At the end of 2015, Irit Dekel left her home in Tel Aviv to head for London. The big idea was to have a musical adventure, hopefully making an album at the end of that particular rainbow. Intent on soaking up every musical influence she could find along the road Irit mixed her jazz-influenced stories of growing up, relationships, magical places, affairs of the heart and everything in between. Originally from Haifa, Irit grew up on a diet of jazz, classical, radio pop and the amazing rhythms of Ladino and in 2013 she released an album of jazz standards reinterpreted, winning critical acclaim and allowing her to tour Europe for the first time.
Whilst in London she met Jonathan Quarmby, fresh from producing the Mercury winning Benjamin Clementine album, and the two set to work crafting an album of 12 rhythmic, bright, colourful pop-influenced songs, not quite latin, not quite jazz, but totally uplifting. The album ‘Hello’, released Spring 2017, is driven by accordion, Latin guitar, trumpets and Irit’s effortless vocals. It’s an album that will sit comfortably between Astrid Gilberto, Buena Vista Social Club and Christine and The Queens; it will delight but confound all expectations. Having supported Caro Emerald to great acclaim on her Emerald Island Tour of the UK throughout April 2017, Irit now heads out on her own first short UK tour.
Be prepared to be won over and say “hello” to Irit!
“You can’t help feel she would be perfect to appear on Later…with Jools Holland” – Graham Clark, Yorkshire Times
“The singer kicked off her heels and at once seemed right at home on the stage”
James Green, – Big Issue North
