Fly Again – A Dialogue Between Ney and Percussion

This album is one of the first Canadian albums of this kind and I demonstrated the beauty and versatility of this instrument by featuring its unique sound in a variety of compositions based on traditional modes or “Dastgahs” of Persian Music . There are 7 main Dastgah’s in Persian music. I created a rhythmic piece for each mode and accompany each piece with a nonrhythmic introduction known as “Avaz.”
I kept the project in a traditional motif and demonstrated that I am fully fluent with this ancient style of music.
Many Canadian artists have yet to hear the sound of the Ney. More specifically, fewer people have heard the Persian style of Ney where the instrument is played by placing it between the front teeth. This method produces a richer tone and the ability of the player to adjust the texture of the sound by repositioning their tongue and lips. It is a very challenging technique which takes years to even produce a decent sound and it takes decades to master. It is because of these challenges, this instrument is gradually vanishing. There are very few professional ney players in Iran and only two or three who are active in Canada.
I completed this project in order to help create a lasting tribute for this instrument. I’ve devoted my life’s work to the Ney and I feel that it is an important time to add my voice to the history of this instrument. It is important that I do this in Canada to show that this instrument is now a valued part of the international music community. At the same time I wanted to focus on presenting as many modes of Persian music in this album as possible. This allows listeners to experience a broader range of what is considered to be Persian music.
In the 1990’s a Persian musician by the name of Kayhan Kalhor was the first to present the Kamanche (Persian spike fiddle) to the world through his projects. At the time the kamanche was considered to be a dying instrument in Iran. As his career grew internationally, so did the interest in the instrument back home. By the mid 2000’s there were thousands of players throughout Iran and dozens in Canada. The kamanche has since transgressed cultural lines and is used in many different genres of music such as world, jazz, and even classical.
I thought that it’s an important first step for my Canadian career and for the instrument itself to create this album. This project was something that could potentially pivot the current trend of disinterest and was a great starting point for future collaborations and fusion projects.