Dana Ivgy - On The Bus

It's International Women's Day-and I'm thrilled that I came across this freshly released video because every year I'm reminded of the shamefully low number of female musicians in Israeli mainstream culture but also on its edges. Dana Ivgy is a talented singer but she's also a magnetizing performer, and a very talented actress as she showed the world in the already cult movie "Zero Motivation" (if there's one movie to see on International Women's Day it's this one) and basically anywhere else where she appeared. This clip was filmed by Vania Heymann when Ivgy was in New York performing with the fringe theater Tziporaleh. Here's a taste of their charming kookiness-which is a bit similar to this clip in that it takes a seemingly mundane situation, flips it around and creates something quite magical out of it. I used to refrain from posting videos that were shot overseas but there's so much amazing Israeli talent here (take note of some of the other passengers, like the brilliant Daniel Koren). It reminded me of a recent article I read about the thriving Israeli literary scene taking place outside of Israel's borders. What's more Israeli than acquiring new experiences abroad, or even just dreaming about it?

*Yeah, I know that I've mentioned Dana Ivgy before but that was just a taste, and she can totally get away with it :)

Didi Erez feat. Dana Ivgy-For me it's enough

Winter is over, we opened a window, soon we'll put away blankets in the closet, a quiet morning, we were able to sleep, I get out of bed first.
You smile and it makes me laugh, today you are good to me and for me it's enough.
An open house, the floor is cold, from the shutter a good wind enters, this day will pass by slowly.
There's not a cloud in sight and that's saying a lot, you smile and it makes me laugh, today you are good to me and for me it's enough.

A perfect song for a day like today, a lazy and sunny Saturday after yesterday's dark and cloudy preview of Winter. It may be better suited for Spring but I don't really care as today feels just like Spring (and even Summer). I love Didi Erez's vocals in this song and Dana Ivgy complements them in such a lovely way. Erez is best known for his radio hit "Every Look" but he is also a well respected composer for dance, theatre, film and television. He's also one of the original band members of the epic "Girafot" playing the drums until he left in 2000. These days they're celebrating 15 years since their debut (and now cult) album "Talking with a Chair" including reunion performances with Erez and keyboarder Rotem Dror. "For me it's enough" is Erez's second single after "Breathe" from his upcoming and highly anticipated new album "Berlin".