DeLeon

Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, the indie rock group DeLeon weaves Sephardi Jewish cultural traditions into the core of its songwriting and creative influences. Sephardi Jews lived on the Iberian Peninsula—today’s Spain and Portugal—until the Catholic Church expelled them near the close of the 15th century. The ensemble, which borrows its name from the 12th-century Kabbalistic philosopher Moses DeLeon, includes Dan Saks on vocals, guitar, and banjo, Kevin Snider on bass and vocals, Justin Riddle on drums, Amy Crawford on keyboards and vocals, and Andrew Oom on trumpet. The band’s first live show took place in April 2007 at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City. Afterward, they joined tours alongside Ozomatli, Mike Gordon of Phish, and Balkan Beat Box. Their debut full-length album, DeLeon, appeared in 2008 via the independent Jewish imprint JDub Records.