Atlas Soul

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Press release

Boston, 1/1/2015 

Atlas Soul brings Hot Funky Afro- Mediterranean Jazz to Harvard Square Regattabar Jazz Club January 31st 2015

Band leader and multi-instrumentalist Jacques Pardo tells this story when asked about his passion for music: “I can remember clearly from my most tender years my father lifting me to stand on a table to sing at every family and friends gathering, I knew that there was no escaping it so I embraced it and I kind of liked the attention! He bought me my first guitar when I was five years old at one of our annual vacation trips to Spain! I can still remember that guitar too, it was not a Spanish style guitar with nylon strings but a ¾ size metal string, looking like a Gypsy Jazz guitar style. The action was high and my fingers ached for a long time but eventually I learned to play a little. Just a couple of years later my mom sent me to the Paris conservatory to learnsolfège and after another 2 years I was allowed to take guitar lessons.. My parents were immigrants – my mom from Algeria and my dad from Greece – anyone that has spent time in Africa or any impoverished warm weather countries will understand what I mean: music is everywhere and at all time, radio blasting songs at every corner, every little shop, singing aloud while working is the regular texture of every days life! My parents played Spanish, Arabic, Jewish, Greek, music at home all the time it was their way of connecting with their roots, their way of feeling alive after the terrible years of WWII and so I grew up listening to Andalous, Raï, Chaabi, Flamenco guitar, bouzouki etc.. at home, while outside I was just like any other hip kid listening to the English pop, French pop, Rock’N Roll and Rhythm’N Blues.

 At 18 a friend took me to see Fela Kuti w/Africa 70 and to me it was a revelation, a transcendental experience! His performance, the dancing, the rhythms, the horn section were a part of my dreams for many months: I decided to play sax as soon as I could get my hands on one of them…”

“What hits hardest about Atlas Soul’s sound is the natural funk of North African music and also powerful vocals, which span fluid, passionate Gnawa melodies and husky Raï hooks..” Banning Eyre.

Atlas Soul features two outstanding lead vocalist Anwar Maghreb a master Raï vocalist from Morocco and Regie Gibson an award winning poet, percussionist and a natural power house performer. Drummer extraordinary Nadjim Kebir from Algeria and bassist Tim Paul Weiner “The groove master” hold the rhythm section along with Greek-American virtuoso guitarist Perry Bakalos and saxophonist, guitarist & principal composer Jacques Pardo.

Polyrhythm and melodies rooted in the Maghrebi tradition blend effortlessly with deep jazz, funk and intelligent hip hop.

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1 Set starting promptly at 8:00 PM