Los Desterrados

Los Desterrados

Los Desterrados is a London-based group formed in 1999. The name means “The Exiles”. The band specialises in Sephardic Jewish music, drawing on Ladino song traditions and combining them with influences from Latin music, Spanish folk, Balkan music, jazz, flamenco and wider Mediterranean styles.

Style and repertoire

The group’s sound brings together traditional Sephardic material with contemporary arrangements and a strong rhythmic drive. Their music is rooted in the repertoires of the Sephardic Jews and uses melodies and songs associated with Spain, Morocco and Turkey. The vocalists sing mainly in Ladino, a language protected by UNESCO. Their material includes songs about flirtation, love, faith, war, abandonment and family life.

Recordings and production

Los Desterrados release a third album, Miradores, which is produced by Simon Edwards. Edwards is a former member of Fairground Attraction and has also worked with Kirsty MacColl and Billy Bragg. Their earlier album Tu receives praise for its textured recording, rhythmic complexity and melodic strength.

Reception and appearances

The band builds a reputation in London’s world music scene and is described as appealing to listeners interested in artists such as the Gipsy Kings, Ojos de Brujo, Yasmin Levy and Mor Karbasi. The group also takes part in a CNN documentary on the preservation of language through storytelling, alongside Isabel Allende and Doris Lessing.

Context

Los Desterrados works within a broader revival of Sephardic music on the world stage, presenting an interpretation of the tradition that keeps the older songs and lyrics while placing them in a contemporary setting.