Biography

Atlas Soul is a Boston and New York based band performing award winning original music that celebrates Afro-Mediterranean culture and rhythm spiced with Jazz and Funk.

They just released a new EP recording, MABROUKA, meaning blessings, good luck charm, or incantations.

"L'Amour en Banlieue"

one of the five songs included in Atlas Soul new EP release MABROUKA is the winner of the Global Rhythm magazine/ Sonic Bids Song contest for August 2006. L'Amour En Banlieue appeared on the Global Rhythms compilation CD that reaches 120,000 readers each month along side with artist such as Ska Cubano, Asha Bhosle & Salif Keita.

"Angelo Mio"

another song from MABROUKA is featured in the Global Rhythm magazine October 2006 issue CD compilation along with artist such as Marisa Monte, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Lee Ritenour, Gal Costa...

"Atlas Soul's blend of jazz, funk and Middle-Eastern/Arabic grooves is a facinating sonic stew that will catch any listener's ear. This is their second appearence on our CD's compilation. We like'em, and you will too". Global Rhythm Magazine[/code]<br />
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<b>Atlas Soul</b> has played venues like the Montreal Jazz Festival (twice), The Kennedy Center, The Louisiana International Music Festival, The Houston International Festival, The Musikfest, The FNX/Boston Phoenix Jazz Series at the Hatch Shell, The Festival international Nuits dAfrique (Montreal) The Boston Globe Jazz Festival, The SteppinOut Festival, MASS MoCA , Les Francofolies de Montreal, etc They have been booked on the same bill and shared the stage with international artist such as <b>Lady Smith Black Mombazo, Thomas Mapfumo, Gigi, Alpha Blondy, Hassan Hakmoun, Baba Maal and Cheb Nasro.</b><br />
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[code]"What hits hardest about Atlas Souls sound is the natural funk of North African music and also powerful vocals, which span fluid, passionate Gnawa melodies and husky Raï hooks. There is great wisdom in a world-music outfit that embraces divergent genres (but not so many that the sound loses its identity)" writes world music journalist <b>Banning Eyre.</b>

Atlas Soul has played venues like the Montreal Jazz Festival (twice), The Kennedy Center, The Louisiana International Music Festival, The Houston International Festival, The Musikfest, The FNX/Boston Phoenix Jazz Series at the Hatch Shell, The Festival international Nuits dAfrique (Montreal) The Boston Globe Jazz Festival, The SteppinOut Festival, MASS MoCA , Les Francofolies de Montreal, etc They have been booked on the same bill and shared the stage with international artist such as Lady Smith Black Mombazo, Thomas Mapfumo, Gigi, Alpha Blondy, Hassan Hakmoun, Baba Maal and Cheb Nasro.

"Atlas Soul's blend of jazz, funk and Middle-Eastern/Arabic grooves is a facinating sonic stew that will catch any listener's ear. This is their second appearence on our CD's compilation. We like'em, and you will too". Global Rhythm Magazine[/code]<br />
<br />
<b>Atlas Soul</b> has played venues like the Montreal Jazz Festival (twice), The Kennedy Center, The Louisiana International Music Festival, The Houston International Festival, The Musikfest, The FNX/Boston Phoenix Jazz Series at the Hatch Shell, The Festival international Nuits dAfrique (Montreal) The Boston Globe Jazz Festival, The SteppinOut Festival, MASS MoCA , Les Francofolies de Montreal, etc They have been booked on the same bill and shared the stage with international artist such as <b>Lady Smith Black Mombazo, Thomas Mapfumo, Gigi, Alpha Blondy, Hassan Hakmoun, Baba Maal and Cheb Nasro.</b><br />
<br />
[code]"What hits hardest about Atlas Souls sound is the natural funk of North African music and also powerful vocals, which span fluid, passionate Gnawa melodies and husky Raï hooks. There is great wisdom in a world-music outfit that embraces divergent genres (but not so many that the sound loses its identity)" writes world music journalist <b>Banning Eyre.</b>

Winners of the Independent Music Awards 2004 in the World category (www.musiciansatlas.com), Atlas Soul incorporates many genres: Raï, Funk, Shaabi, Jazz, Afrobeat, Jungle, Socca, Reggae, Gnawa & Samba. "It might sound a bit ambitious but it comes to us very naturally," Jacques Pardo, leader of the band explains.

Atlas Soul sings in Spanish, French, Italian, Arabic, Hebrew and English, making it not only a truly World Music band, but probably one of the only group of this kind currently residing in the United States of America. The lyrics speak of love, natural wonders, oppression, poverty, and of the melancholy of immigrants longing for their homelands. Their motto is world-music-for-world-peace.

Philosophically and politically, Atlas Soul hopes to inspire world peace through a fusion of music and culture that gets people to the dance floor.

For more information and review copies of their latest "Mabrouka!" CD, please contact Jacques Pardo at 617 923 9957 or email him at jacques@atlas-soul.com