999 - Official Website of Shirzad Sharif

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Welcome to the website of

Shirzad Sharif

BAZM

Persian Bazm

Iranian "Rengi" Music

Featuring Live Music by Shirzad Sharif & friends
The Coolest Vintage Party & Persian Dance Event of the Year! Not to be missed!Relive the mysterious sultry & sexy atmosphere of old Tehran's Persian cabaret dance scene with a modern and artistic twist!-- Ashkenaz Event Is Canceled --Featuring Alan Kushan (NYC), Pourya Khademi (LA\SF) & Shirzad Sharif (SF) + Special Guest Artists!Wednesday, November 24th - Ashkenaz - Berkeley, CA1317 San Pablo Aveneue, Berkeley, CA - 9pm - $15Facebook Event Pagewww.ashkenaz.comFriday, October 22nd - Tango Del Rey - San Diego, CA3567 Del Rey Street, San Diego, CA - 9pm - $15Facebook Event Pagewww.tangodelrey.comSaturday, October 23rd - Studio Iqaat - Los Angeles, CA3515 Eagle Rock Blvd, Los Angeles, CA - 9pm - $15Facebook Event Pagewww.iqaat.com

HRW

Past Event

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH benefit performance and special solidarity event _ Ashkenaz in Berkeley, CA - Sun. Jul 26th, 8pm

Songs of freedom in solidarity with the people of Iran

Shirzad Sharif, Jef Stott, Kaveh Hedayati & Friends

Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community

Sunday, July 26th, 8pm

1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley, CA

- Benefit Event $5 donation, proceeds go to support Human Rights Watch & Ashkenaz!

Local Iranian musicians, activists and artists come together for an evening of Iranian national music and performance of freedom songs in solidarity with the Iranian people's freedom movement.

Featuring:

Shirzad Sharif: (Dutar, Tanbur, Tonbak & Daf)

Jef Stott: (Electronics)

Kaveh Hedayati: (Vocals, Setar)

& other special guest musicians.

Click above for media

Pictures from the event

Biography

Shirzad Sharif
Shirzad Sharif was born and raised to a highly acclaimed musical family in Tehran, Iran which has nurtured the likes of the legendary Tar Grand Master Ostad Farhang Sharif, Shirzad was exposed to the amazing intricacies of Persian classical music from early childhood and while in Iran was fortunate enough to have grown up studying the Tonbak drum under the direct tutelage of Tonbak Grand Master Ostad Bahman Rajabi. While growing up in Iran, Shirzad also studied the Persian Sufi frame drum known as Daf & Sacred Sufi lute (Tanbur) considered the most Sacred instrument of Iran.Learning these instruments required Shirzad's sharp focus and intense studying of the spiritual realm, a journey which begins by polishing the heart and enhancing the spiritual aspect of the human being over the physical. Searching for this knowledge & truth, Shirzad became deeply immersed in Sufism & other spiritual traditions and having attended, studied & performed in many different Sufi orders and tariqats, dargahs & khanghahs became very adept in drumming & performing live music along with Zikr (chanting) which is considered an Islamic musical form of meditation to connect to God and draw the divine energy into the world of matter. The highlight of this period of his life was attending the 2010 Haridwar Kumbh Mela in India, which is the largest sadhu gathering in the world!While in the United States Shirzad also expanded his percussive knowledge to encompass all of the regions of the greater Middle East & is also the first percussionist to have composed a many number of percussive compositions using the three Arabic, Persian & Indian drums & rhythms, thus connecting and creating a sacred rhythmic triangle within the three ancient Silk Road regions.Recently Shirzad has focused his efforts on expanding & reviving ancient & sensual national Persian 6/8 rhythms which are also used widely to accompany sexy Persian cabaret dance styles that have been abandobned and are in demise since the Islamic revolution in Iran & is extremely proud to have been called the Sultan of Reng for his research, lectures & performance work involved with reviving and restoring ancient & beautiful Persian dance music! Shirzad is also the founder & musical director of Qalandariyun, Iranian Rengi Orchestra, Som'ma, Som'ma Sufi Ensemble and Somma Dub Ensembles which for over ten years has produced some of the most authentic yet innovative, progressive and forward looking Persian sacred and classical based music ever heard till this day. Using various forms and instrumentation Shirzad's strongly classical rooted pioneering music has been breaking genres, musical boundaries, geographical borders & raising audience consciousness worldwide.Shirzad has a new custom made electric Tanbur (lute) instrument he calls 'The Freedom Axe' & is very excited to be composing, recording and performing new Electric Tanbur music in the darker genres & realms of music...

