I always have an ear out for new music, especially music that brings together sounds and styles from different parts of the world. Two of my favorites include the music of the Afro-Celt Sound System and Rebbe Soul, both of which are quite innovative and energizing.

Recently, I discovered two new groups—The Sarah Aroeste Band and Oi Va Voi—that create a similar kind of sound-fusion by bringing Jewish ethnic flavors back into the groove. As a five-member group, The Sarah Aroeste Band melds rock, funk, and blues with Sephardic melodies and Ladino lyrics. With her family roots in Spain and Greece, Aroeste is determined to keep Ladino—the ethnic form of Castilian Spanish developed by Spanish Jews after their expulsion from Spain in 1492—alive, vibrant, and trans-continental through her music.

In a similar fusion vein, Oi Va Voi, an experimental London ensemble, fuses indie rock and electronica with Klezmer and other global rhythms drawn from Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, and beyond. Before becoming a multi-platinum solo artist, K.T. Tunstall was a guest vocalist for Oi Va Voi. Who knew?

Both of these groups have been around for some time now, but have simultaneously put out new albums which are gaining momentum.

I think they’re pretty great. Listen to their music on MySpace: Oi Va Voi and The Sarah Aroeste Band.