Pharaoh's Daughter / Songs of Desire
Pharaoh's Daughter / Songs of Desire
Downloads available from Bandcamp.
Pharaoh's Daughter brought a Middle Eastern jam band sound coupled with Basya Schechter's compelling voice. The last projects I remember were "Dumiyah," the final Pharaoh's Daughter album until this one, and a divine solo album by Basya setting the Yiddish-language love poetry of Abraham Joshua Heschel to chamber music ("Songs of Wonder"). Both were released over a decade ago. Now Schechter is ordained as a Hazzan, and there is a new Pharaoh's Daughter album with a different set of love texts set to music: the Song of Songs.
The Biblical volume, part of ketuvim, writings, the section of the Bible that takes us past the stories of the prophets and includes books essential to the poetry and daily rhythm of Judaism, ranging from "Ruth" to "Psalms." "Song of Songs" is part of that collection. Lore suggests that it is based on the love between Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Jewish tradition insists, instead, that it can only be understood and describing the love between the Divine and the People of Israel.
For most of us, it is the give and take, back and forth between two lovers, achingly poetic, evoking the Divine in their love; and it is thus that I hear Basya's loving rendition of several selection, starting with the album's haunting opener, recalling a late night visit, a missed connection as the lover finally gets dressed and opens the door to discover that her love has gone on into the night. She follows and pursues him. "Holy, holy is his name."
As the language shifts from English to Hebrew to Spanish the instrumentation takes us from Middle Eastern rhythm to rhythm, from the massed violins of "Domeh" evoking dreams and gazelles in Hebrew shifting to a fascinating instrumental pursuit, all the while tracking Schechter's seductive, strong voice. Then, the mood turns quiet: oud, guitar, flute. "My dove, in the cranny of the rock / Hidden by the cliff / Let me see your face / Let me hear your voice." At times, traditional instrumentation is joined by modern electronics. In songs such as "Shepherd" one is reminded of the modern Yemenite stylings of A-Wa. And, then we close with the sweet-voiced Yiddish of "Sheyne"—"Sheyn bist du …" and the album closes.
Throughout it all, Schechter and the band create a modern Middle Eastern soundscape of voice and instrument that bring the spirit of the Biblical verses to life and create music that readily rewards the listener. It's just exciting to listen to, whether or not you know the verses. Welcome back, Pharaoh's Daughter.
Reviewed by Ari Davidow, 19-June 2026 .
Performers
Basya Schecter: oud, guitar, vocals, percussion
Daphna Mor: flutes, shams, ney, vocals
Meg Okura: violin
Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz: bass, 12-string guitar
Yuval Lion: drums
Mathias Kunzli: percussion
Uri Sharlin: keys, piano, accordion
Guests
Brian Marsella: key solos (1, 2)
Tamer Pinarbasi: qanun
Omer Mor: nylon string guitars (2, 4, 9, 12), vocals (3, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12),
bass (5, 7, 9), whistle (5), keys (5, 7), handclaps (3), percussion (2, 5, 7–9, 11, 12)
David Poe (1), Eleonore Weill (4, 6), Gaby Endo (9), Daniel Freedman (6) Saadya Schechter (12), Yosef Goldman (12), Justin Gray (10): vocals
Yisroel Schechter (1, 6), Avi-Fox Rosen (3, 6, 8): guitars
Songlist
- Asleep 4:13
- Domeh 3:45
- Yonati 5:07
- Better Than Wine 4:51
- De Noche 4:14
- Lebanon 4:44
- Kumi Lach 5:43
- Oori Oori 3:12
- Sameach 3:41
- Brach Dodi 2:57
- Shepherd 3:12
- Sheyne 2:57
All music by Basya Schechter except "De Noche" in collaboration with Uri Sharlin, and "Sameach" in collaboration with Patrice Blanchard and Daphna Mor.
