Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz steps out on his own to make one of the most primal and tribal installments in John Zorn's Masada series. Drawing on his Sephardic roots, Shanir plays gimbri throughout, giving the music a trance inducing primeval Moroccan edge. Featuring the intense guitar pyrotechnics of Eyal Maoz and Aram Bajakian - and the atavistic drumming of Kenny Grohowski, this is Ritualistic Jewish Rock for the 21st century by a brilliant young lion from the East Village via Brooklyn/Israel!

Picture a Sephardic Jimi Hendrix on holiday in Fez. Abraxas is showcase for Blumenkranz. Here he exclusively plays the deep toned Gimbri, a 3-stringed Moroccan instrument, in the context of compositions featuring the twin 6 string assault of Eyal Maoz and Aram Bajakian against the slamming backbeats of drummer Kenny Growhowski. (Bill Milkowski, Downbeat Magazine)