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Motek Productions, is a Toronto based entertainment agency specializing in booking the most famous Israeli artists in cities across North America. Beginning with a vision and a dream for change, Motek showcases and introduces talented Israeli artists to the mainstream, fostering a new generation of understanding and appreciation for Israel across multi-cultural communities. This awareness not only educates and promotes unity, but allows Jews and Israelis from all over the world to get back in touch with their roots.
Our roster features a variety of artists from all genres of music, and includes only the best talent Israel has to offer.
If you are looking for an Israeli artist for your next event, you have come to the right place. Please look around on our website to find out more about the artists we represents. If you don't see the artist you are looking for, let us know and we will get you in contact with the right people.
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We are a Toronto based entertainment agency specializing in booking the most famous Israeli artists in cities across North America.
Motek Productions believes in making a difference and expanding perceptions of Israel through cultural experiences. By bringing Israeli artists to North American communities, we are exposing Canadians to the cultural side of Israel, are adding to the cultural diversity of Toronto. In this way allowing the culture of Israel to be shared with the rest of the world. With the consistent negative portrayal of Israel in the media, we believe showcasing talented Israeli artists will allow a broader understanding and appreciation for the country of Israel and its contribution globally.
Motek Productions has become an integral part of the Toronto Jewish community and strongly believe in giving back to the community, and consistently participate with, and contribute to many organizations. Being more than a production company; our dream is to create a relationship and bond with Israeli through the international language of music.
Motek Productions’ events and concerts allow the gathering of large local Israeli, Jewish and Canadian populations together, bringing diverse communities closer to Israel through Israeli music. In addition, for our community by promoting Israel’s culture, the Jewish population is encouraged to get in touch with their roots and the Israeli population is inspired to never lose sight of where they came from.
Since its initial days;
On March 15, 2009 Motek Productions had its first show with Israeli band Aharit Hayamim. The Jerusalem based band, known as a “grassroots movement”, and famous for their impromptu performances on the street, performed to a sold out crowd in uptown Toronto. The performance raised awareness for still captive soldier Gilad Shalit, and was meant to push for his release.
On June 4, 2009 we celebrated Tel Aviv’s 100th anniversary in Toronto. Israeli pop sensation Ivri Lider along with DJ Assaf Amdursky performed at The Guvernment, one of Toronto’s most celebrated venues. With Ivri warming up the crowd with his famous pop ballads and DJ Assaf spinning his deafening club beats, the night was epic, filled with off-the-hook energy and superb dancing. This was our first time taking on a massive venue and what a success it was. In addition to the performance, Ivri Lider, an openly gay performer held a workshop at the only recognized gay church in Toronto, the Metropolitan Community Church. At this event he openly discussed his sexual orientation and promoted unity and pride towards gay communities throughout the world. We are very proud of him and are thankful to him for spreading his goodwill in Toronto.
On November 15, 2009, the event we had been working on all year finally arrived. The Idan Raichel Project performed to a sold out crowd at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in the heart of downtown Toronto. The Idan Raichel Project is the biggest-selling band in Israeli history, and has proven to be a force in the international music scene. The following day the band held a Q & A session at York University, where they performed to a crowd of non-Jewish students. Through this type of informal setting they were able to communicate a side of Israel free of its politics, thus emphasizing its cultural significance in the world. Later that day they held an event at JUMP (Jewish Urban Meeting Place), where a new center was recently opened. To help celebrate JUMP’s new space, The Idan Raichel Project held a Q & A along with another performance. Most recently, Idan Raichel was invited to perform in front of an audience that included President Barack Obama.
On Feb 28, 2010, Motek Productions hosted Toronto’s biggest Purim Party with famous Israeli hip-hop band, Hadag Nahash. This year Purim landed during Israel Apartheid Week. To help counter this hateful event, we promoted and raised funds for The International Center for the Study of Anti-Semitism at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In addition, Hadag Nahash screened the Adam Sandler hit movie, Don’t mess with The Zohan (where four of their hit songs are featured), and held a Q & A to a crowd of non-Jewish students at York University. Due to the constant displays of Anti-Semitism at York University, the members of Hadag Nahash showed their support by appearing and answering questions in an effort to raise awareness on campus.
On April 20, 2010, Toronto celebrated Yom Hatzmaut with a live performance from Israeli rock star Berry Sakharof. Berry Sakharof, also known as “the prince of Israeli rock”, is Israel’s most prolific artist, being involved with over 30 albums throughout his career. After more than 25 years in the music scene, Berry is a certified rock legend and has performed countless times in Europe, Asia and the United States. We were so proud to present him for the very first time in Toronto. Berry and the band played a great show, making it a truly memorable Yom Hatzmaut.
