Yasmin Levy: Sephardic Ladino songs meet flamenco and the world of “Mano Suave”

Born in Jerusalem, Yasmin sings Sephardic music in the spirit of flamenco, using Ladino, the language of Spanish Jews that has long since fallen out of use. Her distinctive innovation is to incorporate flamenco elements and instruments such as the oud, violin, cello and piano. By drawing on the music of her Andalusian ancestors, she brings seemingly distant cultures together into a coherent and historically grounded whole.

Yasmin Levy was born in Bakaa, Jerusalem’s charming old district. Interested in music since childhood, she began piano at 6. At 20, she decided to devote her life to singing, starting with small local concerts. Only in 2002 did she perform at WOMEX, the music EXPO, launching her international career. Her first album, “Romance & Yasmin”, was inspired by her father Ytzhak Levy’s work.

His work focused on preserving the history and culture of Sephardic Jews, handed down from generation to generation. The next album, “La Juderia”, also features traditional Ladino music, but after spending time in Spain, Yasmin began experimenting with flamenco. Its influence is clearly audible on this record. The following album marks a return to her roots, this time with an international dimension. It was recorded at Livingsto Studios in London and jointly produced by Lucy Duran and Jerry Boys.

Musicians from Armenia, Greece, Paraguay, Israel, Turkey and Spain participated in the recordings. The title song, “Mano Suave”, is a traditional Bedouin piece Yasmin sang with Natacha Atlas, one of the Middle East’s best-known artists. Yasmin Levy has released 5 albums: “Romance & Yasmin” (2004), “La Juderia” (2005), “Mano Suave” (2007) and “Sentir” (2009), followed by her latest, “Libertad”, in 2012.

During the Wrocław concert, we will also hear pieces from the artist’s latest project, “Tango”.

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