Bahramji

Bahram was born in 1952 in the Kurdish city of Kermanshah in Iran.As a child he heard the ancient Sufi melodies, which are the inspiration for his music today.

At the age of 13 he learned to play the Santoor and started to perform at several places in his hometown. In 1977 he left Persia, studied and travelled in India and later on in Europe.

Through playing whirling music for wanderers from different cultures, his style has changed from the traditional approach to his own. He melts old songs into a new form, creating a meditative sphere, to uplift body and soul.

Bahram’s instrument is the Persian Santoor, a traditional string instrument, which is said to create the sound of emptiness. Besides the Santoor, he started to play the Persian Settar and the Ney; a Persian bamboo flute.

 He also started to sing songs using the words of mystical poets like Rumi. His first album “Sama” was released in 1997 in Holland where he lives now. After living and performing in India for a long period, he discovered the island of Ibiza in Spain in 2003. There he met many other musicians, DJ’s and producers who inspired him to change his style.

In 2004 he made the album “Call of the Mystic” together with different musicians in an ethno/ambient style. The past 3 years he has been playing and recording in Ibiza during summer and spending the winters in India, performing, recording and getting inspired by Indian and other musicians. His music is a special combination between the ancient and traditional, connecting with the modern and technical Most of the lyrics of his songs are based on Rumi’s and other mystical poetry, the tracks carry an urban vibe rooted in meditation.

Fusion is the word to describe this music, but actually a new word needs to be found, because he has taken it to a whole new level. It has the energy to carry a power flow. The length of the songs allows a deep, slow driving bass line to hypnotize you as melodic Santoor and other instruments carry you to other places. Yet this is not meditation music, it has incredible energy. Bahramji and friends have made not only a great listening experience but also have created something magical. "Bahramji Biography"

History of Iranian Music

Designs, masonries and miniatures belonging to the pre-Islamic history of Iran all indicate Iranians’ interest and taste in music. In the post-islamic era, too, despite some opposition which made music lose its former success, this art survived. The survival of music the Safavid era can be found inChehel Sotun palac. and the music chamber ofAli Qapu Monumen in Isfahan.

Iran’s music is an amalgamation of tunes and melodies which have been created in the course of centuries Iran and have evolved along with other aspects of the Iranian life. They refelct the moral characteristics, as well as political, social events and geographical features of a countly with an ancient history. The subtlety and profundity of Iranian music leads man to reflection and deep thought and takes him to a celestial world, Iranian music includes the following branches:

1-The pre-Islamic music (the music of ancient Iranian tribes such as, Bakhtyari, Kordi, Lori, etc.)

2-The post-Islamic music:

a)Maghaml (mystic) music; This music includes epic music, tyric music for marriage, birthday and other happy occasions, and elegiac music for mournful occasions.

b) Radif music which Includes the Dastgahs(modes) of Traditional music.

In the contemporary era, Iranian music includes three branches; the two above-mentioned groups in addition to a third one which is Iran’s national music. This branch covers the traditional melodies of the two above groups, but with a classic rendition.

According to the new classifIcation of Iranian Awaz (songs) and modes, which has been set since a century ago, Iran’s traditional singing and music has been divided Into 12 groups. The seven groups which are wider and more independent are called Dastgah (mode) and the other five groups which are not independent and have been derived from the Dastgahs or modes are called Awaz (a group of melodies with the same gamut.) So, Iran’s present traditional music is only a remainder of the former 12 Maghams (modes) and what we have today is a very small part of the Iranian traditional music. The seven main Dastgahs (modes) and the five Awaz groups have several pieces (gushe) which are now the models of the contemporary musicians and singers. The number of these pieces (gushes) is said to be 228. The varoius and well-known Radifi (Iranian classical music) of the masters of the 100-year old Iranian traditional music such as Agha Hosein GhoMirza Abdollali, Darvish Khan, and Saba follow the same order.

The Dastgahs (modes) and Awazes (melodies) in iran’s Traditional Music.

The seven main Dastgahs or modes are: Shoor, Mahoor, Homayoon, Segah, Chahargah, Nava, and Rast Panjgah. The five Awazes or melodies are: Isfahan, Abou Ate, Bayat-e-Tork, Afsharl and Dashti.