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| Moustaki: the vagabond globe-trotter
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Leading French singer Georges Moustaki is back in the spotlight with a new album, “Vagabond”. Merging Brazilian and Klezmer sounds, the artist explores diverse themes such as the artist’s love of his mother and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Moustaki is a simple man, uncomplicated, quick-witted, amusing and intriguing. He is a citizen of the world, a man fascinated by the beauty of life and nature.
At the age of 71, this Frenchman of Mediterranean origin remains young at heart. On his latest album he takes his listeners to South America paying homage to Tom Jobin, the maestro of Brazilian music.
Mummy’s boy
With the characteristic sounds of guitar and sunny percussions, the cosmopolitan Moustaki also shows that he is still at heart a mummy’s boy. The first piece “Jewish Mothers” is probably the most moving of Moustaki’s repertoire. The song incorporates klezmer sounds and funny, moving lyrics.
Inspired by his mother, the singer-songwriter recounts the obsessions of the Yiddish “mame”.
“I come from a Greek family that lived in Egypt. So my mother Sarah was a Mediterranean woman. She is exactly as I describe her in the song: possessive, naive and on the alert,” Moustaki explained in the French Jewish monthly, “Tribune Juive”.
Yet, he did not think of his mother when he wrote the text. “At the beginning, I thought to my sisters. I just wanted to write a song with a Jewish theme and as I started writing it turned into a story about my mother.”
Raised within the Jewish community of Alexandria, Moustaki did not cultivate the community spirit. “I am rather agnostic. My Judaism was enriched through contacts with others communities and cultures, Greek Italians, French and Arabs.”
“In my family only my mother respected rituals. It is a part of my identity, but it is not my only aspiration. I’m a cosmopolitan artist.
Singing of disillusion
On a more serious note, Moustaki talks about Israel through the story of a young soldier who comes to the Promised Land.
“The soldier” deals with a young Jew who goes to Israel at the age of 15 and is confronted with disillusion and disappointment.
“What happens in the Middle East particularly affects me,” he comments.
“One promises this young man that he will ‘make the desert bloom’, but instead he has to spread death with his rifle,” says Moustaki.
“It’s a true story. One of my friends went to Israel and ended up in the army. He had never thought he would join the army and be confronted with such situations.”
“If there is so much bloodshed and tears, it is because governments have not seized the opportunity of making peace. My song is not a judgment of soldiers, but a judgment of the people who send them to war.”
Without criticising Israel, the song is full of compassion for people who are forced to go against their principles.
The “wandering Jew” knows well Israel. “I have been there several times. My first trip was when I was 29. I learnt Hebrew in 3 months”.
“I gave concerts in Israel and I even presented my songs to public in Hebrew. The last time was in Rishon Le-Tzion during Succot.”
“Vagabond” is released on the Virgin music label.
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