A look back at 2007!

Dear Friends,

As the year is nearing it's end and as I look back to 2007, I am extremely happy to proudly say that 2007 was surely an amazing year that brought many great things to fruition & I whole heartedly thank you for all the kindness and support throughout the years which I am extremely grateful!

The beginning of 2007 saw the birth of Som'ma Dub Ensemble (aka Dubistan) and we started the year off with performances in the east coast closely followed by a west coast tour which was a great success! I completed my first solo album titled "The Alchemist" which is now available on CD Baby, iTunes and all other major online distributors and for those in the bay area I helped kick-off the Persian Garden music series which is the first ongoing Persian music series of it's kind.

The release of "The Alchemist" was a major milestone for me, as you may know I have been producing music here in the United States for over 7 years with a many number of live and studio recordings in various genres all based on Persian traditional music, most which has been made available to the world on the internet free of charge. Due to many reasons through-out the years never did I consider an album complete or officially release an album so having an album which I consider to be my first official album indeed makes me very proud and once again I whole heartedly thank you for all your kindness, encouragement and support throughout the years, all of which without you none of this would have been possible.

As we move into the new year, I wish you the best of luck & success and look forward to 2008 and a new year full of music and exciting new possibilities. I am also happy to announce that I am very busy working on a number of exciting projects which will hopefully be completed early next year.

May the year bring us all the best of health, wealth and happiness!

Many Blessings,
Shirzad Sharif

Shirzad Sharif solo album "The Alchemist" is now available!

I am very pleased to announce the official release of my new solo album titled "The Alchemist", the first 100 copies are numbered and signed by me, ordering instructions are provided here:

www.shirzadsharif.com/album.html

Healing Power of Persian Music (part 2) ** Shur & Abu Ata

In Persian music and other performing arts, mood is always more important than technique even though amazing and intricate skills are associated with Eastern performing arts. These skills are always subservient to the emotion of the performer whose role is that of a channel bringing expressions from a higher realm to the audience. This point is emphasized by Dr. Safvat.

Other aspects of performance have been discussed by Dr. Safvat. One of these is symmetry which he explains "Creates calmness and eliminates excitement, which is spiritually harmful." He says that repetition "prepares the mind to receive more profound messages. This is why repetition and symmetry are visible in spiritual artwork."

Persian Modes and their properties:

**** SHUR ****

Mood: Burning, Pining, Sympathetic, Sorrowful, Tender, Consoling
Color: Red
Element: Fire

The mode Shur is characterized by burning and pining; it is sympathetic, sorrowful, tender, consoling while it represents intensity and concentration. It's color is red and it's element is fire. It's time is from morning till noon and its mystic connotation is tariqat (the path)

Shur is considered the mother of modes, the modal scale of Shur is G Ap Bp C D- Eb F G with altered notes in modulated sections such as Shahnaz and Bayat Kord. Shur divulges a burning love, waves of love and the whole story of love with all it's joys and sorrows. Interpretation of Shur can portray the emotional intensity of separation from the beloved.

**** Avaz-e-Abu-Ata ****

Mood - Melancholy, moving
Color - Purple or bright coffee color
Element - Earth

Abu Ata is melancholy and moving, Its color is purple or bright coffee and it's element is earth. Its time is noon to 4pm and its mystic connotation ranges from Shariat to Tariqat. Abu Ata divulges experience of past love in an older, wiser representation of love with higher expectations. The modal scale of Abu Ata is G Ap Bp C D Eb F G with an altered E in 'Oshaq.

My solo album is done!

Finally! My new album is done! It definetly was a journey for me and during the long process I really got to know myself more and learned a lot from that... The album is inspired by astronomy, the universe we are all a part of and how beautiful we are all...

