Sacred Music

Once again Iran and Mali linked through music. This time with India too. On a Moroccan night, in Fes, it was called "The Rythm of speech" -- three remarkable voices, including that of Ali Reza Ghorbani, and percussionists from the three countries as well, in a united ensemble... wish I could have been there... Here's a spectacular photo of all the artists.

Shajarian v/ Touré

Weren't we all excited when Mohammad Reza Shajarian (together with Hossein Alizadeh, Kayhan Kalhor and Homayoun Shajarian) was nominated for the Grammy awards. Of course, they had been nominated the year before last as well -- the more reason to hope that they would receive the prize this year! And the "Saz va Avaze Abu Ata" on the second CD of Faryad is just unbelievably soul stirring.

But then, who else was nominated ... Ali Farka Touré ... probably the greatest African musician alive, in collaboration with the griot Toumani Diabate. Very different dialogues between the men and the instruments and yet, equally as mesmerizing.

When I think of the opposition and similarities between the music of Shajarian and that of Touré it reminds me of the two architectural masterpieces: the mosques in Isfahan and Timbuktu.