over the lyrics for this song it did remind me just a bit of Obama's highly anticipated visit (full coverage here or you can follow the satiric twitter account FakeObamaIsrael). Everybody's talking about the visit and even the weather began with "Barack Obama will arrive on a pleasant day". There is a sense of excitement in the air but it could also do with the beginning of Passover vacation. The Israeli Left especially seems to have risen from its grave and endorsed a popular facebook campaign to bring Obama to Rabin Square to give an emotional speech that might make a change in the frozen peace process. Of course it won't happen and they even had to cancel the screening of the speech from Jerusalem (for logistic reasons because the hour of the speech was changed) but the 23K likes does show Israel's support for Obama and even the possibility of peace.

Your footsteps I heard in the night
Morning arrives you came back
Maybe you forgot to kiss my lips

I didn't know a stranger in my house
I didn't want another in your place in my heart
My body and soul are pure

Night arrives you leave
Again leaving me in a cold world
Night arrives where are you
Maybe your body is snug with love and passion

I didn't know...

And don't forget I am still here
The heart asks if it's over