I will be having a CD release party at the Red Poppy Art House on Oct 6, more deetails below:
___________________________

Saturday, October 6th, 2007
The Red Poppy Art House
2698 Folsom St., SF, CA
www.redpoppyarthouse.org

General Admission $15
Doors: 7:30pm - Show: 8:00pm

Shirzad Sharif’s Solo Album & CD Release Party!!

featuring:

Shirzad Sharif – Tanbur, Zarb, Daf & electronics
Mark Deutsch – Bazantar & Sitar
John Connell – Daf

Visual Alchemy by VJ Neda

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

Inspired by the creation of the universe, astronomy and mankind’s quest to
understand himself, the origin of creation & the true essence of life this will be
a very special performance & preview of Shirzad Sharif’s new upcoming solo album
titled “The Alchemist” which features lush electronic sound-scapes, organic Persian
drumming, sacred Sufi Tanbur & Daf music.

Joining Shirzad for this special performance will be Mark Deutsch on the amazing
Bazantar and John Connell on Daf (Sufi Frame Drums).

For more information please visit: www.shirzadsharif.com or www.bazantar.com

Healing Power of Persian Music (part 1)

Throughout Persian History, the power of Iranian traditional music has been noted. Safvat relates that during the Sassanian period during a musical gathering, the audience was so moved by a composition played by the renown harp master "Nakisaa" that they lost consciousness and tore their clothes. Thus the name of the gushe (A section of the dastgah) Jame-Daran or "garment-rendering" Another story reported by Safvat is as follows:

A famous story about Farabi tells how that one day in the presence of the king, he aroused the king's anger and felt his own life in danger. He immediately picked up his instrument and began to play happy and funny tunes and encouraged everyone to listen. He gradually changed these tunes to sad ones, so that everyone started crying. By another change, he put everyone to sleep and escaped.

Safvat explains that in the old times, they considered music a spiritual art and believed that it could produce all sorts of changes in the soul. The story of Barbad informing the king about the death of his horse through a song has been noted in the section on early music history. From these and other similar tales, it is obvious that music and musicians who were also singers and poets, had a strong influence on the leaders of nations and even the affairs of the realm. But their power was not only political. Safvat writes of the healing powers of correct music noting the case of Homer's Odyssey when a magic chant stopped the flowing of blood from Ulysses wound. He goes on to explain that according to Avicenna in the 11th century, ney music helped in healing typhoid. In his French publication "Iran, les traditions musicales" Safvat lists the curative powers of some of the modes according to historians as follows:

Rast - combat l'humeur qui coule des yeux;
Araq - guerit les palpitations du coeur, le demence, la chaleur de temperament;
Avaz e Esfehan - donne intelligence et acuite d'espirit en meme temps qu'il protege le corps contre les maladies froides et seches;
Rahavi - calme le cephalalgie, les maladies pituitaires sanguines et combat la distortion de la bouche;
Bozorg - guerit les douleurs d'entrailles, les maladies pyretiques et contribue a purifier l'espirit et a redresser la pensee; il protege contre suggestions diaboliques, la crainte, la terreur;
Zangule - est utile aux cardiques;

But cure through music was not solely an ancient phenomenon; according to Safvat, not many years ago Abol Hosein Shahnazi cured a case of typhoid by playing setar a half hour at the bedside of the patient. Another proof of the healing powers of music is cited by Safvat at a panel discussion during the 1973 Shiraz Arts Festival. He related the story of how santur master Habib Soma'i went to visit Prime Minister Forushi who was plagued with high blood pressure and no relief had come from the medical profession. Soma'i played for his sick host and the minister felt better. Upon examining him the doctors found that he had returned to normal.

At the eighth Shiraz Arts Festival, a Baluchi exorcism ceremony involving music was performed. In Baluchestan people can succumb to an illness known as "guat" which means "wind" or "pride" The cure for this type of possession is through prayer chants accompanies by instrumental music furnished by instruments such as flute or double pipe instruments called "do-ney" a variety of the "tambur" called "tambire" which is used as a drone, possibly a bowed instrument such as the "qaichak" or "sorud" and percussion instruments. These ceremonies appear to work and the patients are usually relieved of various possession diseases through music.

