ABOUT TAMAR ILANA & VENTANAS - http://www.ventanasmusic.comwww.tamarilana.com
Tamar Ilana and her trans-Mediterranean ensemble Ventanas fuse passion and intimate dialogue, embracing the varied instrumental and melodic traditions of North Africa, the Balkans, Turkey and Spain to create fresh interpretations and original songs. flamenco guitar, baglama, violin, darbuka, and percussive flamenco footwork intertwine with surprising harmony, joy and yearning. Tamar Ilana defies easy categorization. The Toronto-born singers voice is as fierce and powerful as it is delicate and ornamental, and she is as comfortable enchanting heart-wrenching flamenco arrangements in Spanish as she is breathing mournful Sephardic love songs, or singing playful Balkan party tunes. With her Canadian Folk Music Award-nominated ensemble Ventanas, Ilana skips effortlessly from one genre to the next, and in her original compositions blends these diverse influences with a mastery that makes their synthesis sound like the most natural thing in the world.

Tamar Ilana - vocals/dance Benjamin Barrile - flamenco guitar Jessica Hana Deutsch - violin/vocals Derek Gray - percussion Justin Gray - double bass