Jaffa Road: Cross-cultural musical exploration from Toronto.

Photo: Sean William O’Neill

The Jaffa Road vibe is ignited by the ethereal vocals of Tamar Ilana, the evocative oud & guitar playing of the band’s founder Aaron Lightstone, the visionary grooves of Justin Gray (bass & bass veena), the exhilarating sounds of saxophonist & flautist Sundar Viswanathan and the driving beat of drummer & percussionist Rakesh Tewari. Recently, Jaffa Road has added Shawn Rompre on electronic percussion & effects to the mix. Along with a cadre of top-notch guest artists, these stellar musicians challenge accepted notions of Jewish music while creating a new form of expression that breaks cultural boundaries.

In 2013, they won the Canadian Folk Music Award for World Music Group of the Year, and have been nominated for two Canadian Juno Awards for Best World Music Album. Jaffa Road has recently finished their much-anticipated third album Until When, and are planning for its release in the fall of 2021. The band’s trailblazing musical odyssey has taken them to festivals and theatres across North and South America.