The State of Israel said goodbye this weekend to one of its greatest musicians – the late Yitzhak Kleftar. The writer and lecturer, music critic and radio broadcaster Boaz Cohen (eco99) and Ephraim Shamir, a member of the Beehive band, said goodbye to the legendary composer and guitarist this morning on the show of Ben Caspit and Aryeh Eldad on 103fm.
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The legendary guitarist and composer Yitzhak Kleftar passed away at the age of 72
“He was a very original and unique guitarist,” said Shamir about his legendary bandmate. “Just as a person has a facial expression, so he had a facial expression of a sound, a character of a sound. When we met, he was not yet singing and he was not yet writing. In fact, towards the end of the band, he started singing and writing.”
“All the time we kept in touch”, he said about the relationship of the members of the legendary band. “We would also meet from time to time and rent some studio and sit and play and eat. We did that two months ago as well. It was clear to me that this was the last meeting.”
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Was it such a jam session?
“Yes, kind of. A meeting of friends with each one holding a guitar in his hand. It was very difficult and awkward for him to come. He needed a lot of help and to carry the respirators and everything, but I told him: ‘Yitzhak, I’m so glad you came.’ He told me: Ephraim, I’m so glad I came.’ Despite the fragility, as soon as he started playing, I remember Alon looking at me and saying, ‘It doesn’t matter what state he’s in, he always sounds like a clapper.'”
Boaz Cohen paid tribute to him: “He was simply a tremendous composer who composed many, many songs. Many times we don’t even remember that he composed them – ‘Green Island in the Sea’ by Yael Levy, ‘Do whatever you like’ by Gali Atari, of course to Eric Einstein – Lots of songs, ‘I love chocolate’ by the sixteenth lamb and much more. The more you hear and suddenly remember what a diverse and rich composer he was, it is astonishing.”
“He must have been one of the most prominent guitarists with a very unique style,” Cohen added. “There was always some kind of chord that you didn’t expect to get. And something that is very much a part of the Klephatri charm, the combination between sweet and sour, between happy and smiling, you can already find it in ‘She is so beautiful’, sung by Ephraim.”
Everything I read about him, this part of as if he doesn’t belong, a little weird chicken, music, guitar, composition, that’s it. It is accurate?
Shamir answered: “Not entirely. In my eyes, he was very much a Tel Avivian, representing Tel Aviv. He really loved the city and had many other interests besides music, but you know – we know him and the general public knows him.”