KlezCalendar

Zohar is led by composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Erran Baron Cohen, whose credits also include the popular Borat movie sountrack which starred his brother Sacha. In a odd turn of events, he was recently commissioned for a short Kazakh symphonic work. Zohar performs at Chicago’s Hothouse on Sunday July 15.

ZOHAR have installed themselves in that exciting area where the beats and textures of modern club culture meets hareem, hip hop, electronica, dub and future grooves. Their approach is resolutely experimental and uncompromising with an instinctive feel for lush cinematic arrangements and intelligent ‘jazzical’ melodies. It is a deconstruction of past, present and future, spanning Jewish Cantors, Arab Muezzins, Byzantine chants, meets today’s modern jazz and experimental musicians. While Borat explored cultural rifts, Zohar bridges them with musical riffs.

ZOHAR have already picked up a dedicated body of fans through their performances both in the UK and internationally-USA, Bali, France, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Hungary, Latvia, and at UK festivals Glastonbury, Womad, The Essential Festival, Bracknell, and Homelands. Regular appearances at the trendy Momo’s Moroccan eaterie in Central London and other firing nightclubs like Cargo, Whirl-y-gig, China White and Heaven have added to their London presence.

Zohar tracks have been licensed to a multitude of compilations including the legendary Buddha Bar by Claude Challe, Arabica, Deep Roots and Future Grooves, Whirl-Y-Waves Vol 2, Arabica I & II, World Chill by Martin Morales, Acoustic Chill by Chris Coco, Zen And The Art Of Chill, and Pathaan’s Small World and many others. ZOHAR have also DJ ‘d internationally, and at some of London’s most trendy club nights including Momos, China White and Bartok.

The new album "Do You Have any Faith?" builds on ZOHAR’s previous reputation as underground pioneers of the oriental inspired dance scene, that produced the legendry Buddha Bar compilations, Thievery Corporation, Dhizan and Kamien, Gotan Project and others.

It features many exciting collaborations. Godfather of folk inspired jazz funk Terry Callier adds his spiritual presence to Roots in Jerusalem. The amazing voice of Tunisian Paris based singer Amina Annabi (star of ”Sheltering Sky”) sings beautifully on Une Ange en Paix, which also features the haunting oud playing of Nabil. Legendry Buddha Bar DJ Claude Challe features on Survival, and the powerful kawali voice of Riffat Sallamat make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up on the haunting Raga.

Signed to Miles Copeland’s (The Police) Ark 21 label, their debut album “one.three.seven” was released worldwide in 2001 to critical acclaim. A copy of either album is available for review upon request.