Celebration of Flamenco Music Returns to Valley Beth Shalom [VIDEO]

will play host to "Souls on Fire," a celebration of the golden age of Spanish music, on Jan. 22.

The Jewish Music Commission of Los Angeles is presenting the event, calling it a "musical exploration of Spanish, Sephardic, Gitano and Moorish cultures that will take you on a sonic journey through the passion of Flamenco, the poetry of Sepharad and the rhythm of the Moorish."

The performers, who presented a similar program in Encino in 2010 (click on the video above to see a clip from the show) , includes Adam Delmonte (flamenco guitar), Yale Strom (violin), Elizabeth Schwartz (Arabic and Ladino vocals), Pilar Moreno (flamenco vocals), Geraldo Morales (percussion) and Jeff Pekarek (bass). Lakshmi "La Chimi" Basile, a flamenco dancer who lives in Seville, Spain, is flying in especially to perform at the event.

Richard Braun, the chairman of the Jewish Music Commission of Los Angeles, told Patch that he was excited to see the musicians return to Valley Beth Shalom.

"Yale Strom is a very, very well-known ethnomusicologist, and he's devoted his life to the study of music from various ethnic cultures," Braun said. "The event is not only a performance, but tries to be educational as well—the musicians talk about the music of different ethnic groups."

Strom is part of a group called Hot Pstromi. He's also an artist in residence at San Diego State University and, when he's on the other coast, often lectures at New York University and Queen's College. Strom told Patch that he was thrilled to be a part of the performance.

"It's a concert exploring that interesting period of eighth to 12th century Spain, where you have the Jewish culture, the Catholic culture, the Moorish culture and the gitanos living together—sometimes peacefully, sometimes not," Strom said. "One of the things they shared was their love of culture and extolling it through music, poetry, song and dance."

"Souls on Fire," Jan. 22, 3 p.m, , 15739 Ventura Blvd., Encino. Admission: $10 paid in advance; $15 at the door. For reservations and further information, call Valley Beth Shalom 818-788-6000. Reservations until Jan. 20 at noon.