Ladom Ensemble will be performing their unique fusion of Jewish and Persian music at the release party for their new album. Titled Sofreh Tisch, the launch takes place on June 2 at Lula Lounge.
The four musicians of Ladom Ensemble call themselves a mini-orchestra. Made up of pianist Pouya Hamidi, percussionist Adam Campbell, accordionist Michael Bridge, and cellist Beth Silver, they take their collective backgrounds in traditional classical music training into new directions.
The ensemble was founded nearly two decades ago by two musicians at the University of Toronto. It became a quartet, with its current members, in 2018. Today, their music could be described as a fusion that blends elements of klezmer, tango, jazz, rock, and both Persian and Western classical influences. One of the elements that characterizes their music is the capacity to improvise, alongside their technical virtuosity.
Sofreh Tisch
The album’s title comes from a blend of Persian and Yiddish/Jewish traditions, and speaks to the nature of the music. Sofreh (سفره), a Persian word, refers to the kind of traditional tablecloth that’s used at weddings and other celebrations. Tisch (טיש) means table in Yiddish, and by extension, a happy gathering that takes place before a traditional wedding or other special occasion.
It’s a reflection not only on the nature of the music, but of the friendship and artistic collaboration between the ensemble’s members.
Ladom Ensemble: Pianist Pouya Hamidi
Pouya Hamidi was one of the original duo who founded Ladom. With a Masters in Sound Recording from McGill University, he’s the group’s chief composer and arranger.
The focus of the new album came simply from the roots of the ensemble’s members.
“My background is Iranian. I was born in Tehran,” says Hamidi. He came to Canada as a 12 year old.
He points out that cellist Beth Silver’s family moved to Canada from Eastern Europe about a century ago.
The ensemble’s members know each other well from a history of touring, performing, and making music. Beth joined about a decade ago. It was simple proximity that led to the concept of the album. “For the idea of this album, it would be good to bring her background as well into the group.”
Beth is responsible for arranging about half the album, which essentially splits evenly between Jewish/klezmer and Iranian music.
“That’s the idea behind the album,” he says. “In a city like Toronto, you’re able to do that.”
He notes that there are certain musical elements that cut across both cultures, and that there has been a Jewish population in Iran for thousands of years. There are other cultural similarities.
“Both communities have really suffered in history,” he says. As a result, the music often expresses emotions like pain and longing. “There are similarities in that,” he adds.
“Dance is a big part in both cultures.” Tracks like Prince’s Freylekhs are an upbeat klezmer band dance linked directly to traditional klezmer dance idiom.
The music goes on a journey from Transylvania and Eastern European Jewish diaspora to the Caspian Sea, The Bronx circa mid-century, and beyond.
“Another musical idea which is really similar between the cultures is embellishments,” Hamidi says.
He mentions that Silver studied musical traditions in Romania, where embellishments are understood as a part of interpreting the music. “Melody isn’t really what’s on the page,” Pouya laughs. “It’s similar in Iranian music. There’s a lot of embellishments to the melody.”
It’s practice and performance together that creates just the right vibe for it all to hang together live. The ensemble’s unique combination of sounds adds to the creative spark. “In Ladom, it’s because it’s such a unique instrumentation,” he says. “What we do together, naturally makes it our own. That’s what makes the ensemble unique.”
He credits their shared backgrounds in Western classical, and performing chamber music over the years, with their easy musical chemistry. “We bring that sensibility to our music.”
- Find more details about their June 2 performance, and tickets, [HERE].
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