Sababa 5

Sababa 5

Sababa 5 is an instrumental group active since 2016, based in Tel Aviv and Paris. The band includes איתן דרבקין, רז מן, אמיר שדות and Ilan Smilan. Its sound sits within anatolian rock, muzika mizrahit and neo-psychedelia, and it is also associated with Israeli psychedelic and world music scenes.

The group forms from musicians who work with some of Tel Aviv’s leading singers and artists, including Gili Yalo, Ester Rada and Liraz Charhi. The members also play in or have worked with groups such as Hoodna Orchestra, Tigris and Kutiman Orchestra.

Sababa 5 draws on a wide set of influences, from 1960s Wrecking Crew recordings to 1970s analogue Middle Eastern music. Its music moves through different genres and rhythms, but it remains centred on groove. The band also establishes Eilat Studios, a new recording space on Eilat Street at the border of Jaffa and Tel Aviv, designed for live full-band recordings.