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Azam Ali

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Beni Beni
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Beni Beni
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Released: Jan 1, 2008
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General Info

  • Genre: Acoustic / Electronica / Other

    Location Montreal, Quebec, CA

    Profile Views: 531979

    Last Login: 8/11/2012

    Member Since 2/6/2006

    Website www.azamalimusic.com

    Record Label Six Degrees Records

    Type of Label Indie

  • Bio

    .. .... .......... In a Career which spans over a decade and includes ten collaborative and solo albums, Azam Ali has confirmed her place as being one of the most prolific, versatile, and gifted singers on the world music stage today. Her dedication to defy cultural specificity in music , and her unwillingness to settle into one form of musical expression have earned her the respect of both her piers as well as critics worldwide. When one looks at her entire body of work, it is hard to deny Azam her rightful place among the best singers and composers in music today.....Azam Ali was born in Tehran, Iran and grew up in India from the age of four in the small town of Panchgani, a beautiful hill station in the state of Maharashtra. There she attended an international co- educational boarding school for eleven years, all the while absorbing India's rich music and culture throughout her formative years. The course Azam would eventually choose in her life would be very much influenced by her fortuitous upbringing in a school which emphasized the importance of the arts and spirituality, and aimed through moral and academic excellence to produce promoters of social transformation imbued with the spirit of service to mankind. It is this objective that would take shape in Azam's music in the coming years.....The Iranian revolution of 1979 changed the course of Azam's life as it did for many Iranian's. Unwilling to bring her daughter back to a country filled with uncertainity, like many other Iranians, her mother decided to give up her home and life, and together they moved to America in 1985 when Azam was just a teenager.....Shortly after moving to the United States, it became clear for Azam that she wanted to pursue a career in music after falling in love with the Persian Santour (Hammered Dulcimer). Though Azam had an innate gift for singing since she was a child and sang often at home and school functions, she had no particular interest in becoming a vocalist. She had her heart set on becoming an instrumentalist and so began studying the Santour under the guidance of Persian master Manoocher Sadeghi, During the eight years of her extensive studies with Ustad Sadeghi in which she became an accomplished Hammered Dulcimer player, Azam began to realize that she was unable to express the full range of emotions she experienced through her instrument. It was during one of these lessons that her teacher heard her sing for the first time. Completely taken, he told her that her voice had a rare emotional quality about it which should be cultivated and nurtured. It was through his encouragement that Azam began to explore her voice as the vehicle through which she would finally be able to fully express herself, a voice which Billboard magazine would later describe as, "a glorious unforgettable instrument." ....While pursuing formal training in various vocal traditions like Western classical, Indian, Persian, and Eastern European, Azam's true passion has been to explore the immense potentiality of the human voice, specifically its capability to transcend language, cultural, and spiritual barriers when expressing pure emotion. When asked about her approach to singing Azam explains, "What intrigues me most about the human voice, is its ability to make all things transparent through its power of transformation. The voice is not just a conduit for words. For me it is like an abstract dream in which everything makes perfect sense."....Currently living in Los Angeles, Azam became internationally recognized for her work with Vas, the critically acclaimed, best selling, world music duo she co-founded in 1996. From 1997- 2004 Vas has released four albums on the Narada music label. Their music which they described as "alternative world" focused mainly on the ancient relationship between the drum and voice. Their distinct cinematic sound blended influences of Indian, Persian, Western and other musical styles into a unique conundrum that undoubtedly transcended categorization and cultural specificity. Though in their early days Vas drew many comparisons to Dead Can Dance , they patiently surpassed that comparison with each album they released, earning them their place in the musical hierarchy of bands whose innovation set a standard for others to aspire to.....In 2002 Azam released her first self produced highly successful solo album, Portals of Grace, which featured Azam singing renditions of ancient Western European Medieval songs. Billboard described this album by saying that " It's unlikely that this year will bring a more spellbinding vocal album than Portals of Grace". Her exceptional voice and emotive performances on this album earned her much critical acclaim and once and for all solidified her place as a highly respected singer in the World music scene.....In 2006 Azam released her second solo album entitled Elysium for the Brave. The album signaled yet another turn in her musical evolution and was considered her most ambitious work to date, bringing together musicians from varied musical backgrounds performing in various permutations. Singing predominantly in English for the first time, the songs are based on lyrics written by Azam herself and reveal a poetic lyricism heard only in glimpses in her previous works. Helping to seamlessly bring all of these diverse sounds together, a talented cast of musicians are featured on the album including King Crimson's rhythm section of Trey Gunn and Pat Mastelotto, Persian classical violinist Kiavash Nourai, Loga Ramin Torkian and Carmen Rizzo, Azam's collaborators in Niyaz, and noted film composers Tyler Bates and Jeff Rona, the latter of whom is known for his collaborations with Dead Can Dance. The result is a highly cohesive body of work that seamlessly weaves together all of Azam's cultural and musical influences into a haunting tapestry of atmospheric rock, electronic, and global sounds.....Her current collaborative project Niyaz with her husband Loga Ramin Torkian of Axiom of choice, and two time Grammy nominee producer/ re-mixer Carmen Rizzo, released on Six Degrees Records blends ancient Persian and Urdu Sufi poetry, rich acoustic instrumentation, with modern electronics. Their debut album released in 2005 was hailed by critics worldwide as being one of the most groundbreaking of its time. The album debuted at 1 on itunes World music chart and remained there for numerous weeks, and charted on Billboard's World music chart for four consecutive weeks, peaking at 12. Niyaz also entered in at 76 as the only Iranian group to make it into the top 150 of the best albums of 2005 on WMCE (World music charts Europe). Since 2005 Niyaz have toured worldwide. With a debut concert in Delhi, India in March of 2005, Niyaz have since performed in the United States, France, Japan, Spain, Turkey, Dubai and Canada. In 2006 the Canadian Council for the Arts provided Niyaz with one of the largest grants ever given to a non-Canadian group in order to make a full tour of Canada possible. Niyaz has performed in many prominent festivals such as, Montreal Jazz Festival, Vancouver Jazz Festival, Calgary Folk Festival and two prestigious showcases in 2006: Globalfest in New York City, and WOMEX in Sevilla, Spain.....Niyaz' sophmore album Nine Heavens released in June of 2009 has enjoyed similar success. The album breaks new ground in a two-disc format: the first is an adventurous, spiritual exploration of the ties that bind Persian, Indian, Turkish, and Western dance music.  The second disc showcases 8 out of the 9 songs in a purely acoustic setting. Nine Heavens debuted at 1 on the iTunes world chart, 4 on the Billboard world chart and 1 on the European World Radio charts. Azam is currently touring extensively all over the world with Niyaz....."I am pertinacious in my need to expand. By nature, I am not one who can physically remain in one place for too long. I imagine that is the case because I have been transplanted enough times in my life that I am well aware of the influence the external environment has on the inner one, and how that can affect perception. So naturally, my music is going to reflect this inability to remain static, and this inability to identify myself with just one specific culture. I think of all the different music that I have done and will continue to do almost as photographs of my evolution, and just like photographs, in some I may look great and in some I may not. What matters to me is that I risk, I, trust, I strive, and let things unfold as they may."....Azam's immense talent and ability to adapt her voice to any musical style have drawn the attention of many diverse artists and film composers. Azam has collaborated in studio and on stage with numerous artists like Serj Tankian of System of a Down, The Crystal Method, Pat Mastellato and Trey Gunn of King Crimson, Dredg, Chris Vrenna formerly of Nine Inch Nails, Ben Watkins of Juno Reactor, Buckethead, Steve Stevens, Mercan Dede, the world renowned Japanese group Kodo, Zakir Hussain, Omar Faruk Tekbilek, and Mickey Hart with whom she also toured for two years as a lead singer in his group Bembe Orisha. ....Azam has also worked with many world renowned film composers such as Mychael Danna, Graeme Revell, Brian Tyler, Michael Giachinno, Tyler Bates, Jeff Rona etc. Azam's distinctive voice can also be heard on myriad film and television scores among which include "Matrix Revolutions", "Godsend", "Papparazi", "The Nativity Story", "Speed Racer", "Children of Dune", "Earthsea", "Dawn of the Dead", "Alias", "The Agency and "Prison Break"......... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... Allahi Allah_live at the Knitting Factory, Los Angeles.... .. .. .. .. .. .. ...... The Hunt_live at the Knitting Factory, Los Angeles....

