New release from Shira Utfila

[Joel Bresler <joel.br...>]

 From a correspondent in Serbia, Cantor Stefan Sablic.

(Lightly edited from the original)

Shavua tov,

Joel

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In the year 2000 the rich and diverse Sephardic music tradition inspired a 
few young people to form the group Shira utfila (Song and Prayer). Since it 
was formed, the group has worked on several different projects connected to 
liturgical music, paraliturgical forms and secular Sephardic music. Today 
it has a diverse repertoire mostly in Judeo-Spanish and Hebrew.

Their current album, At Thy Gates, o, Jerusalem (Na kapijama tvojim, o, 
Jerusalime) represents a journey through the musical tradition of the 
Balkans, the Mediterranean region and the Middle East in which Shira utfila 
finds the inspiration for its musical expression. From the press: "Shira 
u'tfila?(is a) picturesque group of performers which in its very original 
way, ?throughout its two hour program, presents a refined and enchanting 
program of different Jewish Musical traditions conceived in the vast space 
of separate geographic regions: Balkan, Middle East, North Africa and 
Spain."  (Politika November 20 2003)

While this group has a clear mission of reviving the Jewish Balkan music 
tradition, a goal that is approached with tremendous seriousness, Shira 
utfila is more a rock 'n' roll band than anything else. Their totally 
modern improvisation is a kind of techno - jazz rather than an enforced 
preservation of ancient music expression. It includes a punk rockabilly 
double bass, the gentle contributions of Zorz Grujic on caval but also the 
unambiguous and unique sound of qanun played by a Israeli musician Elad 
Gabbay. But somewhere, in the ferment of 21st century chemistry (which 
satisfies the current of urban generation), you are suddenly struck by the 
ancient spirit of the Orient, a deep melancholy and ecstasy finding its 
place in the vital harmony of eternal reality. "Sensual, intoxicating and 
truly beautiful." (Danas March 24 2003)

Contact:

Stefan Sablic
Milesevska 42 11 000
Belgrade
Serbia and Montenegro
shirautf (at) eunet(dot)yu


Joel Bresler
250 E. Emerson Rd.
Lexington, MA 02420
USA

781-862-4104 (Telephone & FAX)
joel(dot)br (at) verizon(dot)net

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