"Gerard Edery's vocal and guitar mastery transported those present... an artist at the height of his powers."

"George Mgrdichian is the world's unquestioned master of the oud."

"71 seductive minutes of Stories and Songs of the Jewish People, in which Schram tells the stories and the minstrel is a magical musician called Gerard Edery."

"A music steeped in cultural heritage and rich in tonal, harmonic, and lyrical qualities.”

"Pure and powerful singing, exquisite percussion, and virtuoso guitar arrangements abound in this beautiful collection of Spanish Songs by The Gerard Edery Ensemble.”

"An excellent CD with a wide dynamic range performed by talented musicians. Highly recommended."

"This artist is going to be difficult to pigeon-hole. He has an operatic voice, plays excellent guitar, sings folk songs in several languages, sometimes with chorus and/or orchestra... A unique album for listeners with eclectic tastes."

"One doesn’t have to be Sephardic to love this affecting album."

"Powerfully expressive…a lush experience.”

"When a man is so passionate about what he does there is no doubt that he does it well... if you have any doubt, listen to CHANSONS D'AMOUR."

"Gerard Edery, a master of Sephardic song, turns Adina Ruskin's verses into a rich mixture of Latin American musical genres... the ability to combine Ms. Ruskin's lyrics and the emotional expressions into a single human outcry is remarkable..."

"Maria Krupoves understands the fundamental importance of words and music in our lives."

"A real crowd-pleaser, Bensoussan personifies the style, soul and spirit of a happy Jewish Troubador."

Dai de Cenar is the latest project in my ongoing effort to bring Sephardic music to an ever widening audience. The songs chosen for this album cover a vast geographical span, including two popular, non-Sephardic tunes from Cuba and Argentina where many Sephardim settled. The Sephardim, following their expulsion from Spain in 1492 and in later diasporas, settled in every corner of the world, absorbing the local cultures and influencing them as well. Oral traditions are always fluid and so I continue to interpret and re-interpret the songs of my heritage. My co-producer and sound engineer Frank Wolf has been instrumental in giving the music a more contemporary and popular inflection. I hope you enjoy the new sound. G.E.

Track Listing: (click song title to see lyrics)

1. Gülpembe (Turkey/Ladino and Turkish) 3:36
2. Los Gayos (Turkey/Ladino) 3:30
3. Dai de Cenar (Morocco/Ladino) 4:39
4. Galanika (Salonika/Ladino) 3:30
5. Hija Mía (Turkey/Ladino) 5:38
6. Madre de la Gracia (Turkey/Ladino) 4:35
7. Los Ejes (A. Yupanqi/Spanish) 4:36
8. Bin el Barach/Ki Eshmera (Morocco/Arabic/Hebrew) 6:42
9. Cuando Llegaré (Cuba/Spanish) 4:05
10. Dai de Cenar (Morocco/Ladino) 7:54 Remix Bonus Track


I dedicate this album to Nita Edery.

Also, my deepest gratitude to my sister, Brigitte Edery, for all the magnificent paintings that have graced my CD covers from the beginning; Kate Edery for her inspired YouTube videos; Ian Edery for all his promotional ideas and for the many Facebook hours; my beloved wife Elspeth for her unending love, support and critical listening; Vivienne Roumani for her invaluable insights, creative collaboration and friendship; my wonderful manager, Sandra Noreen, for doing all the things I’ve become too lazy to do; Mike at TurtleTone for his great ears and awesome speakers; Sean Kupisz for his always brilliant bass playing; but most of all, I want to thank my friend, collaborator, fellow guitarist and sound engineer extraordinaire, Frank Wolf, who has brought an awesome integrity, a fresh and inspiring new perspective and a sonic excellence to all my music.

G.E.

This highly anticipated song book by Sephardic singer/composer/guitarist, Gerard Edery, contains 40 musical gems from the Sephardic oral tradition. It includes ballads, songs of courtship, love and marriage, as well as liturgical pieces honoring Elijah the Prophet, Abraham and Moses, among others. The song book also includes a 17 track accompanying CD, Ladino pronunciation guide, lyrics and translations, and a forward by renowned author/storyteller, Peninnah Schram.