Breaking away: Mysteries of Life, Vida, El Nino, Salaam Blossom in Bloomington

With one of the country’s most highly regarded music schools, Bloomington is bound to be a musical town, even if you consider just the number of kids practicing scales everyday.  One of the more naturally euphonious ensembles is Salaam, which plays a mixture of originals and arrangements of traditional Middle Eastern tunes.

Salaam’s enchanting self-titled debut disc is out on Bloomington-based Vivi Records, run by Jorge Hernandez.  The group comprises flutist Amy Cyr, percussionist Michelle Daly, bassist Ron Kadish, violinist Dena El Saffar, and violinist Megan Weeder – all except Daly graduated of IU’s music school.  Salaam produced its album with Grey Larsen, a regional producer/composer of various Celtic and folk acts.  Two of the album’s tracks were cut live at the Waldron Arts Center in downtown Bloomington.  The band appears on the “Live from Bloomington 1995” compilation CD, with the song “Sand Highway,” and on the ’96 disc, with a different take on it’s album track “Funky Camel” (see story page 1).

According to Kadish, Salaam has sold more than 800 copies of its album, released last fall.  Having played as far afield as Chicago and St. Louis, the quintet also draws well at its thrice-weekly gigs in Bloomington, especially at the Wild Beet.  Kadish says Bloomington clubgoers are an unusually receptive audience, generally supportive of acts of hybrid genres.

“The enthusiasm for different kinds of music in Bloomington has ballooned exponentially,” Kadish says.  “Even the Tuesday night jazz jam at the Wild Beet gets packed.  Everyone has their favorites, but most people seem willing to check things out.”