Amitai Mann - Full Moon Cinema (2023)

“The moon wasn’t just a coincidental main character in the creation process. From the beginning of humanity, the moon has been a symbol of change and repetitive cycles, a symbol of renewal, of trickery… For me here, the turning point in the moon’s identity in 1969 was the most significant symbol, when the Apollo 11 spaceship landed on the moon and attained the impossible. What had previously been out of our reach for generations, was suddenly perceived as attainable. The moon, in many ways, lost its mystical elements. The magic that was made possible by the unknown was no more. This feeling- the longing for imagination, has been present within me for some time. The moon entered this album as a symbol. A natural image of a personal search for magic. Like the cinema, the moon also invites us to set sail in a story revealed to us only in the reflection of the light…
“Like any good journey, this one was not embarked upon alone. I recruited my good friend, the internationally acclaimed accordion player and arranger, Ilan Ziv, to help in the process of creating “Full Moon Cinema”. His sharp mind and great talent helped me imagine and bring forth this dream, and with his nimble fingers he added a special flavor to the music. When we got to the stage of recruiting musicians to play with us, Ilan and I knew exactly who we wanted to choose. The people and music that made up this album created a precise blend that made it possible to materialize the story I had dreamed about. The guitarists, Dor Ben Lulu, the bass player Meidad Cohen and the drummer and percussionist David Dagmi are all graceful, smart and heartfelt artists and musicians. The album was recorded in three days in May 2022 in Israel.”