Awards & Acknowledgments

Shirzad's Instruments

Shirzad's Projects & Bands

Albums

The Alchemist - By Shirzad Sharif

Creating a fine universe of sound using dreamscape ambience and sacred Persian melodies this album will take you on a journey into the deep space of sacred sound.

"The Alchemist" features lush electronic sound-scapes, organic Persian drumming,

sacred Sufi Tanbur, Kemanche, Setar & Daf music .

The Album Features:

Shirzad Sharif - Tonbak, Daf, Riqq, Tanbur & Electronic Music

Mehrdad Arabifard - Kemanche

Amir Koushkani - Setar

All songs composed, produced & arranged for electronic music by Shirzad Sharif.

Genre: Elecctro-Acoustic

Instruments

Tonbak (Zarb)

The chief Persian percussive drum, also known as an Earth drum it utilizes an extremely complex method of finger & snapping techniques on a single head to generate a wide range of tonalities & variety of tones and textures on this instrument allows the player to punctuate and ornament the melodic phrases as well as create rhythmical patterns.

Dotar

The Dotar, Dutar or Dutor (literally meaning "two strings" in persian), comes from a family of long-necked lutes, closely related to Setar and Tanbur, and could be found throughout Central Asia, Iran, Afghanistan, the Middle East and as far as China.

The Dutar is considered as a national instrument and is the instrument par excellence of the Bakhshis (Trabadours). The technique for playing the Dotar consists of plucking the strings without a plectrum, following a descending and an ascending movement which involves the index and often several other fingers. The music is ornamented by the rapid repetition of notes (tremolo).

Tanbur

An ancient lute instrument dating back

to 2500 years ago as carved on many

reliefs and is known to be the mother of all lutes.

Used all around the world in various forms the Persian Tanbur is Kurdish in origin and is considered to be the most sacred instrument of Iran.

Daf

Used in Sufi Zikr ceremonies uses a combination of strikes, shakes to create complex rhythmic patterns and is also known to be a sky drum due to it's uplifting & trance inducing qualities.

Riqq

A Middle Eastern tambourine which is especially valued & appreciated for the variety of sounds it can produce & requires an elaborate finger technique for the subtle yet virtuosic manner in which it is performed.

Contact

Projects

Shirzad is the founder of Som'ma Music Productions and musical director of Qalandariyun, Iranian Rengi Orchestra , Som'ma and Dubistan ensembles and has been actively working with Persian classical music, rock, electronica, dub, jazz music collaborations. He has also worked with world renowned Sufi ensembles such as AHURA PROJECT as well as other groundbreaking musicians & visionary artists.

Shirzad is also an electronic music composer and can be commissioned for projects involving film, dance & theatre. He has recently electrified his ancient string based Persian musical instruments & is actively recording & touring internationally.

External Links to Shirzad's friends.

Videos

Som'ma live at the Cobalt Sun - Persian Electronica - (Navai)

Persian Electronica by Somma

Qalandariyun

Shirzad and Rasa

Scroll mouse to right and left of player to flip through the playlist

you may also visit our channel and view more online videos by clicking on the logos below.

Freedom Songs

Iranian Songs of Freedom

Press

VOA 2nd Interview with Shirzad (Sufi Music)

VOA 2nd Interview with Shirzad (Sufi Music)

VOA Interview with Shirzad (Introduction)

VOA Interview with Shirzad (Introduction)

Bebin.tv Interview with Shirzad (Dubistan)

Radio

Shirzad speaks on KPFA (English)

Shirzad speaks on KIRN (Farsi)

Interview with Shirzad on Radio Zamaneh (Farsi)

Print

Article about Shirzad on Iranian.com (English)

Article about Shirzad on Persian Mirror (English)

