Album Notes

With Ancestral roots in Spain and Greece, American-born Sarah Aroeste has worked to reinvent Ladino and Sephardic music. The Sarah Aroeste Band is known for its style of mixing traditional Ladino songs with rock, funk, jazz and blues. Combining Sephardic folkongs from around the Mediterranean with contemporary sounds, A la Una: In the Beginning presents an updated take on traditional Ladino songs. The ethnic mix of the songs on A La Una ranges from ladino pop, to rock lullaby, free jazz, dub mix and beyond, presenting Ladino music in a totally fresh, contemporary way.

Aroeste is joined on this album by Yoel Ben-Simhon (piano, oud, acoustic guitar, back-up vocals). Hicham Chami (qanun), Alan Cohen (electric guitar), Emmanuel Mann (bass), Carlos Revoller (classical guitar), Vin Scialla (drums, percussion), Yousef Sheronick (percussion), and Bridget Robbins (ney).

"Ethnic eclecticism from a sultry warbler of Greek ancestry...(Shakira eat your heart out!)" -Village Voice, June 11, 2003

"This album is scintillating, and always true to the Ladino traditions whence the words and music are derived. It rocks."
-Klezmer Shack, November 26, 2003

"Sarah Aroeste isn't just out to entertain, she wants to redefine "Jewish music." -The Forward, August 15, 2003