Persian Garden Calendar of Events

Greetings,

Unfortunately due to the holidays and the bay bridge closure we wont be having the Persian Garden event at the Persian Center this Sunday. I have also created a calendar for the events here: www.shirzadsharif.com/calendar/index.php

Happy Holidays!
Shirzad Sharif

Persian Garden - Sunday Afternoon's with Persian Music!

Dear Friends,

Shirzad Sharif (Som'ma) in conjunction with the Persian Cultural Center are proud to present: "Persian Garden"

A Bi-Weekly, Sunday afternoon program with Persian music, hosted by Shirzad Sharif
Featuring live performances & demonstrations, lectures & workshops focused entirely on Persian classical & folk music featuring amazing guest musicians from the bay area and beyond...

This will be a great way start your week as well as meet the musicians & hear great Persian music & their story in an intimate non-concert setting!!!

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Sunday Afternoon's with Persian Music!
Hosted by Shirzad Sharif

Opening evening:
Sunday, August 19th, 2007 -
Time: 4:00pm-6:00pm

Persian Garden will be at the Persian Center in Berkeley
2029 Durant Ave # 1
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 848-0264

Seating is limited, please arrive early to not disturb the live performances.
General admission $10, Students with ID $5

No prior knowledge of Persian language or music is required.

The opening program will include a discussion regarding Persian music from Shirzad Sharif as well as live Sufi music of Kurdistan on Tanbur, Tonbak & Daf followed by a Daf and Tonbak workshop as well as other surprise guest musician appearances.

Please bring your instruments with you if you will be participating in the workshop followed by the live performance.

Reading\Listening material may be provided by each guest speaker.

Website: www.shirzadsharif.com
eMail: shirzad@shirzadsharif.com

Tonbak & Daf Lessons In San Francisco

I will be returning back home to San Francisco after a 5 month stay in Los Angeles and will be accepting new students & resuming Tonbak & Daf lessons. To register please email me directly at shirzad@shirzadsharif.com

Happy Persian New Year!!

Wishing you a great Persian new year and beginning of spring!!

Dear Friends,

Thank You!!!! It was a great pleasure to meet, greet & see everyone who came out to our shows! Despite some serious logistical difficulties we encountered such as our car breaking down & overheating way too many times and giving us loads of trouble every 1/2 hour on the I-5, we had tons of fun playing music and grooving with you all!

It was also great to be back home in the bay area, DUB MISSION ROCKS!!! Big up to DJ Sep!!! Also thanks go out to Levantine Cultural Center & Kennedy for sponsoring, promoting & hosting us as well as thier kindness and hospitality...

Also much thanks go out to Jahan for the great pictures (Check them out here: www.dubistan.com/gallery/index.php)