Concerts

Concerts & Performances
2011 Performances:Shirzad SharIf & La Grande - Uniclub - Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tuesday, July 5thShirzad SharIf & Electric Bardo - Red Poppy Art House - San Francisco, CA, Saturday, May 14thBay Area National Dance Week - Om Shan Tea - San Francisco, CA, Sunday, April 24thPersian New Years Celebration (Nowruz 1390) - The NeXus - Richmond, CA, Saturday March 26thPersian Music & Dance Dinner & Concert - Morocco's - San Jose, CA, Wednseday March 23rdPersian Valentine Party - Om Shan Tea - San Francisco, CA, Saturday, February, 12th2010 Performances:PAANC - Yalda Celebrations - George's NIghtclub - San Rafael, CA, Monday, December, 20thPersian Bazm! - Ashkenaz - Berkeley, CA, (Canceled) Wednesday, November 24th, 2010Persian Bazm! - Tango Del Rey - San Diego, CA, Friday, October 22nd, 2010Persian Bazm! - Studio Iqaat - Los Angeles, CA, Saturday, October 23rd, 2010XV Festival Internacional de la Percusión - San Juan, Puerto Rico, Friday, August 27th, 2010Heart Centric Studio - Novato, CA - Saturday, June 26th, 2010 - 7pm2009 Performances:San Francisco State University - San Francisco, CA - Tuesday, November 10th, 2009Om Shan Tea- San Francisco, CA - Friday, October 16th, 2009Humanist Hall - Oakland, CA, Thursday Augus 6th, 2009Ashkenaz Music & Dance (Special Iranian Solidarity Event) - Berkeley, CA - Sunday July 26th, 2009Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California- Oakland, CA - Saturday May 2nd, 2009Numi Tea Garden - Oakland, CA - Sunday April 5th, 2009Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California - Oakland, CA - Saturday March 14th, 2009Western Sky Studios - Berkeley, CA - Saturday February 7th, 2009Anjomane Ferdowsi- Sunnyvale, CA - Saturday January 31st, 20092007 Performances:Persian Center - Persian Garden Music Series, Berkeley, CA - Sunday, December 16th, 2007Persian Center - Persian Garden Music Series, Berkeley, CA - Sunday, November 18th, 2007Persian Center - Persian Garden Music Series, Berkeley, CA - Sunday, October 21st, 2007Persian Center - Persian Garden Music Series, Berkeley, CA - Sunday, September 30th, 2007Persian Center - Persian Garden Music Series, Berkeley, CA - Sunday, September 16th, 2007Persian Center - Persian Garden Music Series, Berkeley, CA - Sunday, August 19th, 2007Dub Mission - Elbo Room, San Francisco, CA - Sunday, March 11th, 2007Temple Bar - Santa Monica, CA - Tuesday, March 6th, 2007Universal Temple of Higher Consciousness - Hidden Valley, Escondido, CA - Sun., March 4th, 2007Grace Cathedral - SFArts, San Francisco, California - Friday, February 16th, 2007Red Poppy Art House - San Francisco, CA - Friday, February 9th, 2007Galapagos Art Space - Brooklyn, NY - Thursday, January 18th, 20072006 Performances:Kush, New York City, NY - Monday, December 11th, 2006The Rock & Roll Hotel - Washington, D.C. - Sunday, December 10th, 2006Brooklyn Lyceum, Brooklyn, NY - Saturday, December 9th, 2006Northern California Mehregan Festival, Cupertino, CA - October 29th 2006Red Poppy, Santa Cruz, CA - September 30th 2006Cayuga Vault,(6th year anniversary), Santa Cruz, CA - September 23rd 2006Southern California Mehregan Festival, Costa Mesa, CA - September 9th & 10th 2006Universal Temple of Higher Consciousness, Encinitas, CA - August 13th 2006Fais Do Do Ballroom,, Los Angeles, CA - August 10th 2006Cobalt Sun, Sausalito, CA - June 24th 2006Groove Garden, Fairfax, CA - March 4th 2006Karma, Washington, DC - February 4th 2006Kush, New York City, NY - February 7th 2006Brooklyn Lyceum, Brooklyn, NY - February 11th 20062005 Performances:Cobalt Sun, Sausalito, CA - November 19th 2005AMBiENT PiNG, Toronto, ON, Canada - November 8th 2005Groove Garden, - Fairfax, CA - November 5th 2005Red Poppy Art House, San Francisco, CA - October 15th 2005Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA - April 29th 200521Grand, Oakland, CA -February 18th 2005 - 8:00pmThe Pines Club House, San Jose, CA - January 29th 20052004 Performances:University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA - November, 14th, 2004Old First Church - San Francisco, CA - August 20th, 2004 (w/Ahura)Cayuga Vault - Santa Cruz, CA - August 21st, 2004 (w/Ahura)Dizzy's - San Diego, CA - August 29th, 2004 (w/Ahura)The Old Church - Portland, OR - September 4th, 2004 (w/Ahura)Sanctuary For The Arts,- Oakland, CA - March 27th, 2004Arab Cultural Center - San Francisco, CA - March 12th, 2004Venue BBC, - Berkeley, CA - February 29th, 2004University of California San Francisco - San Francisco, CA - February 28th, 20042003 Performances:De Anza College - Cupertino, CA - February 20th 2003Clarion World Music Center - San Francisco, CA - March 7th 2003The Groove Garden - Fairfax, CA - April 5th 2003Freight and Salvage - Berkeley, CA - May 23rd 2003Cayuga Vault - Santa Cruz, CA - May 24th 2003Open Secret - San Rafael, CA - June 27th 2003Noe Valley Ministry - San Francisco, CA - August 24th 2003Cellspace - San Francisco, CA - November 7th 2003Fais Do Do Ballroom - Los Angeles, CA - November 8th 2003Dizzy's - San Diego, CA - November 9th 2003KKUP - 91.5 FM - World Music Festival - November 26th 20032002 Performances:Sweets Mill Folk Festival - Sweets Mill, July 19, 20 , 21. 2002Ross Valley / Fairfax Masonic Center - September 8, 2002, Larkspur, CAKKUP - 91.5 FM Live Broadcast - September, 11, 2002 5:00PMEarthdance Festival - 2002 Ashland, OR, = October, 12th, 2002University of Utah - Kingsbury Hall Salt Lake City, UT, November, 8th, 2002La Pena Cultural Center - Berkeley, CA, - December, 21st, 2002University of California Los Angeles. - Moore Hall Los Angeles, CA, December, 22nd, 2002 2001 Performances:University of Maryland - College Park, MDMexican Embassy, Tehran, Iran

