Good Evening Sabah People,
We're excited to announce Yasser Tejeda as our first artist feature for our new series, Craft Sessions.
Yasser is a Dominican musician and composer known for his innovative fusion of traditional Dominican rhythms with contemporary sounds. We spent the afternoon with Yasser at his studio, where he shared a bit about his life and how he created his most important "craft" to date, "La Madrugá." Yasser’s profound commitment to preserving and innovating traditional Dominican rhythms, chants, and ancestral music, is incredibly palpable and just simply, good for the soul.
Just as Yasser Tejeda’s music is a meticulous blend of tradition and innovation, our Sabahs embody a similar philosophy. Our workshop in El Paso, much like our original location in Gaziantep, Turkey, is a hub of craftsmanship and cultural exchange. It felt like a perfect fit to get him in a pair of our EL Paso Babas, which he now wears and maintains like the master craftsman he is!
Live at Sabah House New York.
This Thursday, Yasser will be performing live at Sabah House New York -- an RSVP-only event, we have just a handful of spots left.
Enjoy!
Sincerely,
The Sabah Dealer
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Yasser’s music is a celebration of cultural diversity, drawing from the deep roots of Afro-Dominican and Taíno traditions while incorporating modern musical elements. His newest Album "La Madrugá" is featured in several of our Sabah playlists and we simply can't get enough of it: electric, rhythmic, emotional, an ancestral.
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Born in 1985, Yasser’s musical journey started when he was just 11 years old in 1996 and received his first nylon guitar and began taking lessons. By 13, he was studying under Johnny Marichal, learning classical music, theory, and guitar technique. At 15, Yasser formed his first band with school friends and bought his first electric guitar. In 2001, he enrolled in the National Conservatory and studied Business Administration at university while working as a musician and guitar teacher. Joining the band Grupo Negros in 2002, where he gained lots of experience and travelled around his country.
In 2005, Yasser had his first encounter with Afro-Dominican music when he began collaborating with the renowned artist Xiomara Fortuna, known for her fusion of jazz, rock, and Afro-Dominican sounds.
This period marked his first experience recording an album and performing live, including a significant recording session for Xiomara's record La Calle Será la Calle. Yasser’s connection with other important artists around this, like Luis Díaz, deepened his understanding and appreciation of Dominican roots music.
Another important moment came around 2006 he attended the FITA (Festival Internacional de Tradiciones Afro-Americanas), in Maracay, Venezuela, where he witnessed the rich traditions of afro-descending music from over 200 artists and bands from all over the world. Brasil, Cuba, Haití, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Trinidad y Tobago, Venezuela and more. This experience profoundly deepened his commitment to exploring and preserving Afro-Dominican traditions.
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Yasser shared with us many "full-circle" moments throughout his career, but one that struck him the most was when his aunts revealed that their family had deep roots in Afro-Dominican traditions from San Juan de la Maguana. This revelation explained why he felt an overwhelming emotional connection to the music and felt goosebumps when he saw his family dancing to the "palos" (drums) he had incorporated to the music of his upcoming album.
In 2007, Yasser auditioned for Berklee College of Music, earning a scholarship and later recording his debut album, Mezclanza, which he labels as "Afro-Dominican Jazz", a genre never previously used. He then moved to Boston in 2008 to study at Berklee, returning to the Dominican Republic in 2009 to release the album. In 2013, Yasser relocated to New York, where he continued his musical career and began playing with Prince Royce in 2014, gaining international touring experience. He formed his band in New York in 2016, discovering the potential of incorporating vocals into his music with the help of his wife, multi-instrumentalist, Jill Peacock. Yasser released his second album, Kijombo, in 2019, which further explored his roots.
During the pandemic in 2020, he moved to Samaná, where he worked on the music that shakes us up today, his newest album "La Madrugá."
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We asked Yasser, Where to Next? in his musical journey:
"The remix... that's what's coming next! I'm writing new songs, and they're "heavy". I'm almost finished with one, and it feels like, after the remix, several weeks later, about a month and a half, it'll be time to set up the new material that's coming. After going through everything I've shared, I'm still studying, learning songwriting, and adding my touch. It's like another phase that's coming, very interesting— a new Yasser.
It's like peeling back layers, like an onion with all its layers, or like a rose with all its petals. These are layers and layers, revealing new dimensions of my music and personal growth. Each layer represents an exploration of my artistic identity, a continuous and expanding journey."
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We're coming down to the final few pairs of our Azalea Pink Babas -- made from a crushed Italian velvet. Completely original in texture & eye-catching as ever in color, these Babas are going, going, gone!
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Hey Carmel! We’re having a blast over here at Tancredi & Morgen... and the good news: we’ll be here through August 4, fitting Sabahs & Babas, everyday. Swing by!
🪩 And then, Saturday, Aug 3 we’re hosting an Italian Disco party from 2-6pm. Come slip into some Babas, sip on Martinis and dance with us!
Bring you friends, meet our friends!
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Where to Next? Los Angeles.
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We're hanging in Carmel through August 4 at Tancredi & Morgen. From there, we drive south to West Hollywood where we will be in Residence at NorBlack NorWhite from August 8-18 at 424 1/2 N Fairfax Ave.
Come shop our latest Sabahs & Babas and immerse yourself in NBNW's new vibrant store!
See you there!
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