Dec 8th 2012 | COPAL, CANNIBAL ANIMAL MACHINE & SWAY MACHINERY
@ KNITTING FACTORY

Event info: COPAL, CANNIBAL ANIMAL MACHINE & SWAY MACHINERY
Location: Knitting Factory 361 Metropolitan Avenue Brooklyn, NY
Time: 7pm
Ticket: $12 Advance | $15 Door

• COPAL: Copal sets an evocative tone; lavish voices of violin and cello flicker against a twilight scape of electronic swells and textures, impelled by a driving rhythmic sense, and original melodies steeped in global musical traditions. CANNIBAL ANIMAL MACHINE: Cannibal Animal Machine blurs the line between a rock show and a dubstep dance party by combining organic percussion and Tuvan throat singing with samplers and the thick sound of the electric doumbek, creating a raw and visceral sound that makes you bang your head and shake your ass at the same time.
SWAY MACHINERY: For those who have seen The Sway Machinery in action, little explanation is needed. The band’s combination of rhythmic power and potent folklore takes no prisoners. On stage the energy of submerged worlds is torn out into the light of day. And indeed, the historical tradition of Cantorial music, which is the focus of the band’s work, is very much a lost world. The music of The Sway Machinery invites the listener to become like children wandering in the forest, discovering something mythic and wonderful.

This evenings media sponsor is Tablet Magazine

Dec 9th 2012 | SEPHARDIC STORY SLAM
@ LOLITA BAR

Event info: Sephardic Story Slam
Location: Lolita Bar – 266 Broome Street
Time: 7pm

• Join us as storytellers from far and wide, actors, poets, writers, comedians and other doe-eyed hopefuls try their hand and taking home the most coveted prize of all time: The legacy of being crowned: “Story Slam Champion” !!!
Come hear riveting stories of Arabian Nights, where the caravan camels roam. When the wind’s from the east and the sun’s from the west and the sand in the glass is right. Come on down, stop on by, hop a carpet and fly, to another Arabian night.
You will hear mesmerizing stories of middle eastern upbringing, exotic travels , family traditions from Morocco, Persia, Tunisia, Yemen and so much more!

10 Stories – 6 Minutes – 1 Champion. YOU CHOOSE THE WINNER!to enter please email smf@shemspeed.com

Dec 10th 2012 | THE SEPHARDIC SCHOLAR SERIES
@ CUNY GRAD CENTER

Event info: The Sephardic Scholar Series with the New York Andalus Ensemble
Location: CUNY-Graduate Center – Elebash Recital Hall. 365 Fifth Avenue (corner of 34th St. )
Time: 7pm
Cost: Free

• The Sephardic Scholar Series continues this year with a free concert at the CUNY-Graduate Center with the New York Andalus Ensemble. This community ensemble — which includes singers and instrumentalists from an extremely diverse background performing traditional north African music in Hebrew, Arabic, and Ladino — is directed by festival resident ethnomusicologist and long-time bandleader and performer Samuel R. Thomas. The performance will be preceded by a scholarly introduction on the meaning of the ensemble’s music in Sephardi history and the present implications of Jewish-Muslim intercultural exchange in New York. 

The New York Andalus Ensemble is co-sponsored by the Foundation for Iberian Music, the CUNY Music Programs, the Middle Eastern-Middle Eastern American Center (MEMEAC), and ASEFA-MUSIC.

Dec 11th 2012 | VANESSA PALOMA & LEV-YULZARI DUO and FRIENDS
@ THE SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE SYNAGOGUE

Event info: Vanessa Paloma and Lev-Yulzari Duo and Friends
Location: 2 West 70th St. at Central Park West, NYC
Time: 7:15pm
Ticket: Purchase tickets online:
Early bird tix, by December 4
$12 for CSI, ASF, AICF members / $18 for non-members / $5 for children
December 4 – 10
$15 for CSI, ASF, AICF members / $20 for non-members / $8 for children
At the door: $20 members; $25 non-members

• VANESSA PALOMA is a Senior Fulbright Research Scholar and artist to Morocco  specializing in Judeo-Spanish music from the Sephardic diaspora.  She will perform: Jewish Maghreb in Haketía and Judeo-Arabic
Humorous songs, epic poems, trance-like lullabies and synagogal prayers in Hebrew, Judeo-Arabic and Judeo-Spanish formed the soundscape of most Maghrebi Jews. Lilting and rhythmic melodies that combine European and Moroccan musical roots embody the crossroads of the world that sits at the Strait of Gibraltar. This program includes field recordings and commercial releases intertwined with live performance in a tapestry of sonorous experience.
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NADAV LEV & REMY YULZARI: The borders-crossing duo explores some of the most loved Sephardic music, in a personal approach that derives from various musical genres. Both extremely versatile, Lev and Yulzari lead Sephardic tradition through their many musical influences, including folk, classical, jazz and even klezmer music. Along with their special musical guests they create a fascinating, surprising and compelling musical experience.

