Sefarad
Encyclopedia
Sefarad was a Sephardic
music band from Turkey
. The band's name is an ancient Jewish name for Spain
, the homeland of Sephardi Jews
and the Ladino language that derived from Old Spanish, and which is in danger of language extinction among the Turkish Jewish community. Its members were Sami Levi
(soloist), Cem Stamati
(bass guitarist) and Ceki Benşuşe
(guitarist).
translations of these songs, which some of them were translated and written by them. Musically speaking, Sefarad mixes Goran Bregovic
's Balkan style with trumpet
s, kanun, tumbek, duduk
and other Middle-Eastern instruments, typical Turkish pop music passages, and the unique quality of Turkish vocal style of the soloist Sami Levi, making it what they describe as Jewish ethno-music.
Among their hit singles are "Osman Ağa", "Istanbul'dan Üsküdar'a Yol Gider", "Bodrum", "Ben seni severim", "Los Bilbilikos", "Vakti geldi", "Si veriyas a la rana", "Los Kaminos de Sirkeci" and "Seni ne çok sevdiğimi."
Sephardi Jews
Sephardi Jews is a general term referring to the descendants of the Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula before their expulsion in the Spanish Inquisition. It can also refer to those who use a Sephardic style of liturgy or would otherwise define themselves in terms of the Jewish customs and...
music band from Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. The band's name is an ancient Jewish name for Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, the homeland of Sephardi Jews
Sephardi Jews
Sephardi Jews is a general term referring to the descendants of the Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula before their expulsion in the Spanish Inquisition. It can also refer to those who use a Sephardic style of liturgy or would otherwise define themselves in terms of the Jewish customs and...
and the Ladino language that derived from Old Spanish, and which is in danger of language extinction among the Turkish Jewish community. Its members were Sami Levi
Sami Levi
Sami Levi is the soloist of the Turkish band "Sefarad". He was born in Istanbul and graduated in 1998 from the Göztepe Lisesi school in Istanbul.-Solo career:...
(soloist), Cem Stamati
Cem Stamati
Cem Stamati is the bass guitar player of the Turkish band "Sefarad". He was born in Istanbul and graduated in 1999 from the Jewish school in Istanbul, Ulus Özel Musevi Lisesi.-See also:* Turkish pop music* Music of Turkey...
(bass guitarist) and Ceki Benşuşe
Ceki Bensuse
Ceki Benşuşe is the guitar player of the Turkish band "Sefarad". He was born in Istanbul and graduated in 1999 from the Jewish school in Istanbul, Ulus Özel Musevi Lisesi.- External links :...
(guitarist).
Music style
Sefarad’s repertoire consisted of two versions: the original almost forgotten Ladino songs they know from their Sephardic heritage, and TurkishTurkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
translations of these songs, which some of them were translated and written by them. Musically speaking, Sefarad mixes Goran Bregovic
Goran Bregovic
Goran Bregović is one of the most internationally known modern musicians and composers of the Balkans. He currently splits his time between Paris and Belgrade, where he settled down during the Yugoslav Wars.Bregović has composed for such varied artists as Iggy Pop and Cesária Évora...
's Balkan style with trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
s, kanun, tumbek, duduk
Duduk
The duduk , traditionally known since antiquity as a Ծիրանափող is a traditional woodwind instrument indigenous to Armenia. Variations of it are popular in the Middle East and Central Asia...
and other Middle-Eastern instruments, typical Turkish pop music passages, and the unique quality of Turkish vocal style of the soloist Sami Levi, making it what they describe as Jewish ethno-music.
Among their hit singles are "Osman Ağa", "Istanbul'dan Üsküdar'a Yol Gider", "Bodrum", "Ben seni severim", "Los Bilbilikos", "Vakti geldi", "Si veriyas a la rana", "Los Kaminos de Sirkeci" and "Seni ne çok sevdiğimi."
See also
- List of Turkish pop music performers
- Music of TurkeyMusic of TurkeyThe music of Turkey includes diverse elements ranging from Central Asian folk music and has many copies and references of Byzantine music, Greek music, Ottoman music, Persian music, Balkan music, as well as more modern European and American popular music influences...
- Sephardic musicSephardic musicThere are three types of Sephardic songs—topical and entertainment songs, romance songs and spiritual or ceremonial songs. Lyrics can be in several languages, including Hebrew for religious songs, and Ladino....
- Turkish pop musicTurkish pop musicTurkish pop music had its humble beginnings in the late 1950s with Turkish cover versions of a wide range of imported popular styles, including rock and roll, tango, and jazz...