Tamar Ilana & Ventanas is a 6-piece global music and flamenco band based in Toronto, Canada. Founded in 2011 by "powerhouse vocalist" (Downbeat Magazine) and Jewish-Indigenous artist Tamar Ilana, they've received 4 CFMA nominations, and toured across Canada, the US, Colombia, Portugal, Ireland and Spain. They released their 4th album, AZADI, in 2024: original compositions that reflect on life’s freedoms with strong influences from their unique combination of cultural and musical backgrounds including Flamenco, Sephardic, Balkan, Greek, Turkish, Jazz, Pop, Classical and Mediterranean folk. 

About the album - AZADI 

Azadi means “Freedom” in Urdu and Farsi. This album is a reflection on the different forms of freedom we all long to experience: the freedom to sing, to dance, to speak our respective languages, to express our multiple identities and to be accepted. Together, we weave our way through this life and through this world, and together we can help each other to be free.

AZADI, our 4th album, has traditional Flamenco, Sephardic and Balkan songs as well as original works composed by the members of Ventanas, three of which were composed for and debuted with the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra in 2022. Languages include Spanish, Ladino, French, English, Urdu, Hebrew, Greek, Portuguese, and Bulgarian. The album is produced by Tyler Emond (Ghost Town Sound), mastered by Justin Gray (Immersive Mastering), and distributed worldwide by Lulaworld Records.

“I have always struggled with my multiple identities, both cultural and genetic. Who am I? Where am I from? Where do I fit in? As the world also struggles with these issues on multiple fronts, this album is a deep reflection of these questions, and a musical response in the form of peace, collaboration and acceptance.” – Tamar Ilana

vENTANAS ATLAS (2024)