Caelestia

For most, Ladino music must seem like a musty old relic from a forgotten age. Yet this music of medieval Spain's Sephardic Jews is still alive and well, thanks to Fortuna Safdié, who hails from Brazil of all places. She has spent five albums reviving this old form that blends Hispanic and Hebrew rhythms, and Cælestia is among her best work. On this album, Fortuna joins a Benedictine choir from the Brazilian monastery of São Bento, and the results are often haunting. The monks' vocals and Fortuna's shimmering voice play off each other beautifully on tracks like "Halelu Haleluya" and "Há Mavdil." While Ladino will likely never achieve widespread popularity, the work Fortuna is doing to give this ancient music new life is a wonder to behold.