Ghaval Solo by Peyman Nasehpour

This is a ghaval solo by Peyman Nasehpour based on Yalli rhythm cycle in Azerbaijani music. This Azeri frame drum solo is also available here:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=342152629175483

Naich Restaurant in Tehran

A couple of music friends invited me to meet them in Naich restaurant, Tehran. The old guy – who was working there – sang for us a couple of old songs and played ghaval (Azerbaijani frame drum), when he noticed that we were all in music and he also explained to me that the benefits of the restaurant is spent for old people in a nursing home (a retirement home).

The address of this special restaurant – that offers Persian food – is as follows:

Naich Restaurant, Atarodi St., Mofatteh St. (Between Shiroudi Sport Complex and Taleghani St.)

I hope people will support this restaurant and the kind idea behind that. Naich seems to be the ancient name of Nay (Ney) – the Persian flute.

Mugam Ensemble Concert in Tehran

Mugam Ensemble configured of all Iranian female musicians will have a concert in Niavaran Culture House. The members of this Azerbaijani music ensemble is:

Parisa Salmanzadeh (Qanoon), Sahar Kamalvand (Robab), Marziyeh Hekmati (Oud), Elham Hamedi (Kamancheh), Nazanin Bazargani (Dayereh), Fatemeh Mehdinejad (Naghareh), Maryam Soroushnasab (Tar) and Ghodsiyeh Moshiri (Vocals).

Azeri Tar Originated in Persian Tar

Some try to separate Azeri culture from Persian culture by labeling it Turkish (What is sad is that Turkish and Persian cultures have also many things in common). The fact is that Azeri culture is more related to Persian culture than any other cultures. Azerbaijani people like Persians celebrate Nowruz (Persian new year celebration) and their music modal system, known as mugam, is just Azeri version of Persian modal system known as dastgah. Mohammad Reza Darvishi, researcher of Persian regional music, in his famous book, Encyclopedia of the Musical Instruments of Iran, p. 267 writes: “Mugham system in the music of Azerbaijan, is very similar to the Persian dastgah system and both systems have the same root. More precisely Azerbaijani mugham music is the Azerbaijani version of Persian dastgah music.” In fact Turkish Makam is less related to Azeri Mugham than Persian dastgah.

Some notes about Azeri music instruments

Kamancha performed in Azerbaijan is just the Azeri version of Persian kamancheh. Kaman in Persian language means bow and “cheh” is Persian diminutive suffix.

Balaban is also a Persian instrument since the word “balaban” is the combination of “ba”, “lab” and “an” that respectively means “with”, “lib” and “the sign of plural form in Persian language”.

Ghaval also known as daf, the Azeri frame drum, is just the Azeri version of dayereh, ancient Persian frame drum.

Azeri Tar was invented by Sadigjan, Azeri musician, using Persian Tar. The cultural links between Azerbaijani and Persian culture is so deep that one cannot separate them from each other.

More information can be found in the following articles:

Kamancheh: http://nasehpour.tripod.com/peyman/id51.html

Mugham Music: http://nasehpour.tripod.com/peyman/id125.html

Sadigjan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadigjan

Parham Nasehpour Tar Setar Kamancheh Player: http://www.parhamnassehpoor.com/

Resource of the picture: http://www.santoori.com/

Cylindrical Hand Drums of Caucasus

Azerbaijan (Naghara):

Armenia (Dhol):

Dagestan (Baraban):

Georgia (Doli):

Maestro Habil Aliev, the great and very famous master of kamancha

Ostad Habil Aliev, one of the great masters of Azerbaijani Classical music, was born on May 28, 1927 in Azerbaijan. His first concert was relayed from the TV in 1961. He played “Segah” with a new style of performing and technique, which caused a great reflect among the admirers of Azerbaijani music. He began to extend his creative researches from day to day. He gave a new life to many of mugams (Azerbaijani modal system). In 1952, he entered the kamancha (Azerbaijani spike fiddle) Dept. of Musical School after A. Zeynalli. Lately he worked at Philharmonic Society in Baku, Azerbaijan. He has been to more than 60 foreign countries, promoting Azerbaijani Classical music. He also became famous accompanist. To sound every mugam in its own language in a tripet, to protect its united spirit and to stress the individuality of all the components of the music is one of his splendid efforts.

Habil Aliyev website