Apollo's Fire & Jeannette Sorrell - Sephardic Journey: Wanderings Of The Spanish Jews

Cast out of Jerusalem, cast out of Spain. The Spanish Jews in their travels absorbed the colourful musical accents of Italy, Turkey and North Africa, including exotic percussion. Apollo's Fire's musical journey interweaves Sephardic folk song with the Monteverdi-like Hebrew choral work of Salamone Rossi - the Songs of Solomon. The daily rhythms of life - love, rejection, feasting and celebration - culminate in the mystical prayers of Shabbat.Sephardic Journey certainly has the potential to be the ensemble's biggest hit since their long-running Sacrum Mysterium: A Celtic Christmas Vespers presentation [AV 2269]. Sorrell and company have a new favorite on their hands, one which is likely to become a regular event. - The Cleveland Plain DealerSorrell has taken her programming to a new level in a showcase of Jewish music from Spain and Italy. With performers of such reliable quality and a director who choreographs the proceedings down to the tiniest detail, Apollo's Fire always puts on a good show... Sephardic Journey is a keeper. - Classical Voice Of North Americaanother innovative and brilliant new program: Sephardic Journey... a magic carpet that swept Sunday afternoon's large audience away. It was often a deeply moving journey. - CoolCleveland.comdelightfully authentic songs of the Sephardic Jews. The spirit and sound of the music could have come straight out of a Middle Eastern bazaar, mixed with spices ranging from ancient prayer chants to Italian Baroque... In all, a scholarly, imaginative program that only a skillful and adventuresome ensemble could pull off. - BackTrack.com