Yinon Muallem, a composer and a percussionist, carries two souls – one Jewish and the other Turkish.
Nine years ago, Yinon went to live in Istanbul, a move that marked the beginning of a fascinating and unique musical journey. Among other achievements, he produced five albums of his own compositions, collaborated with some of the most prominent Turkish musicians, performed for the prime minister of Turkey and as a soloist with the Tekfen Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, and initiated collaborations between Israeli and Turkish musicians, both in Turkey and Israel.
Last year, Yinon has come full circle and returned to Israel with his wife and son.
His new album, Breath, is a true representation of his musical path. It was recorded in Turkey with local musicians, but it also includes Hebrew songs and traditional Jewish pieces. The title song, “Breath,” was written by Yinon for his wife, Dilek, after they found out she was pregnant.

"Breath, breath
Inhale it deep into your lungs
He is growing inside you
Working wonders from within"

Other pieces in the album include rearrangements of two important Jewish tunes. One is the famous piyut (liturgical poem) “Ana BeHasdeha”, which Yinon sings together with his wife Dilek; the other is an oriental adaptation of the Hasidic tune known as “Abu” – the tune that marks the commencement of the ceremonial procession that accompanies the Scroll of the Torah from the courtyard of the Abu family in Safed to the Meron Mountain.
The song “Why and How” was written and composed by Yinon and is inspired by Victor Frankl’s book Man’s Search for Meaning, which quotes Nietzsche’s maxim, “He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how.” It is a song about life and its meaning and about following a spark of hope and optimism glimmering in the dark.
The piece “Rast” was composed by Yinon for his son Jan Rast when he was still in his mother’s womb. It appears in the album in two versions: one is the original version, recorded with a kalimba (a traditional African instrument) and with Jan’s voices in the background; the other version features the beautiful sounds of the kaval (Balkan flute) played by Sinan Cem Eroğlu.
The piece “The Sound of Rhythm” is a journey to the rhythmic world of Yinon and features the wonderful violinist Serdar Pazarcıoğlu. The ballade “On the Mountain”, was written in memory of his good friend, the musician Tanju Duru, who was killed last year in a mountaineering accident while climbing the mountains of Anatolia.
Breath is a unique and exceptional album that tells the story of Yinon Muallem’s nine-year journey among various musical cultures.