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TSUFIT
A
passionate rhythm is surfacing on the breath of world music. Influenced by Gypsy
melodies, flamenco spirit, klezmer flavour and sultry Middle Eastern rhythms,
the enticing music of Tsufit is captured on her debut CD, "Under the
Mediterranean Sky".
Born in the Mediterranean of an Israeli
father and Romanian mother, Tsufit is a songstress who is inspired by the
vibrant colours and earthy rhythms of the world. An avid shopper at exotic
markets and bazaars around the world since she was old enough to rub two lira
together, Tsufit has travelled extensively collecting music and colourful
handcrafted folk garments wherever she goes. These influences are strongly
reflected in her music, both in her original songs and the ones she chooses to
complement them. She has a particular place in her heart for Hebrew Chassidic
melodies which begin in a mellow hypnotic mood and build to an
intoxicating conclusion.
One distinction between the
music of Tsufit (which translates hummingbird from Hebrew) and that of many of
the artists who have emerged recently from the world scene, is that her music is
heavily influenced by cultures outside her own. The focus is the way that music
excites and ignites passion rather than a strict adherence to any particular
tradition. While the music is richly diverse, the lyrics address universal
emotions and situations.
"Under the Mediterranean
Sky" has been
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On Top Albums of 1999! (Folk
DJ)
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On Top 40 Mundial Music Pool
World Recordings for August & Sept 1999
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On Top 50 Folk
DJ Albums for July 1999 (includes hundreds of DJ's all over North
America and around the world)
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On Top 20 World
Albums for June 1999 at KEOS in Texas
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On Top 10 Folk
Charts at CFRC Radio for 5 weeks (debuted at #4), July/Aug 1999
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WUNH CMJ New World Chart (Top 10),
Oct 3, New Hampshire
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On Top 4 Canadian World
Albums (SEPT Mundial World Music Pool)
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Picked as a "Pick
Hit" by the Midnight Special in Chicago
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Picked as one of the
"Favorites of 1999 Discoveries" CFCR Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Tsufit's background is as varied as her
music. By the age of 5, Tsufit, who had already lived in three countries, was
putting on shows for the neighbourhood kids. By junior high, she joined a folk
club that performed for the school. At age 14, she picked up the guitar at camp
and a few years later, while still in high school, she started writing her own
songs and performing at local folk clubs. A vivacious actress who was often cast
in comedic roles in theatrical productions, Tsufit was shy in live concert
situations. She had won several talent shows by singing pretty little songs
until one day a friend of her mother told her to get her face out of the guitar
and talk to the audience. Tsufit developed an audience banter that eventually
led to spots on national television comedy shows such as "She's so
Funny" on WTN and "System Crash" on YTV on which she has a
recurring role. She picked up a law degree along the way before coming full
circle, back to the beautiful melodies that inspired her to become a performer
in the first place, now with a confidence and warmth that has endeared her to
audiences at clubs, concert halls and festivals across Canada and led to live
radio appearances on such programs as CBC’s Vinyl Café with Stuart McLean.
"Under the Mediterranean Sky"
was co-produced by Tsufit and Tony Quarrington who produced Willie P. Bennett's
Juno award winning album "Heartstrings" in 1998. Quarrington, a
multi-instrumentalist and veteran on guitar, leads a strong group of musicians
including Zeke Mazurek on violin, Joe Macerollo on accordion, Paul Bailee on
percussion and Tom Skublics on clarinet. MORE ABOUT TSUFIT AT www.followthatdream.ca
What People Are Saying:
"What a gorgeous
CD! Everything about the album says exotic. A wonderful
project!"
Jody Glaser, CIUT
89.5FM, Toronto
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"Lush rich vocals
backed by striking percussion and instrumentation, often accompanied by
intricate harmonies that enrich the overall sound...it definitely will
be getting more airplay on KRCL!"
Susanne
Millsaps, KRCL 91 FM, Salt Lake City, Utah
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"It's wonderful!
Great voice, beautiful, very mellow. Love the lyrics. Love the
songs."
Olga
Milosevich, CBC Radio Halifax
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"Tsufit's rich
melodic voice feels as though it comes from some exotic singing
tradition, sometimes evocative of gypsies, sometimes of small villages
in Spain..."
Mary Steer,
Kingston This Week
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"The
vocals are gorgeous"
Ron Olesko, WFDU 89.1 FM,
Bergenfield, New Jersey
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"Listening to her
beautiful, powerful voice, which is emphasized by the strong, rhythmic
Mediterranean melodies, is a real treat."
Joe Serge,
Arts Editor, Canadian Jewish News |
"A beautiful piece
of work!"
Judith Day,
KEOS 89.1FM, Bryan, Texas
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"A beautiful, fun
and very different album!"
Svein Reidar
Myklebust, Radio Atlantic, Stavanger, Norway |
"A very cool and
unusual album. Tsufit's "Under the Mediterranean Sky"
presents beautiful songs, as well as wacky ones too, in a collection
that many western ears will find both unique and enchanting.
Tsufit's singing engages the listener with its beauty and emotive
power."
Jim Sigler,
Producer/Host, Sounds Eclectic, KUMR, Missouri
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"Under the
Mediterranean Sky is like a bowl of assorted exotic fresh
fruits..."
Connie Bowblis,
WKNH, Keene, New Hampshire |
"Lovely!"
Debra
D'Alessandro
WXPN, Philadelphia,PA
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I find the collection
varied, vibrant, serious, funny and passionate. I
particularly LOVE the "klezemerization" of "Dance Me to
the End of Love"! It's lovely!"
Patricia
Pavey, Host, Planet Beat, CFRC 90.5FM, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan |
"Under the
Mediterranean Sky is a distinctive and quite lovely project that should
find great success with songwriter programs and especially World Music
shows."
