![]() ![]() Numerous languages were also in the air, Arabic, Hebrew, French and Spanish. The answer is easy: “whatever song I’m singing at the moment.“ I know so many songs that it would be impossible to have a favorite. With this varied repertoire people often ask me which is my favorite song to sing. So we were always playing records, singing at our ritual ceremonies and it became just part of our musical experience to embrace all kinds of music. I was also exposed to Argentinian music, tangos in particular, by my grandfather who spent the first part of his life in Buenos Aires. We listened to a lot of French popular song – Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel, Georges Brassens, Yves Montand and many others – as Morocco was a French Protectorate at the time and everyone spoke French. Most of the Sephardic songs I sing are in Ladino. Then, Ladino (an old Spanish spoken by the Spanish Jews who were expelled from Spain in 1492). ![]() But also Hebrew as there was a large Sephardic Jewish population living there at the time. First, Arabic music as Morocco is a Muslim country. In Morocco we were exposed to a potpourri of musical styles and languages. Everyone in my family always loved music. ![]() He had a tin ear however, and though he was always picking up different instruments – banjo, mandolin, accordion, guitar, piano – he never became proficient at any despite his iron will. My mother had a great voice and sense of style so I think that I inherited most of my musical talent from her and the self discipline from my father who also loved music. Music has always been my refuge and my deepest passion which always made the world right with me. Playing the guitar became central to my musical life and I studied classical, jazz, flamenco and folk styles from all over the world. I also started playing the guitar at age 9 so I could accompany myself when I sang. Up till that time I just heard songs I liked and learned them. I started occasional voice lessons at age 16. My favorite piece was Mozart’s “Turkish March” which I would ask her to play over and over again! I would sit by her side for hours listening to her practice. She was 13 at the time and studying classical piano. I always loved music and dance from the time I first heard a 45 vinyl record of The Platters singing ”The Great Pretender.” Another powerful musical influence was my aunt Yolande who was a fabulous pianist. I made everyone in the house come in to watch me perform. I started singing at age 4, dancing and hamming it up for my family on my grandmother’s dining room table, which I used as a stage, when we still lived in Casablanca. When I was there last, the famous Rock of Gibraltar was covered with monkeys. I was born in Casablanca, Morocco on the Northwestern coast of Africa, which is just across the Strait of Gibraltar at the very southern tip of Spain. ![]()
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