Gracia is Sarah Aroeste’s third album in Ladino (Judeo-Spanish), and includes many of her own original Ladino songs. Produced with Shai Bachar (Ishtar Alabina, Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Sheila Jordan), the songs on Gracia (both the original ones and a few radically reinterpreted classic folksongs as well), are a mix of feminist, experimental, raw, rock-beat, energetic, empowering, electronic, retro-chic, Mediterranean-infused and fine-crafted, detailed sounds. In addition to a 16-piece string ensemble highlighted on many of the tracks, there are also special guest voices and featured artists including Vanessa Hidary (the Hebrew Mamita), Amos Hoffman (Avishai Cohen band), Roni Ivrin and Mark Kakon (Idan Raichel Band), Nir Graf (Noa, Rita, Shalom Hanoch), Oz Noy (Cyndi Lauper, Phoebe Snow, Bill Evans), Samuel Torres (Lila Downs, Arturo Sandoval) and many more. Altogether, Gracia is Aroeste’s most daring album yet and brings Ladino and Sephardic music one more step forward from the past into today. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.