Tom Druckenmiller,
WDIY FM, Bethlehem, PA
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"Just
wonderful!"
Bill Hahn, WFDU
89.1FM, Bergenfield, New Jersey |
"Very Cool"
Derek
"DJ" Anderson, WRFW 88.7FM, River Falls, Wisconsin |
"Tsufit offers
strong clear vocals and refreshingly frank lyrics. Songs like
"Last Bridge" and "Broccoli" skewer relationships
with such wit that they're bound to put a smile on your face. The
presence of Tony Quarrington and Quarteto Gelato's Joe Macerollo, always
a good sign of the quality of musicians backing up a project.
Worth listening to again and again!"
Philip Bast,
Entertainment Editor, Kitchener-Waterloo Herald
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"[T]ouching ...
The CD also features new songs that Tsufit has written, all sung with a
vibrant, velvety voice. Tsufit tugs at our heartstrings...
The Jewish
Tribune
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"I'm totally
impressed! Sounds really great!
Karen
McCrindle, CIUT 89.5 FM, Toronto
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"Thanks again for the gift of this
delightful music."
Catherine
Dircz, Womenfolk, KFAI 90.3 FM, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Missouri
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"Under
the Mediterranean Sky is fresh, witty and rhythmic. A wonderful
blend of cultures without any of them colliding."
Dan Berggren, WCVF Radio,
Fredonia, New York
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"Great
sensual low voice! Love the song "Somebody", great message.
Check out "My Transylvanian" for beach blanket fun!"
Ardene Shapiro, CHRY 105.5
FM, Toronto
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"...make it a point to catch Tsufit,
a Toronto singer/songwriter whose music is as exotic as a Mediterranean
smorgasboard...in its totality, Under the Mediterranean Sky is a
celebration of what it is to be human--to love and to lose love; to
experience joy and to experience sorrow, both with a passionate and open
heart."
Robert Reid,
The Record, Kitchener-Waterloo
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"[A]n
impressive work."
Lise Watson, Toronto World
Arts Scene
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"I
loved it!"
Dan Horowitz, Editor, Jewish
Tribune
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"Delightful CD!"
William Bain,
Chimes of Freedom, CFFF 92.7 Peterborough
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"Very
very good! Breaks barriers across all musical genres. A
programmer's delight!"
Tom Coxworth, Producter,
Folk Routes, CKUA Radio Network, Alberta
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"... a highly entertaining and
polished project...the musicianship and quality of writing are
superb."
Jeff Hurst,
Cambridge Times
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"All
sorts of fun!" (My Transylvanian)
Jurgen Gothe, CBC Disc Drive
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"Really enjoyed
it!"
Craig Ross,
CFBK 105.5 FM Huntsville
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"Great
songwriting"
Doug Gibson, CKWR 98.5 FM,
Kitchener-Waterloo
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"A fine
recording"
Scott
MacKinnon, Folk Roots Music Director, WSMU, North Dartmouth,
Massachusetts
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Tsufit sings mainly in English
but her heart beats time with Gypsy, Klezmer and
Middle Eastern rhythms. Of particular interest to this singer, who often
sounds like a cross between Mary Margaret O'Hara and Patricia
O'Callaghan, are the Hebrew Chassidic songs that first start gently but
build to a rousing finish that draws in listeners to chant and clap
along. Under the Mediterranean Sky opens with a sultry reading of
Leonard Cohen's "Dance Me to the End of Love," a wise choice
to set the tone for the rest of the album. The tempo slows for the
intro to the "Hebrew Peace Medley," a song that, as mentioned
earlier, rises to an ecstatic crescendo. There are moments listening to
Tsufit when you believe music could bring peace to the world.
Chapters.ca
|
"Most
Entertaining"
Phil Fink, WELW 1330 AM,
Cleveland, Ohio
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"Good songs, good
voice, good instrumentation, and a definite mid-east flavour. A
nice different sound."
Sonny Ochs,
WRPI, Troy, New York
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Imagine a female Jewish Loudon
Wainwright III and you have some idea of what this Canadian
singer-songwriter is like. After an unpromising start...this suddenly
turns into a collection of very clever, witty and often biting originals
about love, marriage and family, delivered with skill and individuality.
On the evidence of her debut set, Tsufit has the makings of a genuine,
funny and original voice. 4 STARS.
George Robinson, The New York Jewish Week
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Tsufit's crystal clear voice
backed by a solid band has a nice Mediterranean flavour and something to
lounge for as well.
Roy P. Planalp, World Music
Director, WUHN-FM 91.3
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"I
love it!"
Michele Garner, WSIA 88.9FM,
Staten Island, NY
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"I
have reviewed it and thoroughly enjoy it. It is so different than
the many other releases I'm reviewing. Tsufit's singing is very
warm, playful and sincere, across all the varied moods of the material
on the CD. I'm playing it, and I expect other will be too, once
they catch on. The song about motherly advice got some laughing
listeners calling in, and the Richard Farina tune at the end is a real
beautiful interpretation. Thanks again for sending us the
music."
Rik James, KGLT 91.9FM Bozeman,
Montana
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"She
has a great voice and i find much of the music compelling.
Definitely I will play more."
Mike Kelsey, WFHB, Bloomington,
Indiana
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"Just
Wonderful!"
Bill Hahn, WFDU 99.1 FM,
Bergenfield, NJ
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"A
truly enjoyable listening experience. What a great voice and what fun
music!!"
John A. Gronquist,
KFAI 90.3FM Minneapolis and 106.7FM St.
Paul, MN |
"Refreshing
and sometimes novel, Tsufit mixes elements of traditional material with
pokes at ethnical fun. 'Under The Mediterranean Sky' offers the best of
both worlds!"
Martin Curti, New World Buzz |
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