Album Notes

Asefa was founded in 2001 by bandleader and composer Samuel Thomas. From the Hebrew word for "collecting," Asefa brings together diverse worlds. Traversing a wide musical landscape, Asefa travels from Morocco to Persia, Poland to America and back. Thomas' arrangements and original compositions, imbued with contemporary concepts in improvisation and instrumentation, reflect the spirit of music making integral to Jewish history. This album includes the fine work of Shanir Blumenkranz on Oud and Bass, Eric Platz on Drums and Percussion, and special guest Elie Massias on Vocals and Guitar.

Samuel Thomas, a Jewish artist and educator, is the director of "Jewish Awareness Through Music (www.jatm.org)," an organization dedicated to integrating music performance and ethnomusicology for illuminating the rich history and culture of the Jewish people. Receiving two degrees from Berklee College of Music, Samuel is currently a Ph.D candidate in Ethnomusicology at the City University of New York. His work includes North African musical traditions, Arab music, Jewish music research and jazz.