Renowned singer Sarah Aroeste will be coming to TBE on Sat. night, March 20 as part of our weekend Synaplex program.
Sarah Aroeste and her band are known for their dynamic fusion of Spanish, Mediterranean and American musical traditions. Inspired by her family's cultural heritage--with Sephardic family roots orginally from Spain and later settling in Salonika, Greece-- the Aroeste sound combines and updates aspects from her unique family background.
Most influenced by the music and language of her Spanish roots, Aroeste grounds her music in Ladino, or Judeo-Spanish, the language originated by Spanish Jews after their expulsion from Spain in 1492. This medieval dialect of Spanish was carried by Spanish Jews to the various points where they later settled, primarily along the Mediterranean coast and North Africa. In time, Ladino came to absorb bits and pieces of languages all along the Mediterranean coast, including some Greek, Turkish, Portuguese, French, Italian, Hebrew, and more.
This exotic pan-Mediterranean language has, unfortunately, been fading away and is rarely spoken anymore. But the musical legacy of Spanish Jews highlights the strength of an oral tradition that spans many centuries and crosses many geographic boundaries. Until WWII the vibrant Spanish Jewish communities, particularly throughout the Mediterranean, had been able to perpetuate a significant Hispanic influence throughout the region.
Since the Sarah Aroeste Band was launched, Aroeste has amassed a large and loyal following across the nation and abroad, and has been featured in both national and international press. To date, the Sarah Aroeste Band has released two recordings, A la Una: In the Beginning (2003) and Puertas (2007), and has performed in major music venues throughout New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit, Washington, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and more, as well as overseas (throught Europe, Israel and Cuba). In 2006, Aroeste was nominated in the category of Best Singer/Songwriter for the Jewish Music Awards (USA), alongside the likes of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. The Sarah Aroeste Band has gotten notable attention both for the band’s musical talent as well as for Aroeste’s innovation in working to make Ladino music more accessible and exciting to new and larger audiences.
Check her website here. Or go take a listen for yourself -- or watch the video below!
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