Links

External Links

Ostad Farhang Sharif - Grandmaster of Tar

Ostad Bahman Rajabi - Grandmaster of Tonbak

Dr. Lloyd Millder - Grandmaster Jazz Musician

Ahura Project - Mystical Music of Rumi by Mohammad & Christa Eqbal & friends

Alan Kushan - Master musician & pioneer of modern Persian music.

Jef Stott - Six Degrees Records musician & electronic composer.

Mark Deutsch - Master Musician, instrumet builder & inventor of the Bazantar.

Awards

Albums2

The Sound of Love - By Shirzad Sharif

The Sound of Love is a Persian fusion album with Traditional Persian Music + Modal Jazz + Soundscape Electronica, first recorded way back in 2002 but was never officially made available for purchase or download until Feb 2011.

This album features an all star lineup of musicians!

Amir Koushkani - Tar\Setar

Dr. Lloyd Miller - Piano

Mark Deutsch - Electric Bass

Jef Stott - Electronic Music

Ramin Zolfonoun - Persian Tuned Piano

Noah Waldman - Drumset

Scott Hill - Clarinet & Sax

Shirzad Sharif - Persian Percussion

Album concept concieved & produced by Shirzad Sharif.

Genre: Elecctro-Acoustic Persian Modal Jazz

Albums3

Space Time Continuum

A musical journey into Sufi music by Shirzad Sharif

A previously unreleased Islamic Sufi inspired album featuring Sacred Iranian Lutes, Organic Persian Drumming, Lush Electronic Soundscapes & Sacred Sufi chanting, Zikrs and mantra's!

This album was recorded during a very spiritual phase of my life... Album concept concieved & produced by Shirzad Sharif.

Recorded 2007-2008 but was never officially made available for purchase or download till Feb 2010

Also features special bonus tracks...

Genre: Elecctro-Acoustic Sacred Islamic Music

PersianValentine

Persian Valentine Party

OM SHAN TEA

Saturday, February 12th, 2011 - 8pm
Om Shan Tea233 14th StreetSan Francisco, CAMusic by:Ostad Nejad (Master Multi-Instrumentalist)& Shirzad Sharif (Persian Percussionist)Dance by: Rasa VitaliaOm Shan Tea is an intimate & romantic venue with very limited seating, please arrive early!Facebook Event Pagehttp://www.omshantea.com/

Watch

PersianValentine2

Nowrooz

Persian New Years Celebration! (Nowruz 1390)Saturday, March 26th, 2011 - 9 p.m. - The NeXus I am extremely happy to invite you to an unforgettable multi-sensory all immersion collaborative performance featuring fantastic multi-disciplined artists and amazing master musicians!Featuring: Master multi-instrumentalist musician Ostad NejadPersian Percussion by Shirzad SharifMaster Bazantar wizardry by Mark DeutschNoah Waldman; Drumset GuruLight Based Visual Projection Artistry - Lynn Augstein (Cobalt Sun)Digital Visual Projection Artistry - Neda Sharif (aka VJ Dr. Neda)Nazanin Arastoo - PuppeteerBeautiful Persian Dance - Rasa Vitalia!Join us for this very rare and unforgettable night of total immersion and experience a multi-sensory magical performance of sultry & sexy instrumental Persian dance music!!!--------------------NEW UPDATE:Extremely pleased to let all friends know, as promised we will be starting the Persian New Years celebration & evening with a short and very special new years performance of live traditional Iranian puppetry called: Kheymeh Shab Bazi!We will be playing Persian dance music - *** First long set will be instrumental acoustic Persian Dance Music followed by a live electro-acoustic party set! ***--------------------Nowruz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in the Iranian calendar. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, which usually occurs on March 21 or the previous/following day depending on where it is observed.Saturday, March 26th, 2011 - 9pmThe NeXus (Amazing New Venue!)1414 Harbour Way South, #1010 Ford Point at Marina DistrictRichmond, CAThe NeXus resides just off the 580 freeway in Richmond on Ford Point in the Marina District. In an industrial complex on the waterfront, The NeXus is super close to Berkeley/Oakland and Marin and less than 1/2 hour from the city.Tickets will be on sale in advance for $15 ($20 at the door). Advance purchase is highly recommended...Advance Ticket PurchasePlease visit the Facebook event page & check out the following links! http://www.shirzadsharif.com/http://www.nejadmusic.com/http://www.rasavitalia.com/http://www.cobaltsun.net/http://www.sommamusic.com/http://www.dubistan.com/http://www.bazantar.com/View pictures from our 2005 Cobalt Sun show!

