Coolooloosh is coming here — cool!

By Staff and Releases October 22, 2009, 4:12 pm 0 Edit

Coolooloosh, a diverse-five man bad from Israel and Baltimore, will make its Pittsburgh debut Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Hillel Jewish University Center.
“Coolooloosh” is a Jerusalemite word for celebration and joy.
“It’s totally slang,” band member Ori Winokur told The Chronicle. “It’s not officially a Hebrew world; it’s used only in Jerusalem. It’s like an expression of joy or letting go.”
The music Coolooloosh plays combines hip-hop, rap, jazz, and funk, and is one of Israel’s most popular groups just now.
Asked to describe the band’s style of play, Winokur paused. “It’s always a hard question,” he said.
“It’s very eclectic in its roots,” he continued. “I would say hip funk and funk and Mideastern and Jewish elements.
He said hip-hop and funk have become popular genres in Israel.
“Actually one of Israel’s most popular groups is hip-hop,” he said. “It’s like everywhere else.”
Originally from Baltimore, the band leader, who calls himself Rebel Sun, moved to Israel in 1999. “I really just wanted to see the country for myself, he said in a prepared statement. “Being the fact that I am a Jew it should be natural in some way, (but) after just stay for a short while I felt home.”
Contact Efrat Avramovich at (412) 370-6298 or efrate@gmail.com for tickets.