Pharaoh's Daughter

Haran means "a road,” and it’s a broad road for Pharaoh’s Daughter to walk. Beginning with the Sephardic Jewish upbringing of leader Basya Schechter, her travels to countries throughout the Middle East and Europe have created a sound rich in many cultures from many eras. She plays her uniquely tuned guitar, meant to sound like the crossroads between the Turkish oud and Arabic saz. The songs twist in interesting rhythms and meters, and exist between layers upon layers of lush instrumentation such as violin, recorder, drums, keys, bass, hands, feet, mouths — a host of things that could be overwhelming but instead strike a stimulating, satisfying balance. "Sami” winds around a cyclic and slightly off-kilter ten-beat pattern, the hollow breath of the recorder and edge of the strings underpinning Schechter’s hypnotic voice. "Enpensare” translates a 15th century ladino text through the heavy bass groove and edgy accordion of dance music from our century. There are so many different musical influences, with something unique in each song making it stand on its own, but it’s the collective that sets Pharaoh’s Daughter apart. The music seems to be crafted by a community integrated on every level by the talented and diverse musicians who bring their hearts to the project. It becomes one path that they all travel.