Review by Ellis Shuman
| QUOTE: | Rita's Amazing Window
Dateline: 09/06/99
It's been a long five years, waiting for Rita's newest album. But the wait was well worth it; Rita's Tiftach Halon ("Open the Window"), is an amazing tour de force, true proof that Rita is Israel's leading singer today.
Rita's newest release is a double CD, with twenty original songs. The CD has been welcomed by an eager Israeli public; over 20,000 copies were sold in the first 24 hours - a local record for a double CD. Not only is the music great and its production done professionally, but the CD's design is outstanding, with lyrics to all the songs alongside colorful portraits of the singer.
Rita collaborates with some of Israel's leading artists on Tiftach Halon, and the most notable one of all is her husband, Rami Kleinstein. Rami composed the music for many of Rita's new songs, and teams up with Rita for two duets - Zman ("Time") and B'Erev Yom Ha'Atzmaut ("On Independence Day Eve"). Husband and wife have two completely independent careers. When Rami's music and Rita's voice take on a piece, the results are sky high. And when they sing together, like on the lovely Zman, it is certainly a treat for the ears. It is too bad that their duets are few and far between.
Shlomo Artzi wrote the lyrics and composed the music for Lo Yoda'at Ma Ovar Li B'Rosh ("I Don't Know What is Going Through My Head"), as well as for Kama Ironi ("How Ironic"). Eti Ankari wrote the lyrics and music for Shar Li Hastav ("I Sing the Autumn"). Other collaborators on the CD include the lyrics of Eitan Nachmias-Glass, Esther Shamir and Tzruia Lahav, and Leah Shabbat, who wrote the words and music for Al Talech Achshav ("Don't Go Now"). On one of the songs, Rita is backed up by the vocals of the Esta group. Ellis Shuman |
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