  • Members

    Azam Ali - Voice, Hammered Dulcimer, Daf, Frame Drums, Chan Chan, Zils....Carmen Rizzo - Programming, Keyboards, Synthesizers....Loga Ramin Torkian - Guitar Viol, Lafta, Electric Guitar, Djura

  • Influences

    Life and music

  • Sounds Like

    The soundtrack to my life........................

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Comments

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  • Iara Cristina Xavier

     I love your art. You're very precious. Thank you God for your life.

    21 days ago
  • Mamine Freeborders

    i really love what you do,  thank you very much for sharing you work !

    1 month ago
  • Shishya

     ENJOY DEAR LIFE

    PRECIOUS MOMENTS OF JOY
    http://youtu.be/gJCKst0qmaI

    GOOD MORNING
    Birri

    4 months ago
  • Jaro

     currently listening to "IN Other Worlds" .. unbelievable, it's so great! Thanks, Azam, for the so special music!

    4 months ago
  • ömer yıldız

    hi azam...realsly u are voice incredible... there is really your voice in peace...god bless u....

    7 months ago
  • Shishya

     My new Book: Canto Libri now available on Amazon.com

    Your feedback AMD comments welcome.

    CANTO LIBRI BY Birri Sangha
    $3.21 E-Pub 
    HOPING YOU ENJOY MY POETRY
    WARM REGARDS
    BIRRI

    9 months ago
  • Fundamentalist Biri

     azam ali ı love u so much , like to listen ur voice ,,, ı am from turkey , please sing more turkish songs :) 

    9 months ago
  • Katra

      Hi how are you doing? Have an nice day

    10 months ago
  • soulaimane

     I'm so happy that you will come in Morocco!!!.. It's so amazing!!!
    See you later in Rabat :)

    1 year ago
  • tarlochan azad

    long time
    how you doing ?

