Im Ninalou
Michal Cohen (Voice, Composer)

On his new CD, named for a 7th-century freedom fighter, the Algerian mixmaster DJ Chebi i Sabbah takes the music of the North Africa and Moorish Spain on a magic carpet ride that floats electronica/techno effects over Berber, Jewish, Black African, and Arab instruments and genres, with vocals by some of world music's most evocative female singers. The enchanting rai vocalist Cheba Zahouania is heard on the reggae influenced number, "Esh 'Dani, Alash Mshit." The Yemenite singer Michal Cohen adds her Semitic swing to the intoxicating "Im Ninalou," while the Moroccan group Haddarates sing in their mystical, Sufi-style on "Madh Assalhin." "Toura Toura," is motored by Brahim Elbelkani's Afrocentric, Gnawna tantric tempos and tones, and "Jarat Fil Hub" transports the listener back to the splendors of Andalusia via Cheb i Sabbah's wheels-of-steel alchemy, which easily moves Afro-Arab music across the sonic sands of time. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

DJ Chebi i Sabbah, one of Six Degrees’ best selling artists, is known around the world for his ground-breaking South Asian trilogy, Shri Durga, Mahamaya: Shri Durga Remixed and Krishna Lila. Sabbah's heartfelt, spiritual approach to bringing music to the dance floor has established him as a highly respected international music producer, DJ and an influential pioneer of the underground.

On his long awaited new studio CD, La Kahena, the Algerian born Sabbah returns to the roots of his native North Africa gathering some of the most distinctive female singers from the Maghreb in a studio in Morocco. With tracks by vocalists from many different traditions of North Africa, La Kahena compellingly illustrates the diversity of this region. Tracks by traditional ensembles B’net Marrakech and Ouled Ben Aguida reflect Berber traditions. Khadija Othmani conveys the matrilineal noble culture of Algerian Tuaregs. The Gnawa master Brahim Elbelkani brings the spirit of sub-Saharan African mystic healers, originally brought to Morocco as slaves. Nadia introduces the first music Sabbah remembers hearing in his life, elegant, Andalusian songs performed at weddings and celebrations in Constantine, Algeria. And Cheba Zahouania delivers the freewheeling spirit of rai, a music born in the pleasure-loving port city of Oran, Algeria, where many Andalusians fled after their expulsion from Spain. To complete the collection, Michal Cohen, a Jewish singer of Yemenite descent, shares a song based on a poem by Shalom Shabazi, the 16th century Yemenite Jewish mystic.

Recorded in studios in Marrakech, San Francisco, New York and New Delhi, Sabbah finished the sessions by adding his own "dj Science" or modern aural magic to these performances, making La Kahena a truly original and ground-breaking project the likes of which only the artistic vision of Cheb i Sabbah could have created.

Michal Cohen

Michal Cohen's family comes from Yemen, but she was born and raised in Rosh Ha'ayin, Israel. She started her musical training at the age of 6. At 15, she was already a lead singer, with her own band. During her military service, Michal performed throughout Israel as the lead singer of an army band. Her range extends from ancient Yemenite songs through to contemporary, and she’s performed regularly in clubs and festivals around the Israeli capital Tel Aviv, including the jazz clubs of Beit Lessin, Hakosit, and the Einav Center R&B Festival.

Michal arrived in the US after receiving a scholarship at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. She graduated Magna Cum Laude in the year 2000. She has sung in many prestige venues, including Merkin Hall, The Museum for American Jewish History in Philadelphia; the Philadelphia Museum of Art; Symphony Space; Scullers Jazz Club, Joe’s Pub, Satalla, pianos, and the Knitting Factory.

Her recordings include collaborations with artists such as DJ Cheb I Sabbah, Guillermo Nojechowicz, Frank London, Avi Elbaz, Uri Pessah and Alon Yavnai. Her vocals have appeared on two movies: “Historias Minimas”, by Carlos Sorin, and Pearl Gluck’s “Divan”(Tribeca Film Festival). She has toured widely, including the Avivir Festival, Festival De Desierto, San Luis Potosi in Mexico, Ottawa Folk Festival in Canada, Tamaulipas World Music Festival in Mexico, The Brighton Ethnic Festival; the NYANA festival and The Israel Folk Dance Festival. She was featured in a program of original electronic music in the German capital, Berlin, on WMRD-AM, Forward, WHRV, WUST-AM, PBS, and the 'Voice of Music'.

Besides English and Hebrew, Michal has sung in Bulgarian, Spanish, Yiddish and Portuguese. She’s working on her own project - Yemenite Flavors - and various others including Pharaoh’s Daughter, Point of View, WAV, and BEAUTEEZ’n THE BEAT. She is the recipient of a “Finalist” and of two “Honorable Mentions” from the John Lennon Songwriting Contest in 2000 and 2002, as well as The Vocal-Jazz Cleo Laine Award.

Her reputation is building as one of the most eclectic and exciting vocalists on the East Coast. Her new solo show, “Henna” premiered in New York in February 2008.