#4598, Persian Voices in a Western Setting

Listen to Persian classical singing in a western or cross-cultural setting, in music by classically-trained Iranian singer Mamak Khadem, the band Niyaz featuring vocalist Azam Ali, and Iranian sisters Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat, who mostly record in Norway.

California-based, classically trained Iranian singer Mamak Khadem (who was part of Persian-avant-rock band Axiom of Choice) often works with producer Jamshied Sharifi on works that exist in a Western, electronic space but are deeply rooted in Persian poetry and music, (Schaefer.) Her latest record, Remembrance, was created as a tribute to her beloved father who died during the global pandemic; she was unable to be with him in Iran when he passed. Khadem’s lyrics, sung in Farsi, draw from the 13th-century poet Moulana Jalaledin Rumi, and other great Persian poets Saied Soltanpour and Fatemeh Baraghani. Hear selections from Remembrance.

Then, hear Persian poetry by Hafez and Rumi set to music by Iranian composer and singer Mahsa Vahdat, featuring Kronos Quartet and her sister, the singer Marjan Vahdat, from the album, Placeless. Listen to another song, "I Am Eve," featuring the sisters, this time together with setar player Atabak Elyasi. Also, listen to Mahsa Vahdat from her record, Enlighten the Night, featuring Norwegian musicians pianist Tord Gustavsen, bass player Gjermund Silset and drummer Kenneth Ekornes.

There’s also Persian-inflected electronica from Niyaz - a trio of vocalist Azam Ali, instrumentalist Loga Ramin Torkian and producer/mixer Carmen Rizzo. Plus, music by the late Holger Czukay of CAN who incorporated voices of Iranian singers Marzieh and Golpa, captured via short-wave radio into his song "Persian Love," and more.  – Caryn Havlik

Program #4598, Persian Voices in a Western Setting

ARTIST: Holger Czukay
WORK: Persian Love [1:00] 
RECORDING: Movies
SOURCE: Mute 69070 / Claremont 56
INFO: Out of print. Try Discogs or claremont56.bandcamp.com/track/my-persian-love

ARTIST: Mamak Khadem
WORK: Face to Face [5:37]
RECORDING: Remembrance
SOURCE: Six Degrees Records 
INFO: sixdegreesrecords.com

ARTIST: Sussan Deyhim & Richard Horowitz
WORK: Botachine  [5:35]
RECORDING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38mEoYN_Ng0
SOURCE: unreleased
INFO: http://sussandeyhim.com

ARTIST: Niyaz
WORK: Tam e Eshq (A Taste Of Love)  [5:28]
RECORDING: The Fourth Light
SOURCE: Six Degrees Records 
INFO: sixdegreesrecords.com

ARTIST: Holger Czukay
WORK: Persian Love [6:22] 
RECORDING: Movies
SOURCE: Mute 69070 / Claremont 56
INFO: Try Discogs or claremont56.bandcamp.com/track/my-persian-love

ARTIST: Mahsa & Marjan Vahdat & Kronos Quartet
WORK: My Tresses In The Wind [3:23]
RECORDING: Placeless
SOURCE: Valley Entertainment
INFO: valleyentertainment.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Atabak Elyasi, Mahsa & Marjan Vahdat
WORK: I Am Eve  [7:05]
RECORDING: I Am Eve
SOURCE: Kirkelig Kulturverksted  KKV  FXCD335
INFO: klicktrack.com/kkv

ARTIST: Mahsa Vahdat
WORK: Enlighten the night [4:33]
RECORDING: Enlighten the night
SOURCE: Kirkelig Kulturverksted 
INFO: https://kkv.no/en

ARTIST: Mamak Khadem
WORK: Mina [5:42]
RECORDING: Remembrance
SOURCE: Six Degrees Records 
INFO: sixdegreesrecords.com

ARTIST: Niyaz
WORK: Arzusun [2:28]
RECORDING: Sumud (Alevi-Bektashi poet Kul Nesimi)
SOURCE: Six Degrees Records 
INFO: sixdegreesrecords.com