Performing the vibrant, uplifting music of Mizrahi cultures, the Berkeley-based octet Za'atar breathes spirit into the traditional devotional and social music of the Jewish communities of the Near East and North Africa.

In performance and on albums like their recent Riqmat HaZimrah, Za'atar combines driving, infectious rhythms, lush Eastern melodies, and both contemplative and ecstatic religious expression into an exciting and uplifting musical experience. With a repertoire as multifarious as the history of the Mizrahi Jews, the ensemble offers such wide-ranging music as a Yom Kippur prayer set to a Moroccan melody, a sensuous Yemeni love song, a classical Turkish Sufi piece, and a haunting, soulful classical song from Moorish Spain.

In keeping with their innovative repertoire, Rachel Valfer, Daniel Esho, John Erlich, Lila Sklar, Eliyahu Sills, Daniel Ratner, Aharon Wheels Bolsta, and Juliet Lee interweave the traditional Middle Eastern sounds of kanoun (Near Eastern lap harp), ney (Near Eastern cane flute), oud (lute), dumbek and bendir (drums), with more modern instruments like violin and bass guitar.