Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Named "the next world music superstar" by the UK's The Guardian, Israeli singer Yasmin Levy interprets the most haunting songs of her Judeo-Spanish heritage on at 8 p.m. on Monday, February 28 in Kenan Auditorium as part of the UNCW Arts in Action Performance Series and co-sponsored by UNCW Hillel. One of the finest singers of the Middle East, Yasmin Levy draws on a bottomless reserve of emotional depth and beauty, singing in Spanish and the ancient Ladino language of Sephardic Jews as she blends her own mixture of flamenco, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Sephardic Jewish traditions.

Levy was born in Jerusalem in 1975 and was introduced to Ladino singing and culture from a very young age. Her father, who passed away when she was only a year old, was the leading figure in the world of research into and preservation of the Judeo-Spanish culture, dating back to 15^th-century Spain. Today, Ladino remains one of the most moving and romantic traditions of all time. Yasmin Levy's powerfully sensual voice, which combines flamenco's fiery passion with the microtonal melisma of Middle Eastern music, ripples across sashaying grooves built from hand percussion; Turkish-Arabic instruments such as the oud, ney and anun; and Western standbys, including acoustic guitar and bass.

For the luminous vocalist, exploring a forgotten treasure trove of songs isn't just an avenue for connecting with her culture. While breathing new life into Ladino, the language of Sephardic Jews scattered by forced exile in 1492, Levy has greatly expanded the ancient Sephardic tradition by melding Ladino melodies with vibrant cadences of flamenco, a style with shared roots in Spain's Moorish past. Her debut album, Romance and Yasmin, focused on Ladino music and Turkish influences. A year of studying flamenco in Seville resulted in her second album, La Juderia, a combination of flamenco and Sephardic styles. Her third album, Mano Suave, was released in 2007 and marked a mature return to her Ladino roots. Her latest World Village release, Sentir, is her most expansive session yet, produced by Grammy-winner Javier Limón and featuring a stunning array of Ladino and modern flamenco material as well as a breathtaking cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah."

Yasmin's touring activities have taken her to many parts of the globe. She has had sold out performances in Australia, Europe and Israel's National Opera House in Tel Aviv and appeared at the international festivals WOMEX (World Music Expo) an WOMAD (World Music, Arts and Dance). In the fall of 2009, Levy made her US debut tour. The tour was so successful that it is being followed up with up a coast-to-coast tour in 2011, which coincides with the US release of Sentir.

She has been nominated three times for the BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards, as well as nominated for Holland's prestigious Edison Award, the Dutch equivalent of the Grammys, in the category of Best World Music Album. In March 2006, Levy was presented with the Anna Lindh Award for promoting cross-cultural dialogue, for her work with musicians covering three cultures, and her connection with the history of Spain. Levy currently serves as Goodwill Ambassador for Children of Peace, a UK-based charity working to alleviate the plight of all children caught up in the decades-old Middle East crisis. As part of this role, Yasmin has committed to giving at least two workshops a year to Middle Eastern children from all sides of the conflict, talking about her career, and trying to imbue these children with the hope that through music they may still live their dreams.

In addition to the UNCW concert, Yasmin Levy will give a lecture/demonstration on the history and culture of Ladino music from 11 a.m. - noon, Tuesday, Mar. 1 in the Beckwith Recital Hall on the UNCW campus. This event is free and open to the public.

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets are $22 for the general public; $18 for senior citizens and UNCW employees; $8 for non-UNCW students; and $6 for UNCW students. Group discounts are available. Tickets are available by visiting www.etix.com or calling Kenan Box Office at 910.962.7600. Box Office hours are Noon to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday and one hour prior to the event.

About UNCW Arts in Action Performance Series
The Arts in Action Performance Series seeks to culturally enrich, educate and entertain both students and the Wilmington community through the presentation of diverse programs featuring professional, high-quality performing artists. The series is supported by grants from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources; South Arts Dance Touring Initiative, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council; South Arts; and the National Dance Project of the New England Foundation for the Arts. For more information, visit the UNCW Presents website at www.uncw.edu/presents .