Bear Family
Post-divorce, Esther Ofarim asserts her identity.
Although Israel's Esther Ofarim - with then-husband Abi - shot to international fame in 1968 with Cinderella Rockefella, her greatest success was in Germany, where she and Abi were based. After their 1970 divorce, her first post-split album was a lush but subtly arranged set, recorded with Munich's Philharmonic Orchestra in 1972. The eponymous comeback moved away from previous releases, which later saw her reinterpreted as a female Scott Walker (sharing a manager, they had recorded together). She sang in Spanish, Italian and Hebrew, but only once in German. Distinct national identities shine: world music before the term was coined. She also played Jerusalem with Leonard Cohen in 1972 (the booklet includes pictures of them together). Recent years have seen her celebrating Jewish heritage in Germany, a commitment which grew from here. Whatever the context, this fine reissue celebrates an uplifting album.
Kieron Tyler, taken from http://kierontyler.blogspot.com