Persian Music Dance Persian Music & Dance Persian dance is a pre-Islamic dance form that also falls under Raqs Sharqi, is a lot more slow & circular, is very sexy & sensual, uses more subtle hands (Persian Signature), legs and arm movements. Some arm movements can in a way be considered similar to Indian dancing. Facial expressions are of extreme importance, sometimes mimicry.Rhythms are normally based on 6/8 time signature, music and dance can vary in speed and tempo, even in one song, this creates a sort of play on drum\dance movements, also dance can stop and sort of freeze, so dancers should be prepared for this as well.Very important: Focus on "naz" (Charm), graceful gliding, slow sensual swerving & swaying slides and gentle torso undulations. Clothes and costumes are mostly short black sexy western cabaret style clothing.Male accompaniment is usually performed in a slower rhythm and has a lot of macho attitude. This is typically performed with a hat and suit (similar to a Zoot Suit). A good example of this is Baba Karam which almost all Iranians are familiar with.The music perforrmed for dancing is called "Rengi" and uses traditional instrumentation and melodies with a 6\8 time signature.Read About Shirzad's & Rasa's fun & sexy Persian Dance Intensive Seminar & Workshop

Rasa Essential Persian Cabaret Dance WorkshopShirzad & Rasa offer a very rare & special workshop, seminar & master class exploring Persian Dance & Music! This is a must workshop perfect for all bellydancers wanting to further expand their skills within the Middle Eastern Raks Sharki dance genre!Learn the fantastic history, origin, misconceptions, rhythms, music & essential Persian dance techniques used in fun, sexy & sensual Persian Cabaret dance & music!Persian Cabaret (a term coined by Shirzad to avoid confusion with contemporary Central Asian \ Silkroad Regional Folk Dances) is a pre-Islamic dance form from Iran (Persia) that also falls under the Raks Sharki category. Unfortunetly most dance ensemble troupes that perform or advertise Persian classical or contemporary dance these days are actually fusing Western Ballet, Sufi Whirling Dervish, Tajik, Afghan, Georgian & other Central Asian folk dances that have nothing to do with the authentic ancient, mysterious, fun, sexy & sensual Persian traditional dance!For those Bellydancers not familiar with the Persian Cabaret style, it's a lot more slow & circular, is very sexy & sensual, uses more subtle hands (Persian Signature), legs and arm movements... * Please note you do not need to have any previous Persian dancing experience to attend & take advantage of these fantastic workshops & seminars! Workshops are designed to help students and experienced dancers alike broaden their dance training.** Workshops are also presented and taught from a bellydancers perspective in order to help you easily differentiate & incorporate the Persian dance techniques into your dance routines & choreographies! *** Supplemental music & notes will be provided.Other topics covered and taught in the workshop also include:Persian dance rhythms, drumming & music.Use of Zills in Persian cabaret dance & rhythms.Introduction to festive Persian holidays for the working dancer.Usage of various props in Persian dance as well as other famous types of Persian dances & dance techniques which will also be fully discussed & demonstrated during the workshop!Perfect for dancers, drummers, musicians & all Persian fine art lovers!To host a workshop in your city please contact: dance_shirzadsharif.com for more information.Visit Rasa's website: http://www.rasavitalia.com/

Message Board To stay up to date with me & my frame of mind bysimply visiting & joining my facebook fan page, thanks!http:// www.facebook.com/qalandariyun

Zanboorak1 mix.mp3

Dance of the Dead.mp3

Wedding Of The Dead.mp3

Gothik mix.mp3

GothicPersianPiano.mp3

LoveHurts.mp3

dnb.mp3

setar.mp3