Artists
who's who and who's doing what?Mor Karbasi
Line up
- Mor Karbasi (Band Leader, Vocals)
- country:Israel
- region:Marocco-Andalusian
- style(s):Andalus Jewish
- label:not signed
- type:Band
- gender:female
- instrumentation:instrumental, vocal
- artist submitted by:
"Spine Tingling Gypsy Music" from a bright new singing talent.
Described by London's Jewish Chronicle as a purveyor of "Spine tingling Gypsy Music", young London based Israeli singer Mor Karbasi sings in Ladino, Spanish, Hebrew and on rarer occasions, English. Fortune has brought her a wonderful singing voice and she puts it to most excellent use.
Not many songs still survive from 1492, when the Ladino speaking Jewish population in Spain fled the Inquistion - only the most beautiful are kept over such a period. Mor is bringing some of these songs back to a wider public. Her writing has been considerably assisted by her interesting lineage. Her Mother has Moroccan Jewish descent and her Father Persian Jewish descent. She has been and indeed is, an avid supporter of Flamenco which provides a strong flavour throughout all her songs. Her early musical performances were with Pena Flamenca in Jerusalem which immersed her in Flamenco while her mother played Moroccan piyyutim (liturgical poems) and sang Andalucian Jewish ballads at their home. She continues to be a constant influence on her young daughter.
This heritage already made for an inspirational Middle Eastern melting pot, when Mor met British guitarist Joe Taylor three years ago who is now an important element in the artistic offering which is Mor Karbasi.
Joe is a gifted guitar player already recognised as such within his band Blackbud by Andy Macdonald founder and owner of Independiente - label to acts such as Tinariwen, Gomez and Travis. The Times, as well, are converts, their David Sinclair referred to Joe's group as "stunningly inventive" and to Joe Taylor as "a guitarist with a quicksilver touch, an encyclopaedic knowledge of chords ….and an outstanding command of rhythmic and harmonic nuance"
Mor counts herself very lucky to be able to call on such talents in the writing and performing of her "oeuvres" - they are indeed a dynamic duo who, with carefully chosen bandmates, have been lighting up many stages around London.
Her performances are full of verve and her powerful voice is set to persuade audiences that Mor Karbasi can infect us with her very distinctive musical vision.
" Her songs are like a journey through her roots...traditional and modern at the same time, sincere, heartfelt and touching... SOAS.CO.UK "
"Exploring an ancient musical songline that starts in medieval Spain and carries through to North Africa , Southern Europe and Israel." Jewish Chronicle
Mor's group performed the first WOMAD at Charlton Park in 2007 and BBC Radio 3 World Routes immediately broadcast three of her tunes alongside an interview with Lucy Duran who proclaimed "Fantatstic".
"The Beauty and The Sea" released 31 March 2008 has special guests Trilok Gurtu, Kai Eckhardt and Ronu Majumdar and is sown together by Grammy Award winning producer Matt Howe.
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