Wednesday, April 18, 2007

The Hardest Working Ladino Rock Band in the World

Sarah Aroeste: Ladino Rock

My find of the week is the Sarah Aroeste Band. Aroeste's band bills itself as the "the only Ladino rock band in the world." That may stretch the point a bit. Aroeste's first album "A La Una" is a fine outing, but while it may have a some rock instruments it doesn't, well, rock. This isn't a critism. It's just that Aroeste and her band put out such an authentic and engaging Sephardic sound that there isn't much room for American rock. Songs like "Hija Mia" and the lovely lullaby "Durme Durme" are classic Sephardic in style and remind me a lot of Pharoh's Daughter.

As evidenced by her new myspace tracks, her new album "Puertas" may go further in exploring what a fusion of rock and Sephardic can do. Aroeste doesn't have the crazy brilliance of the Uri Caine and Aaron Bensoussan's Zohar: Keter, but her tracks "Los Biblicos" and "Puertas Remix" show strong songwriter starting to let go of convention and looking to see where the Ladino rock hybird can take her. Pretty exciting stuff.

I snagged "A La Una" off of eMusic this week and it's been in heavy rotation. I've only heard the "Puertas" tracks off of her myspace page, though I'll snag the album soon. You can check her out on her home page and myspace page.

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