You say Latino, Israeli Singer Yasmin Levy says Ladino

Even if you don’t speak the Judeo-Spanish language Ladino—not many people do—you’ll understand Yasmin Levy’s soulful voice as she sings the Sephardic music of her ancestors. The 34-year-old songstress is spreading her cultural heritage in the U.S. for the first time with the release of her third album, Mano Suave. I caught up with her as she makes her way around the country:

Where are you from?
I was born in 1975 in Bakaa, a neighborhood in Jerusalem, Israel, filled with narrow alleyways dating back hundreds of years. It’s a vital part of Jerusalem’s history—and my soul. I began studying music here when I was a child and studied piano from age six to 18. It is here in Israel in the family kitchen where my mother, Kochava, sang the Ladino songs she had learned from my father [composer Yitzhak Levy].

Tell me about the Ladino language.
Ladino is the language of the Jews of Spain, who were expelled from the country in 1492. All they could take with them were their memories and their music. As they fled and settled in other parts of the world—especially the Balkans and some parts of North Africa and Europe—the language changed depending upon what country the person had fled to . . . Unfortunately, there are only 150,000 people who speak Ladino, and soon no one will speak it anymore as it is not taught to children by their parents.

What significance does it hold for you personally?
Ladino is my culture, my heritage and my upbringing. And it is through Ladino songs that I have come to know my father so well, even though he passed away when I was only one-year-old. And because the language is dying, I have come to realize that it is my mission to expose these songs and my beautiful culture to as many people as possible.

What’s the reaction of Sephardic people when they hear your music?
In the beginning, some “traditionalists” were very confused by my music because historically these songs were all sung a capella and without musical accompaniment. I try to make this music more accessible by incorporating other musical influences, which come from outside of the tradition. But as the “traditionalists” have seen the interest that my music attracts, they have come to take great pride in my work.

Your latest CD, Mano Suave, seems to unify so many cultures, was that intentional?
I have found that music crosses cultures in a very special way. Having grown up in the multi-cultural melting pot of Jerusalem, I was exposed to so many different influences. I find it exciting to be able to sit in the studio with musicians from Armenia, Turkey, Spain, Paraguay, Iran, Ghana and Israel and find a way to allow each musician to express his own musical heritage within the arrangements of my songs.

Can you describe the sound for us?
My sound combines a mixture of Qanun, Oud, Darbuka, and other instruments adding some Oriental flavor to the Flamenco style guitar that underpins my sound.

What’s your favorite song on the album, and why?
“Una Noche Mas” is my favorite song. The sad lyrics and melody take me to a different world when I sing this song. It reminds me of an old romantic French chanson.

This is your first CD release in the United States. What took so long?
We have been very busy over the past five years recording music and spreading it first in Benelux and then to France and the UK. In recent years we seem to have travelled everywhere in Europe and we’ve been to Australia twice. I don’t know why, but now there seems to be a growing interest in the U.S.A and I am very excited about this opportunity to bring my music to a new audience.

What effect do you want your music to have on listeners?
I hope that through my music, people will begin to appreciate this very rich cultural legacy. And I hope that through my arrangements people may see that no matter what political conflicts may exist, if we as musicians can learn to appreciate and respect each other’s music and heritage, there is no reason why society as a whole should not be able to adopt a similar approach.
For a little cultural immersion, listen to Yasmin Levy's "Irme Kero" from the Mano Suave album:

For more information, go to Levy's MySpace page.