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Kutiman

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Kutiman

Ophir Kutiel (born 1981), professionally known as Kutiman, is a musician, composer, producer and animator from Israel. He is best known for his self-titled album and collaboration with many other Israeli artists including Hadag Nahash.

Background

Ophir Kutiel was born in Jerusalem and grew up in Zichron Yaacov. He studied piano since the age of six, and then drums and guitar at age 14. When Kutiel was 18, he moved to Tel Aviv to study Jazz at Rimon Music College.[1]

While working at a local convenience store in Tel Aviv, Kutiel tuned into a college radio station that was playing music that was much different than the classical jazz he had been used to playing. Soon after, Sabbo, another Israeli artist and current music partner, introduced him to afrobeat and funk, including the sounds of James Brown and Fela Kuti. His obsession with Fela Kuti and the fact that his last name was so similar led him to create the stage-name of Kutiman. He traveled to Jamaica to research reggae and afrobeat and work with Stephen and Damien Marley.[2]

Music Career

Kutiman was signed to Melting Pot Music, based in Cologne in 2006. Soon After, his first single, "No Groove Where I Come From" was released and soon after, he released a hit song with Karolina of Habanot Nechama, "Music is Ruling My World". His self-titled, debut album, which received an 8.2 in Pitchfork Magazine, was released in the fall of 2007.[3] Under the Radar picked Kutiman as one of the "Artists to Watch in 2008" , along with Glasvegas and MGMT.[4]

Kutiman has worked with many other Israeli artists and is currently working on arrangement and composition of Karolina's solo album. He has also created animated videos for his song, "Chaser" and Hadag Nahash's "Eze Kif".[5][6]

Thru-You

In 2009 Kutiman released Thru-You, an online music video project mixed from samples of YouTube videos.[7] After disclosing his work to just twenty friends, Kutiman's project spread virally across the web, racking up more than one million views in less than a week. [8] After viewing Thru-You, open source advocate Lawrence Lessig praised the project as a pioneer of a new, less regulated form of media, saying "If you come to the Net armed with the idea that the old system of copyright is going to work just fine here, this more than anything is going to get you to recognize: you need some new ideas." [9]

Discography

  • No Groove Where I Come From 7' (Afro Kats) October 2006
  • No Groove Where I Come From! 12 (MPM) November 2006
  • No Reason For You 12" (MPM) March 2007
  • Music Is Ruling My World (w/ remix by DJ Day) 12" (MPM) June 2007
  • Kutiman CD/LP (MPM) November 2007

References

  1. ^ Melting Pot Music
  2. ^ Kutiman - Kutiman - Djouls.com - Music You Don't Hear On The Radio
  3. ^ Pitchfork Magazine Review
  4. ^ Under the Radar #20 summary
  5. ^ Ear to Sound Blog
  6. ^ Video of Eze Kif
  7. ^ Thru You website
  8. ^ The Future Begins Thru You
  9. ^ REMIX: Buy the Remix
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