On October 2, 2010, Motek Productions had the honor of hosting Rami Kleinstein at the established Glenn Gould Studio for an intimate piano performance. For over 30 years Rami Kleinstein has been known as one of Israel's greatest composers and is often compared to Elton John and Billy Joel. Rami is famous for his beautiful love songs, soothing voice and delicate piano playing, and has had a very prolific career as both a composer and performer. Apart from being a triple platinum and gold album award winner, Rami is also known for composing and arranging music for other singers, most notably the Israeli superstar, Rita. Rami received such a warm welcome in Toronto, and felt right at home. He gave an incredible performance, and left the crowd blown away.
February 2011, During this year’s dreadful “Apartheid Week”, Motek Productions stood against the new face of anti Semitism by listening to the wise words of Steven Harper:
“Jews today in many parts of the world and many different settings are increasingly subjected to vandalism, threats, and lies…
We have seen all this before. And we have no excuse to be complacent. In fact we have a duty to take action...”
This year Motek Productions took action through Geva Alon's intimate nationwide campus tour. With his passionate and love-filled guitar playing and lyrics, Geva delivered a message of love and peace to crowds of Jews and non-Jews across Canada.
On March 3rd, 2011. Shalom Hanoch and Moshe Levi put on a spectacular performance at the charming Bathurst Street Theatre. Hanoch and Levi played to an intimate crowd of over 500 people and had everybody grooving and singing on the edge of their seats. The riveting performance brought everyone together, on a warm and inspirational journey back home to our Israeli roots.
On March 12th, 2011. Asaf Avidan and the Mojos rocked the house at the Gladstone Hotel putting on Toronto’s biggest Purim Party! Jamming elements of folk, funk, rock, and blues, and carrying a pure message of peace and unity, Asaf & the Mojos had the 60's themed party-goers magically transported back to a blissful hippy time.
Motek Productions is continually growing and expanding their roster of performers.
We strive to put on the best shows Toronto has seen, and continue to raise the bar.
If there is a performer you would like to see in your city, or have any comments, questions, or concerns,
please fill out our contact form on the contact pageof this site.
Your opinion is the most important to us and we would love to hear what you think.
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ARTISTS ROSTER
BIOGRAPHY - Ivri Lider
Ten years ago, Ivri Lider was a young musician taking his first steps towards a career. A decade later, he is one of the most successful pop/rock artists in Israel.
Throughout his personal journey, Lider has become a rock star, homosexual icon, and a spokesperson for the entire Israeli generation. In his music, he sings about the life of a new generation called "The New People", a generation which he symbolizes and addresses. It's a generation which releases itself from old boundaries, and recreates its image and values to suit a new world, after the old one has changed in front of its eyes.
Lider has released five studio albums, three attained gold status, and one attained platinum. He also released a DVD of an array of live performances.
Each album has been critically acclaimed, and due to his success, Lider has attained, over and over again the title "Best Male Singer of The Year", given to him by radio stations as well as by the Israeli music channel.
Last year Lider completed his long tour, "Ze Lo Oto Davar (It's Not The Same)", where he promoted his 4th album of the same name. The tour spanned over three years during which Lider performed 400 times.
These days he tours heavily with his album "Be'Ketzev Ahid, Be'Tnuot Shel Ha'Guf (The Steady Rhythm of Body Movements)".
Ivri is a celebrated musical producer, and composer, and over the years has produced five studio albums, and has written scores for theatre and film. Amongst them are NDT, the renowned Dutch dance company as well as, Bat Sheva, one of Israel's most successful dance companies. He scored the film, "Walk on Water (2004)" which won the Israeli Academy award for score and was nominated for the French Cesar award.
In 2001, Lider decided to come out, and talk openly about his sexual orientation.
BIOGRAPHY - Idan Raichel
The Idan Raichel Project bursted onto Israels music scene in 2002, changing the face of Israeli popular music, and offering a message of love and tolerance that resonated strongly in a region of the world, where headlines are too often dominated by conflict. With an enchanting blend of African, Latin American, Caribbean and Middle Eastern sounds, coupled with sophisticated production techniques, and a spectacular live show, the Idan Raichel Project has become one of the most unexpected success stories in Israeli music history.
BIOGRAPHY - Terry Poison
Rising from the sweaty underground, Terry Poison, Tel Avivs notorious electrock&roll crew have been performing together relentlessly all over Europe since 2004.
Putting a great emphasis on music, staging and fashion, supported by two of TLVs most renowned stylists, Terry Poisons music and live shows have been described as nothing short of American sleaze with European finesse, highly provocative, sweaty and delicious. A true love child of samplers and guitar riffs, analog synths and apocalyptic beats their favorite: The Tarantino of pop.