We will be taking a break till we gear up for the next chapter of many good things to come...have loads of fun & take care!

~~~ Blessings from Dubistan!

KPFA 94.1 interview about Dubistan

This interview was broadcasted on the voices of the middle east program yesterday at 7pm for those of you who missed it, here's the link:

www.dubistan.com/music/kpfa.mp3

Red Poppy & UNION!

Big thanks to everyone who came out Friday night to the Red Poppy in SF, the show was sold out! We are really sorry if you werent able to get in and\or were waiting outside, we did all we could to convince them at the RP into letting everyone in! We have posted pics of the show on our image gallery here check them out! Were really excited about our upcoming Cali tour and playing at Dub Mission, Temple Bar and UTHC and seeing you all again really soon!!

Also be sure to check out Mark's upcoming show next Friday at the Grace Cathedral... This will be a really amazing, immersive and multi-sensory music, dance & art experience! Featuring: Mark, the Jomon Butoh Company, Shirzad Sharif, Geralyn Gendreau, the Sacred Clown Consortium, and Visual Alchemy by Neda.

Many Blessings,
Dubistan (Som'ma Dub Ensemble)

DUBISTAN (SOM'MA DUB ENSEMBLE) heading west.....

Glad to be coming back home for some SF lovin.....

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Date & Time: Friday, February 9, 2007 - 9:00 PM

DUBistan is a live Persian dub & Middle Eastern electronica performance by the members of the Som’ma Music Ensemble featuring Shirzad Sharif (Zarb, Tanbur, Daf & Laptop) & Mark Deutsch; bassist extraordinaire & the inventor of the Bazantar with bass & sitar as well as very special guest musician appearences.

Amazing Visual Artistry by VJ Dr. Neda

Friday Feb 9th, 2007
Red Poppy Art House
2698 Folsom St., SF, CA 94110
General Admission $12
arrive early, no advance tickets

After a highly successful debut in the east coast with shows in Brooklyn, NYC & Washington closely following a tour of the west coast & headlining in San Francisco & Los Angeles at the largest summer Persian music festivals in the United States, members of the Som’ma Dub Ensemble will be offering a varied and truly multi-sensory evening of dubby Persian & Middle Eastern electronica music when they perform at the Red Poppy Art House.

For listening to music and more details about the ensemble & its members please visit www.dubistan.com or www.sommamusic.com or become a friend on www.myspace.com/dubistan or www.myspace.com/sommaensemble .

The RED POPPY ART HOUSE is located on the corner of Folsom Street and 23rd Street in the mission district of San Francisco.

DUBistan will be performing on Thursday, January 18th at 10 pm in Brooklyn! (Williamsburg)

Galapagos Art Space
70 N 6th Street (Williamsburg)
Brooklyn, NY view map

Address: 70 N 6th Street in Williamsburg, NY Phone: 718.384.4586
Subway: L Train to Bedford Ave, between Kent & Wythe

SOM'MA DUB ENSEMBLE will be performing Thursday, Feb 1st @ the Noor Film Festival Opening Ceremony in Hollywood, CA.
DUBistan will be performing Feb 9th the Red Poppy Art House in SF...

Lookout for upcoming west coast tour... :)

Enjoy music, tour info on:
www.myspace.com/dubistan
www.myspace.com/sommaensemble


www.sommamusic.com
www.dubistan.com

After a highly successful debut in the east coast with shows in NYC, Washington DC and Brooklyn following a tour of the west coast & headlining in San Francisco & Los Angeles at the largest Iranian music festivals in the United States, members of the Som’ma Dub Ensemble will be offering a varied and truly multi-sensory evening of dubby Persian & Middle Eastern music when they perform at the Galapagos Art Space with very special surprise guest appearances.

DUBistan a live dub & electronica performance by the members of the Som’ma Music Ensemble featuring DUB GABRIEL & special guest musicians.

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A dubbed-out spin-off collective of SOM’MA, Dubistan was conceived in New York Cities Greenwich Village and is based out of San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district. DUBistan was nurtured on both side of the coasts world music and electronica scenes amidst the many world music excursions and amazing sound travels & journeys experienced by the fantastic and gifted musicians & members of the SOM'MA ENSEMBLE.

Using the deep Persian & Middle Eastern classical music traditions to generate a musically rich tapestry, Dubistan members continue to perform traditional Persian and Middle Eastern music alongside live electronica & dub music with an intelligence of spirit where the ancient and modern can converse. Traditional Persian instruments and digital technology meet at the crossroads of Sufism and the modern age.

