How to become unpopular in 10 seconds

I know everyone is going to hate me for writing this because they oh-so-love their Shahram Nazeri, but last night's concert at Carnegie Hall was a great disappointment -- despite the standing ovation they got.

Yes they, and I think that is where the main problem lies: Hafez Nazeri, the son, is not as good a musician as his great father.


So when it comes to father and son, frankly, this is so much more melodious, and these are the one that have succeeded in combining Persian music with others.

Rap around the elections

Many unsual (and good) things have happened with the elections, here's one I could not but post:

Whisper

I went back to an old CD of mine that I love: Mohammad Reza Aligholi's Earth Whisper and particularly it's track with Rahim Moazzen Zadeh Ardabili's azan.

It is strange how the call to prayer can raise diverse feelings. A friend of mine was recently telling me how it brought back a sentiment of oppression. I remember in Sudan, where mosques were being built at literally every corner thanks to Saudi money and every morning it felt like 2-3 guys we shouting in your ears from different sides of your bed, it certainly was not spiritually uplifting.

But this one is different, and it is not only an azan:




not really a shōmyō either...

Breathe in

A little visit

OK, I know, I have not been blogging for nearly a month now -- call it blogger fatigue, depression about the state of the world, rivalry of Facebook, or a combination thereof. So much had been written about the National Intelligence Estimate and so little about the adoption of the UN General Assembly's resolution on the human rights situation that it seemed pointless to blog about either.

But tonight, I have seen one of the best films of the year. It's not about Iran, and not about human rights. It's about Egyptians and Israelis, peacefully. It's poetic, profound, with a great sense of humour. It's a must see.

Half of the world

To all those who love Isfahan...

Useful Dialogue (for once)

Having missed a connection ended-up in one good thing: I flew Air France and therefore got a chance to watch an excellent French film, Dialogue avec mon jardinier (Conversation With My Gardener in English). Simple and yet profound, hitting to the core in impressionistic touches.

I don’t know if the DVD would be available anywhere else than in France … if not, perhaps you might want to book a flight.

To all the Iranians

Marjane Satrapi has won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival for Persepolis. Clearly, I have not seen the film but being a fan and having read the books I can imagine that it is a very well deserved prize.

Most likely, the IRI will not think so.

And yet, when asked to comment about the controversy in a press conference, she tried not to fuel the fire by saying that the film is humanist and could have been set anywhere in the world.

Other Iranians in Cannes have made veiled comments, which were subsequently unveiled...

Tonight, Ms. Satrapi herself added to her first comment by saying: Although, as I said, this film shows events that could happen to anyone in the world -- that one's life be affected by a revolution, a war... this particular story happened in Iran and I dedicate this award to all the Iranians.

Thanks Marjane!

PS: Kiarostami's contribution to the film in honour of the 60th Anniversary of the Festival was about women. Every single one of them would have been stopped in the street for bad hijab...

Kitsch in Qom

Where have you been, Arth?

I know... I am really sorry I missed these guys, and the release is a year and a half old, but it is so brilliant that there is no way I cannot post it.

Some months ago, a video from young Iranian rappers was all over the web, but Kiosk is something else... I think it is the first time I hear anyone singing the Blues in Persian. And the lyrics... most impressive.

Of course, this omission is due to the fact that I do not read Iranian.com, and it really seems that I should, as I fully agree with Behrouz Bahmani: the best lyrics are in the two songs "roozmaregi" and "zorbaye malayeri".

Well, I guess I have found some Noruz presents!

Recognition

Seems that my favourite Iranian artists are one by one making the headlines lately, first Bahram Beyzaie, then Marjane Satrapi and now Farhad Moshiri, who's painting "broke the prices record in the history of Iran's art sale" (along with two others).

I prefer his old work, the numbers and the jars, but hey, he deserves the recognition.

A story not to tell

What I admire most in Marjane Satrapi, aside from her talent, is her audacity. She has consistently broken Iranian taboos and written about things that should not be spoken of, of all the hypocrisy: like revealing that as an adolescent, she did drugs, like talking about "reconstructed" virginities. I know that many Iranians were offended.

And now she is making a film. The NY Times piece is already archived, but there is a good article and also a short video, both in French.

An Iranian Giant

This is one of the most breath-taking shots I have ever seen in a film, and I am sorry that this picture does not relay well the feeling one gets when seen on a screen.

Of course, you know that Bahram Beyzaie is my favourite (as can be seen from the link on the right), but I was glad to read that although he is (and has been for many years) censored in Iran, this remarkable Iranian artist, combining being a director, a playwright, a poet and so much more, has finally received the acknowledgment that his work deserves.

Where I want to be

I have recently finished "Let me tell you where I've been". The collection contains three remarkable pieces by Farnoosh Moshiri, Mimi Khalvati and Mojdeh Marashi.

Each in their own way and style have been able to take me back to the scent and the feel for the first, the rhythm and the mood for the second and our contradictions for the third.

But aside from those remarkable moments, the taste left is more of a slight bitterness: why only women, as if yet again we have to be separated from men, even in a book, why an overwhelming sadness, as if our culture can only be shrouded in black, why mainly anger and shame...

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.

Morning dew

Last week end Shabnam Tolouie had three performances in Paris: a play called "L'Entretien". I heard goods things about it. But it is very impressive in any case, because the play was in French. How talented must one be to be able to succesfully go on stage merely 18 months after having left Iran...

All the links are in Persian, I am afraid. The only film she is known for outside Iran is this and the only (small) bio I could find is here.

**************
(two days later....)

The entry on Wiki is with a different spelling... sorry...

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.