Artist Information Biography If you are looking for music that is totally new and refreshing yet somehow familiar you owe it to yourself to keep reading and give it a listen. 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 national or 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, a 6 songs EP entitled “MAKTOUB” (Destined) is an Independent Music Awards Finalist. Also 2 songs from “Maktoub” are nominated in the largest music awards of any kind in world history! L’amour en banlieue is in the “world songs” category. Anaweyak is in the “Middle Eastern songs” category. 2009 Just Plain Folks Music Awards. http://www.jpfolks.com/default.php?page=awards 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 review copies of their latest "Maktoub" CD, please contact Jacques Pardo at 617 923 9957 or email him at jacques@atlas-soul.com "Maktoub" (destined) is available at http://www.cdbaby.com/CD/atlassoul3 © 2009 Atlas Soul Instrumentation Jacques Pardo (France, USA, Israel): guitar, sax, vocals, band leader. Anwar Souini (Morocco,USA): lead vocals. Boujemaa Razgui (Morocco,USA): vocals, ney, percussions. Tim Paul Weiner (USA):electric bass Jason Kenyon (USA): drum set Jon Simmons (USA): trombone, percussions. Discography "Maktoub" (Destined) EP October 2008 "Sole" feaured on  CD titled: Greatest Songs Ever: Arabia. Published and distributed by EMI (Sept. 2007) "Mabrouka" (Blessings) EP  July 2006 "L'Amour En Banlieue" featured in the Global Rhythm compilation CD  August 2006 "Angelomio" featured in the Global Rhythm compilation CD October 2006 "Halila" single featured on the compilation: "Festival Nuits d'Afrique" 2005 "Live" EP recorded live in 2004 "YaWillie" single featured on the Independent Music Award compilation: "Sounds like this..." 2004 "Chamsa" (high five) 2001 full lenght CD "Maya" single featured in the movie: Eat Me "We all live in a Jungle" Cosmos Factor 1995 full lenght album "Havar, havar" single featured in the "Live at WERS" Compilation CD http://www.myspace.com/AtlasSoul http://www.reverbnation.com/atlassoul http://www.numberonemusic.com/atlassoul http://www.soundclick.com/AtlasSoul http://www.bandspace.com/AtlasSoul http://www.jamwave.com/atlassoul http://www.atlas-soul.com/ http://www.purevolume.com/atlassoul http://www.songtiger.com/bands/23/ http://www.soundlift.com/atlassoul http://www.isound.com/atlas_soul http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/atlassoul http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/atlassoul2 http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/atlassoul3 http://www.wellroundedradio.net/episodes/2003/07/episode004.html http://audiolunchbox.com/search?artist=Atlas+Soul http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/archive_month.cfm?month=8&year=2002 Links http://www.atlas-soul.com Grab a widget music player at Reverbnation Join us on facebook! 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