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If you are looking for music that is totally new and refreshing yet somehow familiar you will be seduced and soon intoxicated with Atlas Soul.
Atlas Soul’s live performances engage the audience in a cross-cultural music experience. They successfully incorporate element of jazz, funk and rock with North African and Middle Eastern melodies and grooves
They have won or been finalists in nearly every international song contest they have entered.
Here is what Banning Eyre (Afropop worldwide) has to say:
“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. There is great wisdom in a world-music outfit that embraces divergent genres (but not so many that the sound loses its identity)"
They have performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Kennedy Center, the Festival International de Louisiane, the Houston International Festival, Musikfest, the FNX/Boston Phoenix Jazz Series at the Hatch Shell, the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique (Montreal) the Boston Globe Jazz Festival, the Steppin’Out Festival, MASS MoCA , les Francofolies de Montreal, and many more. They have been booked on the same bill as and shared the stage with international artists such as Lady Smith Black Mombazo, Thomas Mapfumo, Gigi, Alpha Blondy, Hassan Hakmoun, Baba Maal and Cheb Nasro just to name a few.
"Atlas Soul's blend of jazz, funk and Middle-Eastern/Arabic grooves is a fascinating sonic stew that will catch any listener's ear. This is their second appearance on our CD's compilation. We like'em, and you will too". Global Rhythm Magazine
Unless you have lived in Europe or have been into North African World Music, you have probably never heard anything like this, and yet everywhere they play, they conquer their public with their first tune, getting everyone in a dancing trance, making hardcore fans that want to stay in touch long after the band has left town.
They have released 4 CDs.
Their latest album released in 2008, a 6 songs EP entitled “Maktoub” (Destined) is an Independent Music Awards Finalist with the song Ana Weyak/You and Me.
The 2006 5 songs EP release: MABROUKA (blessings) received rave acclaims:
Independent Music Awards 2007 Vox Populi Winners (world fusion)
Independent Music Awards 2007 Finalist (with the song: L'amour en banlieue)
11th Annual Unisong International Song Contest (2007) Finalist (with the song: L'amour en banlieue)
Billboard World SONG CONTEST (2007) Honorable Mention (with the song: L'amour en banlieue)
Global Rhythm magazine Song Contest Winners (2006) (with the song: L'amour en banlieue)
Canary Islands International Song Contest Finalist (2006) (with the song: Quiere me y veras)
Their first album “Chamsa” is Independent Music Awards 2004 Winners (with the song: YaWillie!)
They are Boston Music Awards Nominees (Outstanding World Music Act) 2000,2001, 2002, 2006 & 2007
The new song “Mahmouma” has been selected for the Music For Peace compilation CD.
The song “SOLE” has been selected by PETROL RECORDS/EMI world wide in 9/07 on a compilation called "Arabia, The Greatest Songs Ever"
“L'Amour En Banlieue” appeared on the Global Rhythm’s compilation CD 8/06 (that reaches 120,000 readers each month) along with songs from artist such as Asha Bhosle, Ska Cubano & Salif Keita.
"Angelo Mio” appeared on the Global Rhythm’s CD compilation 10/06 along with songs from artist such as T. Jobim, Marisa Monte, Lee Ritenour, Gal Costa & Tania Maria
“Mabrouka” was also selected to be used on the Rock n Cookin’ Kitchen - TV Show. The show is currently in production and will be broadcast on DATV via Time Warner Cable Channel 20 Dayton and 19 MVCC. They will also expand to include Chicago and California in the near future.
Winners of the Independent Music Awards 2004 in the World Fusion category, Atlas Soul incorporates many genres: Raï, Funk, Shaabi, Jazz, Afrobeat, Jungle, Socca, Reggae, Gnawa & Samba. "It might sound a bit ambitious but it comes to us very naturally," Jacques Pardo, leader of the band explains.
Atlas Soul sings in Spanish, French, Italian, Arabic, Hebrew and English, making it not only a truly World Music band, but probably one of the only group of this kind currently residing in the United States of America. The lyrics speak of love, natural wonders, oppression, poverty, and of the melancholy of immigrants longing for their homelands.
Their motto is world music for world peace.
Philosophically and politically, Atlas Soul hopes to inspire world peace through a fusion of music and culture that gets people to the dance floor.
For more information and to review copies of their latest "Maktoub" CD, or to be on their mailing list please contact Jacques Pardo at 617 923 9957 or email him at jacquespardo@comcast.net websites: http://www.sonicbids.com/atlassoul