"We like to think of ourselves as a Terry Poison party"
In the darkest corner of the stage, Anna our new guitarist is having her own little goth party, always dressed in white and ready to bite (Anna is the serial heart-breaker of the band).
Petite, the forever fourteen year old baby doll is having her 9th grade party playing, keyboards and singing songs in French. She's always a little heartbroken and dances accordingly. Petite, often prepares sweet love letters that she wraps up into paper airplanes and sends out to the audience in hope of finding someone to take her home after the show.
Gili is the outstretched actress on a synth guitar sometimes vocodtting and doing backing vocals. Shes always a little unstable due to too much whiskey and way too high heels which makes her roaring above like a party giraffe.
Then there is the walrus, Louise, the lead singer and number one Madame of the band. She is in charge of the crazy dancing, working hard in front of her bedroom mirror inventing new dance moves. A real-life Norwegian Power-Puff girl, plays keyboards and guitars and co-writes the trax with the Pimp, Mr. Bruno Grife.
Last but not least there is the pimp, Bruno, in charge of the groove, playing the synthbass and pushing the beats to the heart of the dance floor. Bruno is a beat-master, in-the-shadows- compu-wiz-kid in charge of the fabulous sound.
BIOGRAPHY - Rami Kleinstein
Rami Kleinstein is known as one of Israel's greatest composers and is often compared to Elton John and Billy Joel. Like John and Joel, Rami is known for his beautiful love songs, soothing voice and delicate piano-playing. Rami has had a very prolific career as both a composer and a performer.
In 2005 Rami released his album "Harbe Panim" (Many Faces). The album received great reviews and many of its songs penetrated the top of the charts in Israel. "Tagit at Zeh" (say it), Rami's seventh album, was released in 2000 and achieved platinum status within a few months. In 1997, Rami produced his sixth album entitled "Kol ma She Tirtzi" (Everything you want) which reached triple platinum after only ten days. Rami was lauded for his singing, composing and arranging. This success was no surprise as Rami had already been elected Israeli Radio and Television's "Singer of the Year" in 1995 after his "Tapuchim U' Tmarim" (Apples and Dates) album reached triple platinum. In 1986, Rami's first solo album, "The Day of the Bomb" achieved Gold status.
Apart from being a triple platinum and gold album award winner, Rami is also known for composing and arranging music for other singers, most notably the Israeli superstar, Rita. Since 1985, Rami has been successfully composing, arranging and accompanying Rita. Rita's electric voice and Rami's brilliant compositions have earned them many triple platinum albums.
Rami was born in New York, in 1962, and moved to Israel with his family in 1970. As a child, he studied piano and classical music with the famous Israeli music teachers, the Berenbaums.
BIOGRAPHY - Haim Goldenberg
Haim Goldenberg is a mentalist extraordinaire, live performer, and star of the critically acclaimed television series GoldMind, nominated for two Gemini Awards. If you think youve seen mind-reading before, youre in for the mental surprise of your life. Goldenbergs ability for shock and awe through his powers of manipulating the mind is a must see event. With his piercing brown eyes, captivating personality, and sense of humour to boot, Haim transforms the mundanity of everyday life into an enchanting fantasy which grips and entangles.
Born in Israel, Haim was first introduced into the world of mental experimentation when he was only six years old - and has never once looked back. Over the years he has perfected his natural mentalist ability, and, today Haim is internationally famous for combining the intensity of mentalism with his trademark captivating charm and humour.
His live show includes such features as mind-reading, using telepathy to make people believe theyre seeing things that arent there, solving the Rubiks Cube blindfolded and moving objects through space using only his mind. Each performance can be tailored to the audiences specific expectations, and includes a high level of participation. Haim captivates his audiences with a combination of charm, wit and incredible talent, leaving them genuinely intrigued and thirsting for more.
BIOGRAPHY - Berry Sakharof
Berry Sakharof started his musical career at the age of 16 as a member of the Cosmic Dream. Another member was his friend, Rami Fortis. Together they performed in rock clubs in Israel.
Sakharof first came to the public attention in the 1980s.
Right after his military service Sakharof flew to Belgium where he became a founding member of Minimal Compact, the first Israeli rock band to achieve significant success outside Israel. The band recorded six albums.
In 1988, Minimal Compact broke up after the members did not get work visas for the United States, where they planned a concert tour. Sakharof and fellow former Minimal Compact guitarist, Rami Fortis, began an extended period of collaboration, eventually returning to Israel and producing many songs.