    1 year ago
10 of 2595More

BIO

.. Mothers have been singing, humming, soothing their children to sleep from time immemorial. Do not underestimate the power of the lullaby. When Azam Ali, the lead singer of the band Niyaz, became a mother in 2008, she felt that ancient pull. “I discovered that lullabies are so much more than just musical and rhythmic tools to soothe a child,” she explains. “They are in fact a powerful medium by which a mother can send direct messages to her child about life, nature, joy, pain, love, beauty, etc.” This realization led to Azam Ali’s most personal, intimate album to date. From Night To the Edge of Day weaves traditional songs from around the Middle East into a nocturnal tapestry of electronics and traditional string and percussion instruments. Like a lullaby itself, this album is lovely, and comforting, yet tinged with melancholy. It is an acknowledgment of the sadness of the exile, and the universal wish that one’s child will grow up in a more peaceful world. Azam Ali’s own story helped shape this record. She was born in Iran, educated partly in India, and moved to the United States as a teenager after the Islamic Revolution of 1979. With such a globetrotting background, she felt at home with many musical traditions. Her immense talent and ability to adapt her voice to any musical style have drawn the attention of many diverse artists and film composers.  She has collaborated in the studio and on stage with numerous artists including: Serj Tankian of System of a Down, The Crystal Method, Pat Mastellato and Trey Gunn of King Crimson, Chris Vrenna formerly of Nine Inch Nails, Ben Watkins of Juno Reactor, Buckethead, Steve Stevens, film composer Tyler Bates (whose score for the mega-hit film, 300 prominently features Azam's haunting voice), Mercan Dede, the world renowned Japanese group Kodo, Zakir Hussain,Omar Faruk Tekbilek, and Mickey Hart with whom she also toured for two years as a lead singer in his group Bembe Orisha. But she never felt truly at home anywhere, and singing to her son Iman led her to think about the millions of children in the world who are born into exile. And so she began gathering songs that expressed a mother’s closeness, and a motherland’s distance. From Night To the Edge of Day includes lullabies that have been sung for centuries, such as the Turkish folk song “Neni Desem,” as well as one written specifically for Ali and her son by the Palestinian oud player and singer Naser Musa. Here, songs from groups that have a history of conflict occupy the same musical and spiritual ground -- Turks and Kurds, Persians and Arabs, Tajiks and Azeris. Some, like the opening track, “Noor-E-Cheshmanam,” are slow and expansive, full of longing and tenderness. Others, like Naser Musa’s “Faith,” are gently rocking – which is, after all, the motion that often goes with singing a lullaby. Azam Ali’s voice is part of a rich texture that includes drones from Carmen Rizzo and various Middle Eastern lutes played by Loga Ramin Torkian.  Both are her bandmates in Niyaz, the international world music ensemble they founded in 2005, and more to the point, Torkian is her husband and the father of Iman.Rounding out the ensemble are leading musicians from the Turkish, Iranian, Kurdish and Arab traditions as well as the Bozzini String Quartet from Montreal. Some of the languages may be unfamiliar: the trancey “Mehman,” with Ali’s voice soaring over a wash of electronics as a slow drumbeat chants in the background, is sung in the dialect of Sirjan, Iran. The simple, childlike melody of “Lai Lai” uses a text from the Sorani dialect of Iraqi Kurdistan. But the message is clear – these lullabies are not about words (which babies don’t understand anyway), but feelings (which they certainly do). Perhaps the best example of this is Azam Ali’s own lullaby, simply called “Tenderness.” A wordless melody rests on a bed of processed voices; the lullaby unfolds in an almost liquid way, with the occasional shakes and slurs of Persian classical singing. It is at once highly personal and completely universal. From Night To the Edge of Day has taken on a larger meaning for Azam Ali. She returned to Iran in 2002 to bury her mother, and since then, she says, “I have spent a great deal of time in the Middle-East, and sadly discovered that our long standing internal prejudices in terms of religious and ethnic hierarchy have blinded us to the fact that we are one people.” This collection of lullabies is a reminder of one of the timeless bonds that all people share. And for the many exiles from what remains a conflicted part of the world, Azam Ali’s album offers a particular message: “We are people of the east, and although our paths led us far from the land we belong to, our legacy runs deep like the oldest of trees, and our songs tell many stories which should never be forgotten.”

Allahi Allah_live at the Knitting Factory, Los Angeles



The Hunt_live at the Knitting Factory, Los Angeles

..

Member Since:

February 06, 2006

Members:

Azam Ali - Voice, Hammered Dulcimer, Daf, Frame Drums, Chan Chan, Zils

Carmen Rizzo - Programming, Keyboards, Synthesizers

Loga Ramin Torkian - Guitar Viol, Lafta, Electric Guitar, Djura

Influences:

Life and music

Sounds Like:

The soundtrack to my life........................

Record Label:

Six Degrees Records

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