Yasmin Levy and “Tango” at Impart: interpretations of Argentinian classics

24 APRIL 2018

Born in Jerusalem, the artist encountered Ladino culture and singing from her earliest years. Her father, Yitzhak Levy, was a major figure among those researching and preserving Judeo-Spanish culture, whose traditions originate in 15th-century Spain. To this day, Ladino remains one of the most moving and romantic musical traditions in Jewish culture.

With her deep, moving vocal style, Yasmin both preserves and breathes new life into the finest songs of the Judeo-Spanish Ladino heritage, combining them with Andalusian flamenco. Yasmin Levy’s debut album, “Romance & Yasmin”, caused a great stir among music lovers worldwide. Her next album, “La Juderia”, offered a unique combination of Ladino and flamenco. It was this record that shaped her distinctive style, in which Jewish spirituality and Spanish emotion found a perfect union.

From the beginning of her career, Yasmin Levy has toured successfully worldwide. She has performed at numerous international festivals and cultural events, including WOMAD in Singapore, Forum Barcelona and the BBC New Year concert in London, as well as one of the world's most famous venues, Carnegie Hall in New York.

Each successive Yasmin Levy album, from “Mano Suave” in 2007 and “Sentir” in 2009 to “Libertad” in 2012, represents both a return to her roots and a search for fresh musical inspiration. After recording her fifth album, “Libertad”, Yasmin Levy said: “I started as a Ladino singer before audiences around the world knew what Ladino was. Nobody was listening to Ladino songs, but we miraculously managed to breathe new life into them, and today they are recognisable again. Yet I am not only a singer of songs in Ladino. I am a world-music singer who also sings in modern Spanish and draws on sounds that delight her. It is no longer only Ladino, but also flamenco, tango and Middle Eastern music.”

Yasmin Levy is one of the few artists honoured in the prestigious BBC World Music Awards for three consecutive years. The magic of her impact and the scale of her talent are compared with the greatest world music singers, including Mariza and Buika.