After leaving Fortis, Sakharof continued producing albums. Producing a collaboration with multi-instrumentalist and producer Rea Mochiach, the album was chosen as the 11th best album ever (and the highest ranking for an Israeli album) by a readers' poll on the popular news site ynet.
By the mid-1990s, Sakharof's was one of the highest-grossing live acts in Israel, and he was commonly referred to in the media as the "prince of Israeli rock".
Sakharof's biggest commercial success came in 1998 with the release of Touches, that reached platinum within several days.
In 2001 his album "The Other" was released. The album included the song "Lord of World" which was written by Barry Hazak, a soldier who died in the Yom Kippur War, and a cover of Ehud Banai's song "City of Refuge". The album's name was taken from the perception of "The Other" (French: 'L'autre') of the French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas, who is also quoted in the album's booklet. "Monsoon" was the only song from the album broadcast on the radio as a single. In the same year Sakharof wrote soundtracks for two Israeli movies.
In 2002, Sakharof collaborated with Erez Aizen, and Amit Duvedevani of Infected Mushroom to create the Birthday EP.
During 2005 his album 11 Alef was released. The album is the result of about two years of mutual work with Rea Mochiach (who moved to the United States after the release of the album 'Signs of Weakness') during Mochiach's occasional visits to Israel. The album was sold in the first week only on the Internet in the MP3 format and later released to the music stores. After the release of the album, Mochiach arrived in Israel and participated in a short concert tour with Sakharof.
In 2006 Sakharof reunited with Fortis for a new album and a tour.
BIOGRAPHY - Mosh Ben Ari
Mosh Ben Ari, is a pioneer in bringing the World Music Scene to the main stream in Israel. His music and performances are the celebration of groove & spirit, blending rock, soul, reggae and world music.
His first 3 albums became best sellers, and his 4th live album is showing signs of the same direction. His most recent album was released in September 2009.
Mosh comes from a Yemenite and Iraqi Jewish background. He brings to his music the colours of his cultural heritage, and plays various string instruments such as Guitars, Indian Sarod, Persian Tar, Turkish Jumbush, Moroccan Ginberi and Bass.
In 1997, he founded the famous Israeli world music band, Sheva who have released 4 albums and toured the world doing dozens of shows in the most prestigious festivals and events.
Mosh Ben Ari is one of the most successful and respected singers in Israel, with his rich and unique voice that melts the hearts of so many in Israel, and around the world.
He has successfully toured America and Europe and will be touring again later this year.
BIOGRAPHY - Hadag Nahash
Hadag Nahash, is known for their fluidity of music types, and songs ranging from funk, hip-hop, jazz, ska, and even several electronic numbers, such as "Hine Ani Ba" (Here I Come). "Hine Ani Ba" is also an example of a song with a political or cultural message, as it depicts a cultural struggle between Jerusalem, a symbol of Israel's heritage, and Tel Aviv, a hub for young people and night life. One marker of its success is that this song is also featured in the Adam Sandler movie, You Don't Mess with the Zohan.
Hadag Nahash also uses music to display cynicism, as this can be seen in a song from its latest album, Lotus. This song, despite having an upbeat rhythm and tune, contains depressing and pessimistic lyrics.
One of its most famous hits is "Shirat Hasticker" ("The Sticker Song" in English), written by Israeli novelist, David Grossman. The lines of the song are all slogans seen on Israeli bumper stickers. The opposing political slogans are juxtaposed to create an angry and ironic portrait of political and religious life in Israel.
Hadag Nahash has a minor rivalry with the Israeli hip-hop star Subliminal, due to the fact that Subliminal is politically right-wing, and Hadag Nahash is left-wing. The rivalry is purportedly shown in the lyrics of the song "Gabi V'Debi" ("Gabby and Debby"), and in its more recent song "Teraga" ("Calm Down"), which speaks with great criticism of the manner in which hip-hop stars act, and the manner with which the music industry is run in general.
"Gabi V'Debi" is also notable for its political message. Hadag Nahash sings about meeting Gabby and Debby, characters from a children's show which was part of the Let's Learn English series, who, in the show, had a magic stick that could transport them to any time and place. They offer to take the narrator wherever he wants as long as it has a positive Zionistic message for the children. The three visit first Herzl and then Trumpeldor, two famous promoters of Zionism, and find each to be a far cry from their idealized images. Most notably they see Herzl on drugs and offering them the same, using a paraphrase of the motto of Zionism, "If you will this is not legend". This audacious and controversial song is typical of Hadag Nahash.
In 2007, Hadag Nahash's, With Help of the Jam was named best album at the Israel Music Awards.
