Matti Caspi - Side C Side D (Hed Arzi 1987)

Like its former album (Side A Side B), this album also sums up a long chapter in which Caspi has composed dozens of songs to diverse performers. Most of the songs in this album were very successful in the original version. Matti’s challenge in this album was to “bring back home” some songs that were identified with the performers and not with the composer until now.

The senior song in the album, which was maybe chronologically suited for “Side A Side B” is “Guarded Dreams” which Caspi composed for the musical “Lilly Too” in 1973 and was performed by Yizhar Cohen. Another senior song is “Days of Benyamina” which was written in mid 70’s for Hava Alberstein’s album “Like a Wild Plant”. Both songs earned touching performances which didn’t fall short from their originals. Caspi performs in the album two songs from Gally Atary’s album: “Flying in the Wind”: “Another Day” and “I Would’ve Said”. The most known, and maybe some of the best songs Caspi’s ever written, are undoubtedly “You Took my Hand in Yours” and “Someone” which appeared in the 1978 music and lyrics festival. Both songs have gained huge popularity in their original versions in Yehudith Ravitz’s debut album. These songs became most wanted songs in Caspi’s shows, and he’s even performed them numerous times during joint concerts with Yehudith Ravitz in recent years.

The opening song “It’s No Good the Man Being Alone” was originally performed by Danny Litany and Yehudith Ravitz. Ravitz even recorded it into one of her albums performing it alone.
The song was performed in one of the strangest shows Caspi has participated: during a show about the kibbutz that was broadcasted on the First Channel, a white grand piano was placed in a dairy barn in kibbutz Mishmarot, and Matti played for the cows. In this version it was indeed proven that “It’s no good the cow being alone” while the cows became interested in Matti’s playing and started to disturb it.

The song “Sounds of the Field” was originally performed by the “Central Command” band. The song “Almost Good” was originally performed by Nurit Galron, while the song “Woman” was originally performed by Hanny Livne in album arranged and produced entirely by Matti Caspi.

Another enjoyable aspect of the album is its amusing cover, which portrays Caspi in front of an enormous pink piece of fabric. The back of the cover reveals the complex logistic preparations behind the apparently simple cover photo. It can be interpreted as a statement about the album’s songs and Caspi’s writing in general, that the elegant album cover doesn’t expose the cleverness and complexity needed in their creation.

The team of musicians in this album is the usual one, more or less, that worked with Caspi that time: Haim Romano on the electric guitars, Koby Cohen on the bass, Dario Malachi on the synthesizer, and of course Jean Paul Zimbris on the drums. Also participated in the playing, were Louis-Carlos De Paula on the percussion, and string and wind instrument players. The album was recorded in Triton studios in November 1987.