Artists
Artist Profile
DeLeon
- Contact
Booking: Anthony Paolercio @ The Agency Group
Publicity: Emily Goldsher @ JDub Records
Label: Aaron Bisman @ JDub Records
Management: Jacob Harris @ JDub Records
- Links
DeLeon plays 15th Century Spanish indie rock infused with the deeply mysterious and entrancing cadences of the ancient Sephardic tradition.
DeLeon’s intricate sound has been a long time in the making. Their music, birthed in Spain before the Inquisition and raised in pre-WWII Italy, has finally reached maturity in modern-day Brooklyn. The band, named for 12th Century Kabalistic philosopher Moses Deleon and front man Daniel Saks’ great-grandfather Giorgio Deleon, was conceived to reconcile Saks’ cultural journey with modern influences. By re-imagining these ancient melodies as contemporary pieces, DeLeon has given the world at large a unique chance to experience the rich musical history of Sephardic Judaism.
Anxious to show the world the newest trick up his talented sleeve, Saks officially began DeLeon’s journey last April at the Bowery Ballroom where they played their first show alongside Balkan Beat Box. Since then, DeLeon has been very busy. They have been invited to tour with Ozomatli, Balkan Beat Box and Mike Gordon. DeLeon also showcased much of their new material at JDub Records’ 5th Anniversary show at Celebrate Brooklyn in Prospect Park. Their much-anticipated self-titled album was released August 12th, 2008 on JDub Records.
DeLeon’s groundbreaking sound is as rare as the process that created it. Saks, along with band mates Kevin Snider, Justin Riddle, Amy Crawford and Andrew Oom, pioneered this form, one that marries ancient Sephardic melodies sung in Ladino, Hebrew and English with the chaotic symphony of urban living.
PRESS:
"It's an arcane but refreshing alchemy - sometimes brooding and lovelorn, sometimes joyous and danceable."
- Brad Frenette, National Post
"At times rocking the Casbah ("La Serena"), sometimes channeling David Byrne ("Almond Trees"), and sometimes just wonderfully weird ("La Vida Do Por El Raki"), this is one band to behold."
- Toph One, XLR8R
"A genuinely novel record, full of intriguing concoctions and diverse instrumentation, and is a breath of fresh air"
- Adi Anand, Austinist
"Time to put on your sombrero...Deleon combines the intrigue of older, 15th century Spanish music with the flare of modern independent rock." - I Guess I'm Floating
Latest_news
What We Did With Our Winter Vacation
Well, we’re back from vacation, and it’s time to catch you all up on what you might have missed over the break. Here ya’ go:
- The Faster Times included The Sway Machinery and Girls in Trouble in their Best of 2009 Music list.
- The Boston Survival Guide chose Girls in Trouble to include in their 2009 Band Roundup.
- Made Up Disease (MUD) posted a really nice and very thorough ode to JDub, including a whole bunch of our artists, like The Macaroons and Balkan Beat Box.
- Music magazine Blurt included Alicia of Girls in Trouble in their The Artists Have Spoken: Best of 2009 feature.
- JTA’s The Fundermentalist shed a little light on the recent Jdub/Nextbook partnership.
- The Forward listed Soulico and The Sway Machinery as picks on their 2009 Forward Fives list.
- The University of Oregon’s Oregon Voice had a great writeup on Soulico’s Exotic on the Speaker.
- DJ Anjali listed Soulico’s Exotic on the Speaker as part of his Top 5 of 2009 in the Portland Mercury.
- Digital City has a fantastic interview with Dave Schneider of The Macaroons — conducted by Corn Mo’!
- The Sway Machinery is one of LimeWire’s Best of 2009 Staff Picks!
- Jeremiah Lockwood, of The Sway Machinery, published an op-ed in The Forward about the band’s trip to Mali.
- Our friends over at Tablet Mag talk up The Macaroons in a podcast dedicated to the best family-friendly music of 2009.
Last but not least, I’ve posted more photos from Jewltide 7 under the cut! All credit goes to Dan Sieradski.
DeLeon @ Sephardic Music Festival
Here is some footage from DeLeon’s performance at the Knitting Factory during the Sephardic Music Festival. If you’re in New York, you can also check out Dan from DeLeon performing 1 night only with Dan Saks & The Funkadeli All Stars at JDub & Jewcy’s XMAS Eve Jewltide party. Details Here
Happy Hanukkah from DeLeon
Funk Yeah, It’s Jewltide 7!
We’re back with our 7th annual XMas Eve Jewltide party and this year promises to be the funkiest!! It’s going down at Southpaw in Park Slope on December 24th, boasting a fresh set of funk classics by Dan Saks (of DeLeon) & The Funkadeli All-Stars and funky rock n soul beats spun all night courtesy of New York Night Train’s Mr. Jonathan Toubin.
JDub Records & Jewcy Present: Jewltide 7
Thursday, December 24th (Christmas Eve)
@ Southpaw (125 5th Ave)
Featuring:
Dan Saks & The Funkadeli All-Stars
New York Night Train’s Mr. Jonathan Toubin
$10 Advance / $15 at the door (ticketweb.com)
Donuts & Drink Specials!
Doors 8 pm / Show 9 pm
If you don’t have a tree, you don’t have an excuse.
Co-Sponsored by Brooklyn Vegan, Jewish Book Council, and Brooklyn Jews
I’ll Spook You With My Organ This Halloween
I hope you will join me (Daniel of DeLeon) this Halloween at Union Hall in Brooklyn with the spookiest man I know, Tim Fite. I’ll be supplying the eerie organ behind his terrible tales. I’ve seen the show. You will laugh, you will dance, you will be horrified. A message from Tim Fite:
Hello everybody,
It’s that time of year again!!! When the diabetics rise up from their Craft-Matic beds and crawl through the neighborhood begging for treats. That’s right kiddos… it’s October, and Halloween is on it’s way. This means three things for you to note on your calendar.
1. I will be releasing the final album of my free Halloween trilogy on the 31st.
2. I will be celebrating the BLOOD HARVEST with all who care to join me at the Union Hall in Brooklyn, NY on the 31st.
3. I will be digging a very small grave on the 31st.
Of these three things, the most pressing for you is the show at the Union Hall which is shaping up to be a magical night. I will be playing all of the goriest hits from my Halloween albums accompanied by the (blood soaked) [Daniel of DeLeon]. Via Audio will dress up and play their lovely songs under the shadow of cornstalks. BUT, Halloween at the Union Hall is about more than just music. There will be pumpkins to carve, pinatas to smash, apples to bob for (possibly in beer), a costume exchange booth for switching costumes with a friend, hayrides, and a myriad of other spooky treats. DON’T MISS THIS ONE!
For those of you who live far away, get on your broomsticks, and come anyway!!!
I like it raw,
Tim Fite
Video
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Cruisin'
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Rahelika Baila
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DeLeon at JDub's 5th Anniversary Concert
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La Serena
Photos
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Rooftop Roots Volume III
A JDub Mixtape - (v/a)
2007
Out Of Stock
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Feb 20
Artist Music
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The Wailing Wall Has 2 Brooklyn Shows This Week!
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TONIGHT (2/8) @ Death By Audio
8PM / ALL AGES
The Wailing Wall (full band), Horse’s Mouth, Your Nature, Blastoff!
Thursday (2/11) @ Bar Matchless
7PM/ FREE
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