Music
Press
"...one of the most original and exciting groups to have emerged from the New Jewish Music movement." - Global Rhythm
"The sound of this ensemble is a delight. The pairing of oud and santur is an exquisite combination and the more sustained tones of the violin are a perfect compliment. The playing is excellent." - All Music Guide
"I want more of this band, much more!!!" - Global Rhythm
"A sound both hypnotic and charged..." - Washington Post
"Lush, exotic, intoxicating. These are the words that come to mind while listening to Daddy's Pockets from Pharaoh's Daughter." - Performing Songwriter
"A gilt edged masterpiece" - Jewish Week
"Best Middle East Peace Plan" - Villiage Voice, Best of Series
"Turkish hash bars meet Hasidic Brooklyn juke joints with '70's era psych rock well in tow. That is the perfect description of what's in store for a listener of the magical journey subtly titled "Haran". Raised among a religious upbringing, the bandleader and vocalist Basya Schechter evokes images of rebellion with her love of Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and the Rolling Stones. But it's those rock heroes who've graciously lent their wisdom to her willing ears and lead her to help fashion one of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring worldbeat albums of the year." - Smother Magazine
On their fifth album, the ancient, worldly Judaica that's inspired the NYC-based Pharaoh's Daughter blends better than ever with the secular modernism of the indie world. Crisp, pinpoint rhythms, rumbling, insistent bass, and Fillmore-era organ lines flirt with Eastern oud, santur, and kamanche as the reverent gets along famously with the edgy. Front and center is Basya Schechter, the group's beguiling, much-traveled vocalist, whose malleable, often multi-tracked vocals take flight amid the airtight, shape-shifting ensemble playing. - Boston Phoenix
Have you ever wondered what would happen if Pink Floyd and PJ Harvey crossed paths in a cafe in Israel and subsequently took a road trip to South Africa? What if they met up with Radiohead in Morocco along the way? The result would be close to what you'll find in Haran, the latest achievement of the Jewish folk group, Pharaoh's Daughter.
Infusing an eclectic instrumental blend of traditional Judaic tunes with Arabic rhythm and African beats, Haran is an infectiously beautiful album full of haunting joy. - New York Cool
Discography
Albums:
Daddy's Pockets (1999/2008)
Out of the Reeds (2000/2004)
Exile (2002)
Queen's Dominion (2004)
Haran (2007)
Photos
Bio
Basya Schechter leads the neo-chasidic band, Pharaoh’s Daughter in a global genre bending fluid experience. It spans the spectrum from a psychedelic World music Jam band appraoch to a pan-mediterranean Doors-like sensuality while payiing homage her roots as an intimate singer-songwritter.
Drawing from texts as diverse as liturgical chants, ancient ladino poetry and her own English lyrics, she combines Middle Eastern and spiritual stylings filtered through percussion, flute, strings and electronica. Their sound has been cultivated by her Hasidic musical background and by trips to the Middle East, Africa, Israel, Egypt, Central Africa, Turkey, Kurdistan and Greece. She began retuning her guitar to sound like a cross between an Arabic oud and a Turkish saz, with harmonic minor melodies and odd time signatures.
Pharaoh’s Daughter has toured both within the U.S. and internationally including Eastern and Western Europe as well as Greece, South America and the UK. They have also appeared at Central Park’s Summerstage, Joe’s Pub, Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, National Geographic, Lincoln Center’s Damrosch Park, Askenaz in Toronto, Symphony Space, and are invited to the Krakow Jewish Music Festival this coming summer. Their favorite venue, however, remains a dirt road in the Amazon on the shared frontiers between Brazil and Colombia in a concert playing to an army, motorcyclists and locals.
Pharaoh’s Daughter released "Haran," at the Highline Ballroom in NYC to a sold out audience, and world reknowned guests, including guitarist, Adam Levy from Norah Jones, Kora player, Yacouba Sissoko, and master santur player, Alan Kushan.
Pharaoh's Daughter has also been on the radio alot with her newer work. Basya and the band recorded a segment for PRI's "The World," JOhn Diliberto's -show, Echoes. The performance will be was part of the "Living Room Concert" series. The band returned to the studios of WNYC for a chat and a live on-air performance with John Schaefer on Sound Check, and paid a visit to Rita Houston up at WFUV for an interview and performance. You can here these segments (except for Echoes) and other podcasts by visiting PD's myspace blog:
[http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=53164928].
Links
