Israeli composer, producer, film creator, and multi-instrumentalist Kutiman will be making his debut performance in front of the Belgrade audience on May 31st, 2023, at BitefArtCafe Club. He will be presenting his latest album titled “Open,” which was released in October 2022. The album features twelve psychedelic songs inspired by classic soul and Middle Eastern influences.

Once again, Musicology Sessions is bringing world-renowned artists to Belgrade this year. After the sold-out concerts of the famous Swedish band Dirty Loops and the icon of domestic schlager music Bisera Veletanlic and Vasil Hadzimanov Trio, the audience can now expect to enjoy the sounds of Israel. Kutiman offers a fresh reinterpretation of his eclectic sound solutions, and he is sure to deliver an unforgettable performance to the domestic audience on May 31st.

Kutiman’s concerts at the Musicology Sessions concert series are organized in cooperation with the Embassy of Israel. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel, the organizers believe that this Israeli artist is the right choice to introduce the spirit of creativity and innovation of Israel to the Belgrade audience. His musical diversity, as well as the combination of traditional and modern sound, is a true picture of the essence of Israeli multicultural society. Kutiman is a representative of the vibrant cultural scene in Israel that occupies an important place on the global artistic scene with its distinctive flavor.

Regarding the concert in Belgrade, we had a conversation with Kutiman:

How did the nine-year period of isolation from people affect you, and what benefits and negative consequences did you experience during that time?

It wasn’t complete isolation from people… I lived in a small community far from the city, so I saw people, but the same people every day. The advantage was a peaceful environment and a cheaper way of life than in the city, which gave me the privilege to do almost completely what I wanted creatively, as I didn’t have to worry about rent. The disadvantage was the lack of new experiences… As I said, you see the same people and the same locations every day… it can narrow your world after a few years…

How did you discover Bernard Purdie, and what inspired you to create the ThruYOU project using video clips of musicians from YouTube?

I love learning, but I never did well in educational institutions. The discovery of YouTube was a big deal for me. At that time, I was watching a lot of music tutorials to improve my own musical skills, and one of them was a drumming lesson from the great Bernard Purdie. I had several tabs open with different lessons and sometimes played them together just for fun, which led me to the idea that with a bit of editing, I could create music from YouTube video clips.

Which musicians have had the greatest influence on you and your music?

That’s a really tough question to answer, but I’ll try to give a simpler answer and list some musicians who have been extremely inspirational to me: Jimmy Smith, Fela Kuti, James Brown, David Axelrod, John and Alice Coltrane, and Terry Riley.

As this is your first concert in Serbia, are you familiar with Serbian culture and what do you expect from the audience at your concerts on May 31?

As this is my first time performing in Serbia, I am excited to learn more about the local culture and connect with the audience at our concert on May 31. I hope to create a warm atmosphere and give the audience a memorable experience.

Tickets for the concerts are available for purchase at all Tickets box offices as well as online at tickets.rs.