CANTOR RAMÓN TASAT will perform Feb. 2 at Congregation Neveh Shalom.

Neveh Shalom host Sephardic singer at Feb. 2 concert

By Deborah Moon

article created on:

Sephardic singer, composer and conductor Cantor Ramón Tasat will perform Fiesta Sefarad at Congregation Neveh Shalom at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 2.

This musical production features songs from Spain, Morocco, Greece, Iraq and Israel, sung in Hebrew, Ladino and Judeo-Arabic.

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tasat was appointed director of the Cantorial School at the Academy for Jewish Religion in October. He is president of Shalshelet: The Foundation for New Jewish Liturgical Music.

“He has a beautiful voice and he knows things about Sephardic music that the average singer of Sephardic music doesn’t,” said Neveh Shalom Cantor Linda Shivers, who first met Tasat at a cantorial convention in Israel about 1999. “He will sing songs from traditions most people have never heard of. He’ll sing a broad range of Sephardic music.”

“We haven’t done a whole program of Sephardic music in quite a while,” said Shivers, noting Neveh Shalom has hosted an annual concert for more than 20 years. “We try to promote Jewish music. Every year our choir hosts a big fund-raising concert.”

While in Portland, Tasat will also sing with Neveh Shalom’s choir at Friday night services, which will be followed by a Sephardic dinner. On Saturday, he will read Torah using Sephardic trope and he will participate in Mussaf.

“He’s an excellent musician and an important force in Jewish music today through Shalshelet and The Jewish Academy,” said Shivers.

Though Tasat has never performed in Portland, he has performed on the West Coast—at the Jewish Music Festival in Oakland, as well as in San Diego and Los Angeles.

Tickets for the Feb. 2 concert are $18, or $10 for students and seniors. Tickets are available at the synagogue, 2900 SW Peaceful Lane, or at the door.

Tickets for the Sephardic dinner, which follows 6:15 p.m. services Feb. 1, are $12 for adults, $6 for children and $36 for families. Reservations for the dinner must be received by Jan. 28.

For more information, contact Shivers at cantor@nevehshalom.org or 503-246-8831.