Layali Morocco: Jewish Songlines & Soundscapes
On January 9, 2020, The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz hosted ASEFA, led by ethnomusicologist and multi-instrumentalist Samuel Torjman Thomas, Ph.D. Blending vocals, oud, violin, nay, and plenty of percussion, with songs in Hebrew, Arabic, Spanish, and Ladino, this trio ensemble traversed several North African song traditions. Drawing upon a rich intercultural mix of Hebraic and Islamic traditions, audiences felt the heartbeat of the Maghreb.
Event photos by Jessica Guild:
Samuel Torjman Thomas is an ethnomusicologist and multi-instrumentalist, and as artistic director of the New York Andalus Ensemble and ASEFA, he journeys through a lush Mediterranean garden of songs in Hebrew, Arabic, Ladino, and Spanish, highlighting intercultural exchange in the expressive cultures of North Africa and the Middle East. Dr. Thomas teaches music, interdisciplinary studies, and Sephardic studies at the City University of New York. He is a frequent guest speaker at cultural institutions, universities, and in multi-denominational ecumenical spaces worldwide. His formal talks center on historical and cultural topics related to Sephardi-Mizraḥi Jewry.
Co-Presented by The Humanities Institute and Kuumbwa Jazz.
Sponsored by the Neufeld-Levin Chair in Holocaust Studies and the Center for Jewish Studies at UC Santa Cruz.