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I had to work Memorial Day weekend. However, I had decided to live the width of my life as well as worrying about the length. So, I say yes to anything that sounds slightly interesting such as swimming with a dolphin or parasailing For that reason and that reason alone, I chose to attend two Persian concerts that weekend. I anticipated going to the concert with such joy that it reminded me of my college days back at the East Coast. I am a child of the seventies, so I grew up with going to Pink Floyd, The Eagles, and Santana and such. Another reason was that these two concerts were being performed by two people who came on their world tour from the motherland. It was my first time to share my joy of music from the people of my past.
My first experience was on Friday night to see the young pop singer named Benyamin. He is only twenty-seven years old and has been doing music only during the past few years. His music spreads like juicy gossip so far and so deep within the masses of Iranian culture both inside (among the young and the restless) and outside (club and party scenes). The concert was being held at UCI and I thought it was a perfect choice of location. Limousines were parked outside the venue bringing people that have traveled as far as San Diego, Los Angeles, and the Inland Empire. The line to get in was about half a mile. We all seemed to be so happy even standing in line looking at the dressed-up crowd whom we never met, greeting and kissing the ones we did. Once we were in, the energy was multiplied by the great set-up of the stage and the sound system. I had a great time humming and dancing to the music of this young talented person whom I had nothing in common with and as for his age, he possibly could pass for my son. The mood for the evening was fun, fun, fun. Thanks to Benyamin and all the newcomers of today's Iranian pop culture, who realize the power of bringing people together via music. They represent the Iranian VH1 kids of today and their music is being influenced by lonely lyrics and tones from hip hop, trance, and electro pop and even rap. I stand for the freedom of expression through music if that is the only weapon left against unfairness.
My second concert was at Los Angeles on Sunday at the Shrine Auditorium Theater. This time I was attending the concert of a legendary Iranian vocalist and composer, Ostad (maestro) Shajarian. He has been acknowledged by NPR as having one of the fifty most perfect voices of this century. He represents a different class and type of music. Mr. Shajarian has been performing traditional Persian music since 1959 and will be best remembered by his long time love affair with sharing his talent through his voice. The respect that this talented master has earned would be equal to, if not greater, than of Pavarotti for Italians. It takes a great amount of time to study Persian literature along with the complicated knowledge of Eastern Sufi instruments. At the beginning of the show in this well chosen location, he was acknowledged by the mayor of Los Angeles and the Iranian profession of Southern California. He accepted the certificates of appreciations so eloquently. I found this sixty-nine year-old legend to be very charming and so elegant in his accepting speech as well as his performance. He introduces his twelve-piece orchestra. Also, accompanying him was his daughter who performed sitar as well as singing with an angelic type of voice. The world of eastern music and Sufism (he uses Rumi's poetry quiet a bit) has already been exposed to this brilliant giant. To the Iranian immigrants living outside of the country for the past thirty years, his voice brings the memories of our fathers and grandfathers. His performance for his much demanded audience was done so well and he really approached the ovation like a sage or a Buddhist master. This type of music does not represent me, but one can not avoid being inspired and touched by what he brings to the vast arena of today's Persian music. I felt truly honored to be witnessing the gratitude of his followers and will remember that night just like when I saw Nina Simone at the Hollywood Bowl.
I was driving and listening to the BBC and the program happened to talk about the Persian music inside Iran and the role and its influence on today's anti-regime movement. Because while I was thinking about this, I happened to show some interest in attending the few concerts that were happening around Orange County and Los Angeles.. This was a perfect chance for me to connect my memories to creating new memories. The interviewee was speaking about some bands in Iran and their vast amount of followers. The names were interesting and absolutely unknown to me such as Zirzamini (underground) or Khasho Khashak (“dirt and dust”). Just like the sixties, these bands are using old respected poetry and mixing it with new rock influenced music and creating their own version of music as they see fit. Using different arrangements and rap-style lyrics, they seem to be creating a shock value and stopping their audience to listen to them and praise them.
One month ago an ad in a magazine caught my attention. The Iranian performer, Mohsen Namjoo, at Disney Hall has gathered together a brilliant musical family with the fame he acquired through a beautifully arranged music video that spread through face book. He had been in exile for a few years. Now he would be here. I celebrated my brother's birthday at Namjoo’s concert, a man called the Bob Dylan of Iran by The New York Times article. Namjoo's unique and groundbreaking approach puts him at odds with the mainstream of traditional Persian music. He breaks the mold of traditional music and chooses to use his unbelievable clear voice combined with lyrics of Hafiz and Rumi and then delivers it hand-in-hand with a bunch of kids from Northern California. He chooses his musical family carefully and rightfully so. His band consists of, but is not limited to a female Persian pianist (a graduate of Harvard University), to an accordion player, a bass player, and some other American musicians. Some of his band members also play for another well known group called Kiosk. He owns his individuality and style, he delivers his message carefully, and earns his respect. The sixties child in me remembered the Beatles and specifically my favorite, "Imagine."
I really do believe that we need to guard the liberty and freedom not only used in lyrics nostalgically, but reflect our true sentiments. Bravo to the musicians and artists and writers and students of Iran! We hear you loud and clear.
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