THE BOSTON HERALD

Pardo hits peak with Atlas Soul

Jazz/World/by Bob Young
Friday, January 25 2002

Saxophonist Jacques Pardo knows a good sound when hears it, and with Atlas Soul, he feels he's smack in the middle of one of the best musical situations he's ever been in. Which is saying a lot.

Pardo's previous band, Cosmos Factor, was a sharp and entertaining eclectic outfit that appeared regularly around town during the 90's. The reed man also has made a habit of sitting in with international musicians when they come through Boston, the most recent being Baaba Maal, who invited Pardo to join his band for a song at the Paradise last summer.

Atlas Soul's debut CD, “Chamsa,” confirms that Pardo's enthusiasm isn't misplaced. You can hear the band Thursday from 7-9pm at the Milky Way in Jamaica Plain.

Stir together North African pop sounds like rai and shaabi with some funk, reggae, soca and West African hi life and you get close to what Atlas Soul is laying down. The words are sung in French, Arabic, Hebrew and English. It's true world music with a party edge.

In fact, the band even has a slogan: “World music towards world peace.”

“Music is really a common denominator,” said the saxophonist who also sings.

That said, Pardo and company are still more concerned with getting people onto the dance floor than stepping into politics.

“My idea behind all this is to keep it earthy, keep it real,” explained the Watertown resident.” “We jam a lot and a lot of the songs get down. So if a funk bass line works in a song, we try it.”

The French born Pardo, of Algerian and Greek descent is quick to credit them for Atlas Soul's heavy Northern African influence “A lot of the western pop music now uses North African and Middle Eastern melodies,” said Pardo. “ People are much more exposed to it today.”

“There are many different tribes making up North African music- the Berbers, the Arabs, especially those from Morocco, the Gnawa from the south. There are a lot of different people who have kept the traditions and its very rich with many different grooves.”

While many of Atlas Soul's influences have deeply rooted traditions, Pardo has something far more straightforward in mind when he steps on stage with the band.