London’s international seven-piece klezmer & Balkan band, She’Koyokh, present a beautifully crafted programme of energetic klezmer combined with ancient Sephardic songs, reflecting the diversity of Jewish heritages, the history of migration and the musical integration that has taken place across Europe and beyond over hundreds of years.
She’Koyokh have been stars of the UK klezmer scene for the last 20 years, described as “the best British klezmer & Balkan music band” (Evening Standard). The Sephardic journey for them is relatively new, although some of you may remember their sell-out concert with Los Desterrados at JW3 back in 2016.
She’Koyokh’s acclaimed singer, Çiğdem Aslan, grew up in Istanbul singing many of these Ladino songs - albeit with Turkish lyrics - that travelled to the Ottoman Empire with the Jewish populations that were expelled from Spain in 1492 and continue to be popular to this day.
Special favourites include Los Bilbilicos (The Nightingales) collected on the island of Rhodes; Poco le Das la Mi Consuegra (The Bargaining of the Mother-in-laws) which was popular in Bulgarian Jewish communities, and Kuando el Rey Nimrod with a religious theme.
She’Koyokh perform with serious scholarship and flare, dazzling virtuosity and innovation. In live performances the band’s passion for this bittersweet music flows with thrilling energy and captivating rapport.
