With the growing trend of "super groups" over the past few years, there is perhaps none greater than Masters of Persian Music, comprised of Iran's most revered classical artists. Both kamencheh player Kayhan Kalhor and shour angiz/tar player Hossein Alizadeh have been nominated for Grammy awards, and Kalhor released an album with the quartet Brooklyn Rider, 'Silent City,' which fused Persian and Western classical traditions.
Naming the tour Three Generations, these shows represent both the masters and upcoming generations of classically trained Iranian musicians. Kalhor and Alizadeh are joined by vocalist Hamid Reza Nourbakhsh, a student of the singer on their last tour (and two albums), Mohammed Reza Shajarian. Also on the tour are Siamak Jahangiry on ney (flute), Fariborz Azizi on tar (lute), Hamid Reza Maleki on tanbur (hammered dulcimer) and Pezham Akhavass on tombak (hand drum).
Perhaps most excitingly, both Kalhor and Alizadeh are premiering new instruments: Kalhor a 5-string version of his traditional kamancheh, or spike fiddle, and Alizadeh on the shour angiz, his own expanded version of a Persian lute.
Masters of Persian Music's tour began Feb 5 in Toronto. The group plays New York tonight to start the second half of this twelve-city stint. The remaining tour dates can be seen after the jump.
Masters of Persian Music remaining tour dates:
Thu Feb 18 New York, NY Skirball Center for the Arts
Fri Feb 19 Boston, MA Sanders Theatre
Sat Feb 20 Cleveland, OH Hanna Theatre
Tue Feb 23 Chicago, IL Symphony Center
Fri Feb 26 Atlanta, GA Ferst Center for the Arts
Sun Feb 28 Washington, DC Kennedy Center
