RIYL: Gogol Bordello, Os Mutantes, Ozomatli
If you have trouble placing any of the languages you’ll hear when listening to tracks from NYC based DeLeon’s 2009 album Casata, don’t worry, you’re not alone. The group plays a unique form of folk and indie-rock that draws from the cultural roots of Sephardic Jews, a term used to describe Jews from areas such as Syria, Iran, Morocco, Greece and other Middle Eastern, Asian and African countries.
If you go back far enough, Sephardic Jews have a Spanish heritage, where a thriving Jewish culture existed for centuries until the Spanish Inquisition in the late 15th century. The Jews displaced during this period wound up settling in a wide range of places not usually associated with the better known eastern-European Ashkenazi lineage, and recently there’s been a resurgence of sorts in Sephardic-inspired music worldwide as this less well known group attempts to maintain and reassert it’s identity.
You certainly don’t need to be a history teacher, cheap viagra from uk however, to enjoy DeLeons complex tapestry of horns, harmonicas guitar and exotic rhythms. Formed by lead singer and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Saks in 2006, the band is a quintet whose songs alternate between English, Hebrew, Spanish and Ladino, a common language among Sephardic Jews.
“High is the Moon” begins the set with jangling tambourines and plucky guitar as Saks croon some traditional lunar-centric lyrics. Things start simply, but the melody becomes increasingly complex, adding female backing vocals and a lead guitar riff. By the time you reach minute 3 there’s a jangling jam that could easily get radio airplay.
Spanish lyrics surface on “More Than Wine”, which blends Middle Eastern rhythms with “whoaa-oohhh” refrains, trumpet and banjo. “Yo M’enamori” mixes ample hand claps with tinkling piano riffs and trumpet solos to evoke 60’s Spanish doo-wop, if such a genre even existed. This eclectic formula holds strong for most of the albums remainder as listeners are guided through a globe-trotting variety of rhythms, languages, and pop hooks.
The members of DeLeon should be applauded for the stellar musical adventure that is Casata. They approach their cultural renaissance in the best way possible, by making their music modern, accessible, and universally appealing.
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For More Information Visit:
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http://www.jdubrecords.org
