Butterfly Buzz & Shari Rezai Present:
NIYAZ
@ El Rey Theatre
Saturday, February 7, 2009
5515 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles ,
CA 90036
$30-60 / 18+ / Show: 9 PM / (323)
936-6400
www.sixdegreesrecords.com
www.niyazmusic.com
www.theelrey.com
www.butterflybuzz.com
For tickets and information visit:
www.radiojavan.com/NIYAZ
On
February 7, the Persian
electro-acoustic sensation Niyaz
does a hometown record release party in Los Angeles at the
El Rey Theatre in support of their
critically acclaimed sophomore album,
Nine Heavens.
The album has been resonating
across a wide spectrum of fans worldwide from the younger Persian generation to
their parents, to Western ears and more. No wonder why the album continues to
receive press accolades with a recent feature on
NPR's Weekend Edition. The album has
also hit impressive chart numbers including
#1 on iTunes "world
chart," #1 on the "world
music radio charts" in Europe , and
#4 on
Billboard's "world
music chart."
Niyaz's 2005 debut album featured
a convincing blend of Sufi poetry and trance electronica, and quickly
established them as a standout ensemble in a very crowded world music field.
Since then Niyaz have become international touring artists performing all over
the world from Canada , the United States , Europe to the Middle East . Known
for their highly dynamic live performances, which features additional musicians
from various backgrounds, Niyaz presents audiences with a sophisticated blend of
superb musicianship and subtle electronica.
Now, Niyaz returns with
Nine Heavens, which doesn't just
cross cultural and stylistic boundaries, but the centuries as well. Drawing on
medieval Persian poetry and 300-year old Persian folk songs, Niyaz has created a
21st century global trance tradition. This may seem like a tall order for a
band that's barely three years old – until you realize who these musicians are.
Vocalist Azam Ali co-founded the
best-selling world music duo Vas in 1996; her unmistakable voice has graced
numerous recordings and major film scores.
Loga Ramin Torkian is a multi-instrumentalist whose group Axiom of
Choice brought the ancient sounds of Persian classical music to Western
listeners in the 1990s. And Carmen Rizzo,
a multiple Grammy nominee, who is co-producer in Niyaz along with Azam and Loga,
and has worked with Coldplay, Seal, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and many others. Small
wonder then that the trio hit the ground running with its self-titled debut.
Now, with Nine Heavens, Niyaz
breaks new ground in a two-disc format: the first is an adventurous, spiritual
exploration of the ties that bind Persian, Indian, Turkish, and Western dance
music. The second disc showcases 8 out of the 9 songs in a purely acoustic
setting.
On tour Niyaz consists of
vocalist Azam Ali,
multi-instrumentalist Loga Ramin Torkian,
oud virtuoso Naser Musa,
tabla player Salar Nader,
double bassist Miles Jay, and
Ray Lee on keyboards and programming.
Niyaz's live show is a celebration of cultural and spiritual
differences, which has not only united these talented musicians, but also their
audiences worldwide.
Don't miss this opportunity to see a group
forging a new musical path when Niyaz comes to perform at the El Rey Theatre in
Los Angeles on February 7th.
Full touring
ensemble biography below.
# # #
Media Contact:
Ryan Romana / 415-626-6334 X15 /
ryan@sixdegreesrecords.com
Niyaz Ensemble – Individual
Biographies
Iranian born, Indian raised Azam Ali
is internationally recognized for her work with Niyaz and Vas,
two of the best-selling
and critically acclaimed world music ensembles she co-founded. In a career which
spans over a decade and includes nine collaborative and solo albums, Azam Ali
has confirmed her place as one of the most prolific, versatile, and
gifted singers on the world music stage today.
Billboard magazine has described her
voice as, "a glorious, unforgettable instrument."
Azam's dedication to defy cultural specificity in music and her
unwillingness to settle into one form of musical expression have earned her both
the respect of her piers as well as much critical acclaim. Her immense talent
and ability to adapt her voice to any musical style have drawn the attention of
many diverse artists and film composers. Azam has collaborated in studio and on
stage with numerous artists like Serj Tankian
of System of a Down,
The Crystal Method,
Pat Mastellato and
Trey Gunn of
King Crimson,
Dredg,
Chris Vrenna formerly of
Nine Inch Nails,
Ben Watkins of
Juno Reactor,
Buckethead,
Steve Stevens, Mercan Dede, the world
renowned Japanese group Kodo,
Zakir Hussain,
Omar Faruk Tekbilek, and
Mickey Hart. Aside from her solo and
collaborative projects, Azam has also built an impressive resume singing on
several major film scores including "The
Matrix: Revolutions", "Godsend", "The Nativity Story" , "Speed Racer",
"Paparazzi", "Children of Dune "and on hit TV shows such as "Alias"
and "Prison Break".
