Record companies : Cherry On Top, al sur, IMP/Kardum
Music edition : Metisse Music
On Stage
from solo to 12 musicians, with :
Sara Alexander (vocals, accordion & guitar)
Philippe Briegh (clarinett, violin, flute & saxophones)
Anello Capuano ('ud, saz, mandolin, ney)
Pierre Rigopoulos (percussions : derbuka, zarb, daf, rek...)
Haroun Teboul (lyric, ney, 'ud, tembour...)
M’Jid Bekkas (vocals, hajouj)
Lahouari Benedjadi (vocals, guembri)
Javier Cereso (solo flamenca guitar)
Mathias Duplessis (acoustic & electric guitars)
Melchior Campos (flamenco vocals)
Ravy Magnifique (percussions & drums)
Emek Evci (contrabass)
Sophia Charaï (Vocals)
Manu Lehouezec (bagpipes, saxophones, flute)
Louis Soret (bagpipes, saxophones, flutes, ney)
...
In the US : Mark Levine (acoustic & electric guitars)
Repertoire
(depending on the composition of the band)
Ya Salam
(an incredible mix of jazz, rock, gnawa, gypsy, klezmer...
meeting of up to 11 soloists, full of soul & energy)
Cafe Turc
(festive oriental gypsy music/creations),
Erga
(sophisticated oriental jazz)
Klezmer music, traditionnal Israeli songs,
peace songs... & more
Discography
Turkish Coffee (1999)
Erga (1998)
Hamsin (1996)
Dreams & Revolts (1991)
Live & solo in Montréal (1987)
Nomad of Hope (1984)
Shalom Salam (1980)
Asquelon (1971)
The Seven Species (1966)
+
Participation in many records
such as, recently, two of the All Mediterranean Trilogy
"Balad for a Singing Sea" of Michel Montanaro/Vent d'Est
Books
Shalom Salam (1999)
The emergency of love (1983)
Decorations, awards, positions
• Ethics & Meanings Award laureate, N.Y.C. May 2000
• President of the French section of International Friends of Litterature, Art & Culture for Peace
• Granted the Legion d'Honneur in 1999 by French Prime-Minister Lionel Jospin
• Honorary President and founding member of Bridge for Dialogue since 1994
• Granted Certificate of Appreciation of the Smithsonian Institute of Folklife (1990)
Some press
“Between the mythical Central Europe and the legendary Near East... Sara Alexander blends different musical colors into new marriages, combining Balkan ritornellos, Klezmer gigues, Arabic languor, gypsy fervor and Anatolian blues…”
Bouziane Daoudi - Libération
“What is one to keep of the dream when it becomes trapped in reality, without anybody being able to do anything about it? Bitterness? Or, like Sara Alexander, desire? The sensuality of her voice, accompanied by her accordion, is a perfect illustration of the latter. Musically, this translates into a rigorous allegiance to the delicate color scheme of the melodies and harmonies spread across all of the oriental part of the Mediterranean. Her knowledge of music, whether traditional or otherwise, easily transcends the rigid academic approach and permits her to play with the shapes without destroying any of them… a sheer delight.”
Olivier Bailly - Les Inrockuptibles
“A virtuosity and expressiveness which is very rare in an accordion player – this being the instrument where she shows her extraordinary skill.”
HiFi Vidéo
“A voice sparkling with beauty and grandeur, forever dedicated to the most beautiful song on earth: the song of departure and of liberty.”
Edmée Santy - Le Soir
“Inspired by the influences of the Near East, of the Balkans and of Gypsy traditions, presented in a colorful kaleidoscope…”
Franck Médioni – Tribune Juive
“Her show infuses universal dimension and cannot leave anyone unmoved”.
La Tribune de Genève
“A beautiful example of a « world music » that has its roots in the East of the Mediterranean basin, but which also opens itself to the East of Europe with its pan-slavonic or gypsy influences; in a way, this approach is directly inverse to that of Bratsch, but propagates the same engaging fervour”.
Bertrand Dicale – Le Monde de la Musique
"Belongs to an oriental style, truely Mediterranean, between traditionnal, folk & classical, like some Greek composers. Beautyful”.
Trad'Magazine
"That sturdy, heartbreaking plant of a girl,comes at time to remind us that singing was also meant to render the hopes, rebellions & harms of people & peoples".
Le Nouvel Observateur
"Growned in hope, the features beam up, exhaling a balm on eyes made sore by the fact of human unkindness".
Le Soleil
"Her impressive achievement sings and speaks among all the langages, the one of love & freedom".
Parole & Musique
"It is Israel great lost that an artist likeSara Alexander must live in France to find breathing room for her art & politics".
Jewish Advocate
"After years abroad it is a true artist, with all the meanings of this word, that is coming back to us".
Yediot Aharonot
“A visionary artist, through the force of her love, her courage and her talent, Sara disarms all hatred. Beyond all borderlines, she cries out loudly the urgency for love, and makes peace triumph in each of her gestures.”
Miguel-Angel Estrella
Some scenic reférences
France
Festivals : Des Croches et la Lune (2002), Musicalia (2002), Musik à Manosque (2001),
Festival de Marseille (2000), Avignon (1984), SOS Racisme (Paris Porte de Pantin, 1984-1985), Vaison la Romaine 1982, Côte d'Opale 1982, Printemps de Bourges 1981, Festival Populaire
de Martigues, Chansons de femmes (Avignon et Paris), Festival Méditerranée Paris, Festival Transméditerranée, 1er Festival Judéo-Arabe (Paris 1979), Fêtes de l'Humanité...
Theaters in Paris : Satellit café (199, 2000, 2001, 2002), Palais des Glaces 1985, Essaïon 1982, Forum des Halles 1984, Dejaset 1986-1988-1990, Mogador 1991, Bataclan 1993, Institut du Monde Arabe 1993-1995... Theaters and cultural centers in many other towns.
U.S.A (1980-1990)
Festivals : Hudson River Revival 1985, Sister Fire 1989,
American Folk Life (Washington) 1990...
Concerts in : New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Kansas City,
Baltimore, Tuckson, Los Angeles, San Francisco...
Universities : Berkeley, Cambridge, Princeton, Whittier College...
Québec - Canada (1983-1991)
Women World Summit 1991
Concerts in : Montréal, Québec, Shawningam, Winnipeg...
Central America
One-year tour
Europe
Tours and Festivals in : Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxemburg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Scandinavia, Spain, Switzerland, Tchecoslovaquia, Yougoslavia...
Morocco
Marrakech Festival (1986), French Institute (1996), Music Day (1999)
Israel & Palestine
Many concerts in Israel before 1967.
After 1967, mainly peace concerts in Israel & West-Bank
.....
