is the rare band playing traditional Jewish songs that isn’t afraid to move beyond its borders: Sure, they cover traditional Sephardic music, but they arrange and perform the music in such a distinctive way that it sounds like their own material. Their new album, Casata (available this week), features the fun, bottle-breaking rhythm of “Et Dodim,” the Middle Eastern strings of “More than Wine,” and hummable indie-rock ballads such as “High Is the Moon.”
DeLeon’s songs are a fusion of cultures, embracing their Jewish side, but also infusing elements of secular Latin music. They tour with non-Jewish acts such as Brazilian psychedelic-rock pioneers Os Mutantes and Los Angeles jam-band Ozomatli–all the while singing in Ladino and Hebrew as if they were cantors in a wild rock & roll synagogue.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