Dubistan - Exciting News!

Well as you may have read there are two shows coming up here on the east coast. I am really excited as there is a ton of new material which sounds really great, DUBistan is in full force, if you haven't already, check out www.dubistan.com and some demo songs....Also "Som'ma Dub Ensemble" is now a full blown collective and there will be a lot of great shows headed your way bi-way of the east... stay tuned.

Blessings,
Shirzad

Dubistan - Brooklyn Show

Saturday December 9th, 10pm

Return to Babylon - A Persian & Middle Eastern DUB Excursion

DUBistan a dub performance by the members of the Som’ma Dub Collective from San Francisco & DJ Haj (Freek Factory) www.sommamusic.com and www.dubistan.com

Brooklyn Lyceum
227 4th Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11213 866-gowanus
Subway: R to Union Street, Corner of President Street

Featuring:
Bassist extraordinaire: Mark Deutsch (www.bazantar.com)
Persian Percussionist & Strings: Shirzad Sharif (www.shirzadsharif.com)
DJ Haj www.myspace.com/freekusmaximus

After a highly successful tour of the west coast & headlining in San Francisco & Los Angeles at the largest Persian music festivals in the United States, members of the Som’ma Dub Collective will be offering a varied and truly multi-sensory evening of dubby Persian & Middle Eastern music when they return to the east coast and the Brooklyn Lyceum.

DUBistan will be performing on Saturday, December 9th at 10 pm
Address: 227 4th Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11213 Phone: 866-gowanus
Subway: R to Union Street, Corner of President Street
About DUBistan & the Som’ma Dub Collective

Based in San Francisco, Som’ma is a truly unique collective of revolutionary musicians; while each musician of the ensemble has an extremely impressive biography, background & history of past achievements and accomplishments in the field of music, Som’ma as a collective has been performing nationally throughout the United States at venues & numerous prestigious festivals and events in front of thousands of people making them one of the most profound collectives of its sort performing within the national underground & mainstream circuits today.

Using the deep Persian & Middle Eastern classical Music Traditions to generate a musically rich tapestry, Som'ma Dub Collective members continue to explore the realms of electronic music, dub and the Persian dastgah, with an intelligence of spirit where the ancient and modern can converse. Traditional Persian instruments and digital technology meet at the crossroads of Sufism and the modern age.

Dubistan - Washington DC Show

Sunday, December 10, 2006 - 8:00PM

The Rock & Roll Hotel
1353 H Street, NE
Washington, DC, 20002
www.rockandrollhoteldc.com

An evening of world electronica and Middle Eastern Dub with a live Middle Eastern DUB & Electronica performance by the members of the Som’ma Dub Collective from San Francisco...

Sunday December 10th, 9pm
The Rock & Roll Hotel
1353 H Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002
General Admission: $10 Doors: 8PM

For more information please visit
www.sommamusic.com and www.dubistan.com

After a highly successful tour of the west coast & headlining in San Francisco & Los
Angeles at the largest Persian music festivals in the United States, members of the
Som’ma Dub Collective will be offering a varied and truly multi-sensory evening of dubby Persian & Middle Eastern music when they return to the east coast and the Hotel Rock & Roll.

DUBistan will be performing on Sunday, December 10th at 9 pm
Address: 1353 H Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002
Open 7-Days • 21+ To Drink • Doors 8PM • (202) 388-ROCK

& Also in New York on
Brooklyn, NY (Dec 10th) - Brooklyn Lyceum
NYC (Dec 11th) - Maia Meshane

About DUBistan & the Som’ma Dub Collective

Based in San Francisco, Som’ma is a truly unique collective of revolutionary musicians; while each musician of the ensemble has an extremely impressive biography, background & history of past achievements and accomplishments in the field of music, Som’ma as a collective has been performing nationally throughout the United States at venues & numerous prestigious festivals and events in front of thousands of people making them one of the most profound collectives of its sort performing within the national underground & mainstream circuits today.

Using the deep Persian & Middle Eastern classical Music Traditions to generate a
musically rich tapestry, Som'ma Dub Collective members continue to explore the realms of electronic music, dub and the Persian dastgah, with an intelligence of spirit where the ancient and modern can converse. Traditional Persian instruments and digital technology meet at the crossroads of Sufism and the modern age.