Atlas Soul is an award-winning band based in Boston performing original music that celebrates and bridge Afro-Mediterranean melodies & grooves with Jazz and Funk thus naturally creating new powerful genres of music one could describe as Maghrebian-Funk, Rock’n Raï and Shaâbi-Jazz.
"Atlas Soul's blend of jazz, funk and Middle-Eastern/Arabic grooves is a fascinating sonic stew that will catch any listener's ear. This is their second appearance on our CD's compilation. We like'em, and you will too". Global Rhythm Magazine
Their powerful energetic & tight live performance is guaranty to move any audience and soon have every one sing along (often in a foreign language) up & dancing & sharing the positive energy!
They have played venues such as The Montreal Jazz Festival, The Kennedy Center, The Festival International de Louisiane, The Houston International Festival, Musikfest, The FNX/Boston Phoenix Jazz Series at the Hatch Shell, The Festival International Nuits d’Afrique (Montreal) The Boston Globe Jazz Festival, The Steppin’Out Festival, MASS MoCA , Les Francofolies de Montreal, and many more…They have been booked on the same bill and shared the stage with international artists such as Lady Smith Black Mombazo, Thomas Mapfumo, Gigi, Alpha Blondy, Hassan Hakmoun, Baba Maal and Cheb Nasro to name just a few.
“What hits hardest about Atlas Soul’s 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 Banning Eyre. (Afropop Worldwide)
Atlas Soul sings in French, Arabic, Hebrew and English. 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.
They have won or placed 3 times the Independent Music Awards, the Billboard World Song, The Unisong International, Global Rhythm Magazine, Just Plain Folks Music Awards, Boston Music Awards and many more
They are currently in the studio recording their 4th album.
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 "Maktoub" CD, or to be on their mailing list please contact Jacques Pardo at 617 923 9957 or email him at jacquespardo@comcast.net websites: http://www.atlas-soul.com
Jacques Pardo, Atlas Soul’s band leader is a multi-instrumentalist (vocals, guitar, sax) an award winning composer and a music producer. His songs have been featured in many world music compilations, movies and hundreds of radio stations worldwide.
He came to the USA in 1988 on a tour with the Arab/ Palestinian /Jewish/Israeli band: “Local Music”. He played and toured the USA with many blues and R&B bands.
Jacques formed the band Cosmos Factor (featuring the late extraordinary Cuban singer/performer Merida del Castillo) toured intensively the clubs and festivals circuits and pioneered world-music in the Boston area in the 90’s.
He produced the album: “We All Live In A Jungle” that was charted on radios stations nationally for over two years.
He formed Atlas Soul in 2000 and produced the album “Chamsa”(4th Independent Music Awards winners) in 2001, “Live” in 2004, “Mabrouka”(7 th Independent Music Awards finalist & winners &14 th Annual Billboard World Songwriting Contest finalist) in 2006 and "Maktoub" (8th Independent Music Awards finalist & 2009 J.P.F International Music Awards finalist).
As a sideman (sax & guitar) he has recorded on numerous albums, played and shared the stage with many international World-Music stars including Hassan Hakmoun, Baba Maal, Cheb Nasro (USA tour) Farid El Kinnitri, Saida Fikri, Brahim Fribgane etc
