A virtuoso of classical Persian music, Reza asked legendary "Doors" drummer John Densmore to arrange his music to span East and West, combining global and devotional styles with jazz, rock and other modern forms.

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WORLD: Middle East, WORLD: World Fusion



Details:
* This singer, multi-instrumentalist and visual artist was born and raised in Iran, lived in New York for over 20 years, and presently resides in Tehran.

* He has collaborated with such artists as John Densmore of The Doors, Madonna, Branford Marsalis, poet-philosopher Robert Bly, author Deepak Chopra and choreographer Bill T. Jones, among many others.

* RAY OF THE WINE was produced by Densmore, who also played drums, and features a stellar international ensemble of players.

* A virtuoso of classical Persian music, Reza asked Densmore to arrange his music to span East and West, combining global and devotional styles with jazz, rock and other modern forms.

* RAY OF THE WINE's blend of Persian, Moroccan, African, Indian and Western music is at once earthy, mystical and seductive, as traditional rigor meets improvisational freedom and complex, passionate melodies couple with relentless grooves.

* Reza is a master of traditional Persian stringed instruments like the Tar, Sehtar and the bowed Tarmanche and Kamanche, as well as the bamboo flute known as the Ney and the Daf, a hand drum.

* He has performed for rapturous crowds in the U.S., France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Russia, Switzerland, Denmark, Canada, Iran, Morocco and the Republic of Georgia.

* He composed the theme music for director Bahman Kiarostami's highly anticipated documentary Koffar (Infidels) and is arranging the soundtrack.

* He collaborated with cellist-vocalist Dawn Buckholz Avery on the acclaimed 2001 album Water From the Well, a Best Album pick from WNYC.

* A gifted painter, Reza created the cover art for RAY OF THE WINE; his work hangs in galleries and private collections around the world.