Haberera Hativeet, known In English as the Natural Alternative or the Gathering, may represent Israel's sole claim to having an Indigenous and original musical art form.

Since the establishment of the modern state, there has been frequent attempts to define genuine Israeli music, whether it be the Russian melodies which reached Israel with the first Immigration wave and eventually became Israeli folk songs, or whether it be the Bedouin music which was part of the environment, or perhaps the melodies and musical heritage of Yemenite immigrants. Clearly it is hard to designate any particular style as truly Israeli, and Untill the formation of Habrera Hativeet in 1977 thre had been virtually no attempt to fuse the various influences into a significant musical in gathering. As the name implies, the Gathering does this, and this is reflected in the composition of the grouop.

The leader is undoubtedly Shlomo Bar, who write and arrange the music, and is both a vocalist, drummer and a spokesman. The Moroccan born Bar plays a variety of instruments : Darbuka , Bongos, flute, but his favoured mode of expression is vocal, accompanying himself on the drums. The other member of the original group, Indian born Samson Kahimkar who playes Violin and Sitar , who no longer plays today with the group and Nitzan-Hen Razel filling his important place today.

Other member of the group is Menash Sasson who plays Persian Santur. Menashe was born in Iran and joined the group in 1984. Ilan Ben-Ami plays Guitar and Oud . Ilan's familly is originated in Yemen and Morocco. Yacov Segal plays Bass Guitar. Yael Offenbach plays Tabla and Dholki.

The 1980s saw the popuarity of the grouop reach a zenith; they have been acclaimed abroad , playing in Canada, the USA , France, Germany , Poland, England, Chech rupublic, Spain, Italy, India, Hong-Kong, and Mexico, while continuing to enrich the Israeli musical scene with their single-minded approach and distinctive sound. Musically there is no doubt that Habrera Hativeet has gone from sterngh to srength. Their performance still manage to forge a close, vital and dynamic link with the audience.

Bar has elaborated on this relationship between the group and it's public: "The audience understands that we are constantly surprising ourselves. They participate in what we are trying to do.you have to live the music. The art is you, not what you learn to do. The music is not a goal in itself; it's an instrument to be used in order to embellish our lives.I don't invent anything: I do not 'create' music; I discover it and it all has to do with things I heard as a child. This is one's true experience, relating from the time of innocence. If you manage to return to your childhood and bring back your own experiences, you cause an awakening. And if you do something honest, it goes deep. We would like to achieve this in ourselves, and in the nation as a whole."

Written by Yoav Kutner - a well known radio/television broadcaster and music critic.

Contact:
Tel: 972-9-9564049
Fax: 972-9-9574783
E-mail:shlomobar@bezeqint.net
Website: www.shlomobar.com