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"Tami Machnai is a performer of extraordinary creativity, vocal talent and passion, a consummate artist of great emotional depth. Her work has a special spark that always moves her audience in ways they don't expect."
--Hankus Netsky Founder and Director, Klezmer Conservatory Band.
“I admire her depth and magnetism and the rich mix of her Western and Middle Eastern repertoire”
--Osvaldo Golijov, Composer
Singer/composer/pianist Tami Machnai's artistry evokes a unique and intimate cross over style. Built on a strong classical foundation, Machnai's musical journey includes powerful elements of mystery, storytelling and theater. Machnai's music defies traditional definition. Her fierce independence and refusal to settle, driven by her passion for simply great music creates a very personal style of her own.
Able to move comfortably between very different, sometimes extreme, musical languages, Machnai organically weaves sound colors into rich personal interpretations. Drawn to the peculiar, non-conventional (modal) harmonies with influences from classical and contemporary composers-- through Sephardic and Middle Eastern historic and sacred sounds-- to British Folk and orchestral progressive rock from the 70's (Pink Floyd, Queen, Kate Bush, Led Zeppelin) and contemporary lyrical songwriters ( Rufus Wainwright, Jeff Buckley, Fiona Apple) -- Machnai composes and performs music seeking depth, echoing emotions and startling with elements of surprise. She leads and directs a flexible ensemble in which you will find piano, guitars, violin, cello, clarinet/flute, accordion, bass, drums and hand percussion.
Recent credits include performing at Lincoln Center, NY in Peter Sellars' production of the opera 'Ainadamar' by Osvaldo Golijov, performing at The Fleet Center, Boston, at the opening ceremony of the International JCC Maccabi Games, for an audience of fifteen thousand; performing with the L.A. Philharmonic at the new Disney Hall in a production of Osvaldo Golijov 's opera 'Ainadamar'; two performances in Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand; a Performance at the Argentinean Jewish Relief Campaign of Greater Boston concert (AJRC) for an audience of nine hundred; and performing at the Boston 'First Night' celebrations on New Years eve 2004. Machnai was also joining creative forces recently with producer Stephen Webber (Aaron Neville, Meshell Ndegeocello, Lindsey Mac) to produce her new CD, prelude to a future album. As a song writer she has received prestigious awards. Two of her songs each won first prize in the BILLBOARD International Song Competition, World Music category: 'Yo M'enamori' won 2004 and 'Summertime Debka' won in 2007.
In 2005 Ms. Machnai celebrated the release of her CD 'Levante' in Boston and New York. The shows received superb responses from the audience, as well as from representatives of the music industry and media. In the Boston area Tami has performed at a wide range of venues including Ryles Jazz Club, Karoun Restaurant, the Boston Public Library, the Berklee Performance Center, Longi School of Music and the French Library, as well as numerous Jewish temples. She was also featured on the Boston NBC affiliate, WHDH Channel Seven News in a broadcast of the 2004 First Night celebration.
Outside the U.S., Ms. Machnai has performed in Wellington and Auckland, New Zealand, in Temple Sinay and Liston Park Festival; in Tokyo, Japan, at Club Kokatoo; in Caracas, Venezuela, at the Yohan Sebastian Bar and La Casa De Cultura; and in World Music Performance workshops at colleges and community music schools in Zurich, Switzerland, and in Marakai, Venezuela.
In her native Israel, Ms. Machnai has performed several times on Israeli national television and has performed in Tel Aviv at the Jazz O'mania Music Festival and the Suzanne Dalal Dance Festival. She has recorded a SONY Television commercial as soloist of the Arnon Palti Jazz Quartet, worked in collaboration with the Nimrod Frid Dance Ensemble, and has recorded with Boston Reggae singer/songwriter Casper John on four of his albums.
Ms. Machnai's music draws on her rich cultural and educational background. She began her studies as a classical pianist at the Dunia Weitzman Conservatory in Haifa, Israel, and continued at the Rimon School of Music in Tel-Aviv, Israel. Tami Machnai holds a Master's degree in Contemporary Improvisation from the New England Conservatory
(with academic honors), a Bachelor's degree in Vocal Performance from Berklee College of Music (Summa Cum Laude), and a Graduation Certificate from the Rimon School Of Jazz and Contemporary Music in Israel.
Audience Response:
I absolutely LOVED the show.
By
all accounts it was a tremendous success. You really should feel very,
very proud of yourself. On an artistic level, I was completely blown
away by all the growth that you have done in the years that I have
known you. Your voice was perfect, the arrangements awesome, and the
music truly otherworldly!
--Panos Panay, Founder/ CEO, Sonicbids
This
is the first time I got to see you live, and I think that you are a
natural performer. Your voice sounds amazing. To me, it doesn't just
sound as Middle Eastern music, but it has an additional sophisticated
classical element, and what I liked the most is the mysterious element.
Kind of like the early Pink Floyd albums.
--Alan Abergel, Esq., entertainment attorney, Los Angeles CA
"The
performance last night was like a polished diamond--brilliant, warm and
with many facets created by the individual artists surrounding the
center Tami, who was absolutely flawless. You were super in
presentation and had the audience in your grasp as soon as you
completed the first number. People sitting with us who were hearing you
for the first time were overwhelmed. You are blessed with a talent and
personality that is priceless; enjoyed by those who are in, or will
come in, contact with you.
--Sandy Kimball-- Fan
“I have now listened to your album 3 times all the way through and it
is better with each time. I have never heard anything like it in my
life. It has become one of my favorite albums. Your voice is absolutely
incredible, the instrumentation just carries the listener away, and it
has such power in moving the spirit. I don't know what else to say. I
must see your live show. That's all there is to it.”
--Jordan Page--fan, email through CD baby
This
is an amazing first album! Tami Machnai powerful fusion of Middle
Eastern and western sounds takes you on a 1001 night trip. What sets
her out from other performers is that she's already found her style,
her special brand of music. You can almost imagine yourself sitting on
the beach on the Mediterranean shore, looking at the sea from dusk to
midnight and hear life waking up, getting active and slowly going to
sleep. It's timeless.
--Li from Switzerland -Review for CDbaby.com--
This
is my favorite Sephardic album. She sings with passion and kavanah, the
instrumentation is rich without being too much, and the melodies are
hauntingly beautiful. You don't have to be Jewish to enjoy this album
of Mediterranean world music.
-- Andrea Frankel – Review for CDbaby.com--
Beautiful,
haunting melodies and vocals. Love the new interpretation of
traditional songs, and new songs with Israeli and ladino influences.
--Elena, Boston, Review at Cdbaby.com—
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