Iranian born Loga Ramin Torkian
has won much recognition in his native Iran as well as in the west as the
composer and multi-instrumentalists for the World Music group Axiom of Choice
whose music is deeply rooted in the traditional music of Iran . Currently based
in America Loga is now recognized worldwide for his work with Niyaz, the ground
breaking World Music ensemble he co-founded in 2005. Although Torkian is a
highly accomplished on many instruments such as the Guitar, Lafta, Djura etc.,
his main instruments are the Turkish Saz which is from the family of lutes, the
Kamman, a bowed instrument specifically designed for Loga, and the electric
Guitar Viol, a bowed guitar inspired by a 14th century instrument. Loga is one
of the few musicians who performs the Guitar Viol live. With its haunting sound
that mesmerizes audiences, what makes Loga's style so singular is the fact that
he applies Persian traditional bowing techniques and melodies to his playing. A
highly gifted and talented composer, Loga is greatly respected for his ability
to adapt the Persian classical repertoire, known as Radif, into his own unique
and modern compositions. His profound artistry has been featured in several
major motion picture soundtracks, which include "Iron Man" and "Body of Lies".
Described by the Beirut Times as "one of the most versatile vocalists and Oud
masters of the Middle East " Naser Musa
stands today at the forefront of Middle Eastern music as an
undeniable Oud virtuoso, a gifted songwriter/composer and a singer with a
profoundly soothing voice that can assuage even the most tormented of hearts.
An
active and sought after musician, Naser has performed at prestigious venues such
as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center , The Hollywood Bowl, the United Nations
and Chicago 's Symphony Hall. He has recorded with many big name artists such as
Shakira, Beyonce, Michael Sembello, Youssou N'Dour, Fathy Salama and Dr. A. J.
Racy among others. He has also been featured on several major motion picture
soundtracks which include the Grammy award winning "The Passion of the Christ",
and most recently "Body of Lies". On his own Naser Musa has composed, arranged,
and recorded numerous projects in the Middle East and in the United States among
which include the highly successful "Khaliji" and "Christmas and Beyond".
Salar Nader
is one of the youngest and most talked about Tabla players in recent times. A
student of world-renowned Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain, Salar's natural
magnetism and innovative approach to this traditional instrument have made him
one of Hussain's most promising protégés. Of Afghan decent, Salar was born in
Hamburg , Germany in 1981 and migrated to America at the age of three where he
began his studies with Ustad Zakir Hussain. Today, Salar is the preferred
accompanist for many of India 's, Afghanistan 's, and Pakistan 's most renowned
classical musicians and dancers. He has performed with Ustad Salamat Ali Khan,
Ustad Mawaash, Rahul Sharma, Ahmad Wali, Homayun Sakhi, Fareed Haque Group,
Ustad Shujaat khan, Ustad Rashid khan , Kala Ramnath, Ghulam Ali khan and Riffat
Sultana. He has also performed with ensembles such as the Rumi Ensemble (Shahram
Nazeri and Hafez Nazeri), Rumination (Farzin Farhadi, Cheb I Sabbah. Not yet
30 years of age, Salar Nader is already an exceptional musician, composer,
teacher, and performer. It is safe to say that he is destined to be one of the
top artists of his time.
At 27 years of age,
Miles Jay is the most sought after
double bassist in the World Music scene today. A graduate of the University of
California , Santa Barbara with a BA in Ethnomusicology combined with a strong
foundation in Jazz and Classical music, Miles has soon built an impressive
resume for himself touring all over the world from Cairo to Oslo , Dubai to
Dakar , Carnegie Hall, the United Nations, Beirut and Damascus . His versatility
and experience in the musical traditions of the Middle East have earned him a
spot performing with some of the biggest names in World Music today which
include Youssou N'Dour, Fathy Salama, Naser Shamma (Iraq), the Cairo Symphony
Orchestra, Ross Daly (Greece), Georges Lammam, Trygve Seim (Norway), Omar Faruk
Tekbilek, The Alexandria Chamber Orchestra and Dr. Ali Jihad Racy. In 2006,
while living in Cairo for two years after graduating, Miles co-founded,
co-produced, and recorded two unique original music ensembles called Bakash and
Masar. He has also been increasingly active in various production roles as in
2005 when he was the Associate Musical Director / Contractor / Bassist for
Youssou N'Dour's US Grammy tour. Miles' talent and innate approach to World
Music has added a wonderful new dimension to Niyaz' music, making him a great
new addition to this unique ensemble.
... Payvand News - 12/24/08 ...
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