Wood, Words, and an 80-Year-Old Contrabass: The Story Behind My New Album
Welcome back to the blog at COOLIGORGROOVE.COM. Today, I want to share the journey behind my new album, Wood and Words - Etz U’Milim.
This is an album of 5 songs from completely different eras of my life. The oldest song was written 12 years ago, and the newest was born just this past year. Going back to this material - some of which was previously recorded as electronic studio productions - and performing it all over again felt exactly like playing cover songs of someone I used to be.
I visited different stations of my life and met the man who wrote these songs in various situations. To be honest, I was really moved by it, and I got to know myself again as a pretty cool guy!
The decision to go with a completely acoustic interpretation was meant to put the beautiful, natural sound of the contrabass front and center, accompanied by guitar, clarinet, and vocals. This stripped-down approach highlights the lyrics, the message, and the stories behind the songs. The entire album was recorded in a single, fast-paced, and highly focused 5-hour session at "Shtubiya" studios in Tel Aviv.
The one to whom i am acrediting the happening of this magic is my new contrabass, Tony. When I brought him into the recording booth, his sound simply shook the walls, filling the album with a tone that was sweet, full, delicate, and piercing exactly when it needed to be. Tony is almost 80 years old, and I see him as a full creative partner - even the best PR guy I’ve ever had, he some how sends his signals to the universe and gives me blessings.
I consult with him at night when I practice my bowing techniqe, and I feel that all the wisdom of the musicians who played him in New York and Europe diffuses into me through my fingers. Thanks to him, getting back into playing shape and improving my technique was incredibly fast.
I also had the great honor of hosting my dear friend Gil Gopher on this project. Gil is a musician, photographer, traveler, and a true Renaissance man. We've known each other since high school, and we both live a slightly different kind of lifestyle (to say the least). We share a deep love for music, nature, and cultures, we "live the movement," and we even share a past as meteorologists. After I played on the album he recorded over the summer in Mitzpe Ramon, and just a second before he flew back to the United States to continue his travels, he came to the studio to record two songs with me for this album.
The Story Behind the Songs:
Aman - (the artist)
I first recorded "Aman" during my big trip to India, at Saraswati Studios in Delhi. It was a peak moment of the trip and an amazing experience. I was young back then, and today, about 12 years after I wrote and performed it, I feel much more mature but still deeply connected to the song's message. It Apears on the album "haigor".
Lo Yodea Me'eifo Ze Ba - Don't Know Where It Came From
I created this song live during one of the 120 live stream episodes I hosted (a series that paused on October 7, 2023). It originally appeared on the album "Shlishi Ba'Shmoneh 2" (Tuesday at Eight 2). The track is a souvenir from a period of improvisation, created from deep within the gut without overthinking every word, only to discover its meaning and beauty in retrospect. The new acoustic arrangement takes this raw, improvised material and polishes it, treating it like a meticulously composed piece.
Chai Et Ha'Tnuah - Living the Movement
I originally recorded this on the album "Ose Et Ze Ba'Digital" (Doing it in Digital), which was created during the COVID era. That was a time of digital renaissance for me - I dove deep into music production, web design, and social media. Creating that entire album by myself was a quantum leap forward, a beautiful period of creative freedom and curiosity. Gil heard this album while traveling abroad in his van and loved "Living the Movement." Years later, he performed it at his recital in Mitzpe Ramon, and I had the honor of accompanying him. It only felt right to close the circle and ask him to sing it with his beautiful voice. Because of this collaboration, I consider it the standout track of the new album.
Yom Rishon B'Valhalla - Sunday in Valhalla
Created for the album "Dor HaBeat" (The Beat Generation) released in 2022. This was a period of stream-of-consciousness writing and fast-paced production—angrier, more protest-driven, and highly influenced by the Beatnik movement of 1950s America and Jack Kerouac's "On the Road." The song speaks about preserving our core essence in a world that demands we wear costumes that don't necessarily reflect who we are. It's a protest song advocating for authenticity, inspired by great historical figures who stood firm against society.
Miriam Hannah
The newest song in the collection. The arrangement is based on an acoustic version Gil and I prepared for our summer show at "Midbar Yayin" in Mitzpe Ramon. The song talks about my complex love relationship and eventual breakup with the cannabis plant, which accompanied me for a decade starting in 2014. It was first released as a double single (featuring an instrumental version that gained many plays worldwide) and later on the album "Hey, Ze Igor" (Hi, it's Igor).
Thank you, Tony the contrabass. You truly watch over me and have my back, and I will always give you a home, a stage, and plenty of support.
Credits:
Photography: Tomer Canon - Taken at Beit HaYotzer, Tel Aviv, June 2026, during my winning event at the Poetry Composition Competition.
Lyrics and Melody: Yigal Markus (Igor)
Instruments (Contrabass, Guitar, Clarinet, Vocals, Synth): Yigal Markus (Igor)
Guitar and Backing Vocals on "Miriam Hannah": Gil Gofer
Vocals on "Living the Movement": Gil Gofer
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