BBC - Radio 3 - Womad2005

YASMIN LEVY (ISRAEL)

What a difference 18 months makes. A year and a half back, the name of Yasmin Levy wouldn't have registered the slightest twitch of recognition from even the most committed world music fan. Now, with a BBC Award for World Music nomination and two stunning albums under her belt, she's the hot name on everyone's lips and can count even the presenters of Women's Hour as fans.

It's the voice, you see. It instantly renders anyone within earshot immobile. Haunting, strident and swooping, it revives the ancient art of Ladino singing, the Judeo-Spanish style whose songs reach back to 15th-century Spain. Born in Jerusalem 27 years ago to the leading academic on Judeo-Spanish culture, Yasmin reinvigorates this almost-extinct tradition, crucially updating these beautiful centuries-old songs and often mixing them with the sultry heat of flamenco.

Of all the praise Yasmin's collected over the last year or two, none comes remotely close to the more-than-eloquent words of BBC London DJ (and WOMAD stalwart) Charlie Gillett: "I close my own eyes and Yasmin Levy fills my head with her voice, searing, soaring, sighing. When she stops, I unwillingly open my lids and face reality..." Pretty persuasion, indeed.

Nige Tassell

Yasmin Levy official website
Radio 3 music clips Profile
Interview on Radio 4's Womans Hour

See Yasmin on Sunday 11.00pm-midnight, Siam Tent

Read other people's comments then

Tell us what you think:

Adam-Poland
Muzyka... Poezja...Mistycyzm...Magia...Thank You, Yasmin!

JJAL, Espoo, Suomi/Finland
Yasmin Levy´s consert was fantastic. It was exciting and harmonising experience and listening to Yasmin´s music was a good way to start this week. Thank You!

Carolina - Mexico
To hear her sing live is so emotinonal, I had the opportunity to hear her in the Ollin Kan Festival here in the city of Mexico. I hope that she will come again.

Dave Allen , London
Difficult to explain Yasmin Levy to friends. As a highly trained musician, I can truly 'see' inside the music to some extent ... and am still astounded by her presentation. Delicate, poignant, effervescent, moving. And utterly refreshing.

Naser , Seattle, WA. U.S.A
this is great resource of world music. It helped me to re-connect with great world muscians. Excellent work BBC

Steve, Vienna Virginia USA
etherial moments pass slowly when listening to the her singing and the great group of acommpaning musicians ...can't wait to see her and her band live in concert... and I will sing when she asks the audience to sing

Moe Chile , London, Canada
I am blown away by this tremendous talent. I just finished listening to Yasmin Levy at WOMAD 2005 on the BBC and I will be rushing down to the record shop promptley. BRAVO!!

Georgui Petrov Bulgaria
A beautiful mystique voice.Strong texts and poetic melodies.

George, USA
What would really be great, is if next year Yasmin and Souad Massi were to perform together in concert on the same stage. It would be the concert of a lifetime!

Penny, Lomdon
She's amazing! Saw by chance one of her very first concerts in a tiny theatre in Tel-Aviv. What a voice...

tino mustacchi - israel
the most delightfull and peacefull music the ears can appreciate. also a nostalgic cry that makes me to the roots of life i lived

James, Somerset
Listening back over the recordings, Yasmin is definitely the artist I most regret missing at WOMAD 2005! Wonderful songs, everything just sounds so much better in Spanish!

siobhan london
The fondest songs my ears can hear The language I don’t understand The heart that bleeds for others Unfolding in my hands Preserve the history, never lost Hold them in your ears Play the sound forever Prevent your strongest fears The dead can dance, A tribal dance Noches noches, rememberance

Philip Devon
Fantastico ! Passion from the heart .

Sarra London
Passionate, and from the heart- her voice moves me. Seeing her perform at womad, I felt inspired to learn how to sing in this style.

Tariq Khan, London
yasmin levy is just stunning and I think what she is doing is just brilliant. We need more people like her trying to preserve these ancient cultures from desapering for ever. She has the voice of an angel and Even without understanding a word she was saying I could her the soul of a persecuted nation singing their own hymns. Thanks you Womad for bringing her over. She has a new fan

Ian - Reading
I was moved to tears by the performance. The power, passion, control - the emotion.

stu funkahoe in norwich
closing womad 2005 with this gorgeous diva was a master-stroke, she is truly a star and deserves world-wide recognition (and not a bad comedian to boot) . if u ever get a chance to see her do it and don't hesitate... she will melt your heart.