This evenings media sponsor is Jspace

Dec 12th 2012 | ISRAEL’S MIKA KARNY AND THE KOL DODI ENSEMBLE, ZION80, + HASIDIC NEW WAVE & YAKAR RHYTHMS
@ LE POISSON ROUGE

Event info: Zion 80, Mika Karny and Kol Dodi Ensemble, Hasidic New Wave & Yakar Rhythms.
Location: Le Poisson Rouge – 158 Bleecker St. Manhattan, NY 10012
Time: 9:30pm

• MIKA KARNY AND THE KOL DODI ENSEMBLE: Kol Dodi is a special musical version to one of the world’s most beautiful love songs of all time “Shir Ha’Shirim” – The Biblical psalms. Performed by a unique ensemble of Israeli Moroccan, Yemenite and Ethiopian musicians and singers, led by one of Israel’s all time favorite female vocalists – Mika Karni. HASIDIC NEW WAVE: HNW is joined by the very special Senegalese drum ensemble, Yakar Rhythms to celebrate their box set at (le) poisson rouge as part of this 8th Sephardic Music Festival. ZION80 explores the music of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach through the lens of the Afrobeat master Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Led by guitarist Jon Madof (Rashanim, Matisyahu), the 12-piece band sets the beautiful melodies of Reb Shlomo in arrangements using the polyrhythmic intensity of Afrobeat along with the flavor of the downtown New York City improvised music scene. Zion80’s debut CD will be released on John Zorn’s Tzadik Records in early 2013.

Dec 13th 2012 | THE BIGGEST HANNUKAH PARTY IN NYC
@ B.B. KINGS

Event info: Join us for the BIGGEST and BRIGHTEST Hanukkah event of the YEAR!
Location: B.B. King Blues Club & Grill 237 West 42 Street, New York NY
Time: 9pm
Ticket: $25 | (Use code “FRIENDS” for $5 off all week till next Wednesday)

• Over 800 exclusive guests comprised of young Jewish professionals and Israeli artists in all genres and mediums are expected!

*Dessert Bar with Sufganiyot  *Premium Sweet Creations and Chocolate *PITOPIA Falafel  *Sushi
*Special LIVE Performances of ‘Tel Aviv to Broadway’ *Israeli Music and Top 40’s
* Gifts and Giveaways all night! 

ISRAEL VIP-Hanukkah Bash An Exclusive Hanukkah Celebration

MAY 31st | SOLD OUT Sephardic Music Festival Teaser: Sarah Aroeste: CD Release Party with OUDBLUES
@ Joe’s Pub

Come celebrate Sarah Aroeste’s CD release, Gracia! It’s been a 2-year labor of love writing original Ladino songs and experimenting on some old ones, too. The CD Release is part of our SMF Summer Teaser and will feature Oudblues at Joe’s Pub on May 31st! Vanessa Hidary will host!

Event info: Sarah Aroeste, Oudblues & Vanessa Hidary
Location: Joe’s Pub – 425 Lafayette Street  NYC
Time: 7pm
Ticket: $15 advance/$18 door
SOLD OUT

http://tickets.joespub.com/production/?perf=17915

Facebook Event

For any press inquiries regarding this show, please contact Garrett Baker at FlipSwitchPR: garrett @ flipswitchpr.com

August 19th | SMF TEASER & DIWON ALBUM RELEASE PARTY
@ DROM (NY)

Come get a taste of the Sephardic Music Festival (www.Sephardicfest.com) with this summer teaser featuring the international Sephardic Ladino songstress, Sarah Aroeste, Asefa and Diwon’s New Game album release party bringing us into the night with party vibes.

The Sephardic Music Festival each winter presents the most exciting current acts in Sephardic music, bringing together musicians from North America and abroad. This summer teaser is no exception. Bringing an eclectic mix of Sephardic-infused music, Aroeste, Asefa and Diwon all bring their unique styles to Drom to present an evening of contemporary Sephardic sounds sure to entice your ears and get you up on your feet.

8PM | $15adv/$18door

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