Niyaz
Country of origin:
Canada, Iran, U.S.
Type of music generally:
Electronica, traditional/trad-based world music
Status:
Most recent release, The Fourth Light (2015)
See also:
Niyaz's site
Comparisons:
Axiom of Choice, various Azam Ali projects
Covers/own material:
Own, some based on traditionals
General comments:
Niyaz began as a trio of Azam Ali, Axiom of Choice's multi-instrumentalist Loga Ramin Torkian, and producer/remixer Carmen Rizzo; Rizzo left the group in 2013. The band's music has been described as "seamlessly blending medieval Sufi poetry and folk songs from their native Iran and its surrounding countries in the Persian Gulf, with rich acoustic instrumentation and state-of-the-art modern electronics." (JoAnn Whetsell)The perfect fusion of acoustic and electro rhythms and Azam Ali's voice is downright stunning. (christina_skov@hotmail.com)
Comments about live performance:
I got to bring Niyaz to Albuquerque last week! They were stunning. Don't miss them if you get the chance. Azam Ali's voice is so beautiful, and the whole band sounds great. (9/13/05, neal)
Recommended first album:
Niyaz if you want something more down-tempo; Sumud if you want something a bit faster. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Recordings:
- Niyaz (2005)
- Nine Heavens (2008)
- Sumud (2012)
- Sumud: The Acoustic EP (2013)
- The Fourth Light (2015)
Niyaz
Release info:
2005—Six Degrees—657036 111028
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Comments:
Featuring Azam Ali (from Vas and her solo outings) and Loga (from Iranian folk-rock band Axiom of Choice), Niyaz takes classical Persian poetry and sets it to a trippy 6 Degrees electronica groove. (neal)Largely a slow-burning, trance-y affair, though with some more percussive and faster-paced tracks. An excellent fusion of Persian music, poetry, and electronics. (JoAnn Whetsell) This is a very good cd, world fusion / folk style! Azam Ali did it again! :D (cellifish@hispeed.ch)
I LOVE the Niyaz album as well. (christina_skov@hotmail.com)
Nine Heavens
Release info:
2008—Six Degrees—657036 115026
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Azam Ali
Loga Ramin Torkian
Carmen Rizzo
Guest artists:
Omer Avci—aski davul (dahol), bendir, darbuka, zilli def
Ulas Ozdemir—baglama, cura, vocals on "Beni Beni"
Kourosh Moradi—daf, tombak, vocals on "Allah Mazare"
Pandit Radha Prasad—bansuri flute
Satnam Rmgotra—tabla
Miles Jay—upright bass
Andre Harutyunyan—darbuka on "Hejran"
Ayetekin Atas—vocals on "Beni Beni"
Produced by:
Azam Ali, Loga Ramin Torkian, Carmen Rizzo
Comments:
The first disc builds on their debut, more pulsating and dance-y. The second disc has acoustic versions of eight of the album's nine songs. I may like it even better than the main album! (JoAnn Whetsell)
Sumud
Release info:
2012—Six Degrees—65703611872
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Azam Ali—voice, santour, percussion
Loga Ramin Torkian—kamaan, robab, saz, djumbush, lafta, guitar viol
Carmen Rizzo—keyboards, electronics, drums, percussion
Guest artists:
Ulas Ozdemir—saz, voice
Naser Musa—oud, voice
Habib Meftah Boushehri—percussion, voice, flute
Omer Avci—percussion
AR Rahman—voice (4)
Kamal Sabri—sarangi (4)
Salar Nader—tabla (4)
Alex Bellegarde—upright bass
Produced by:
Azam Ali, Loga Ramin Torkian and Carmen Rizzo
Comments:
It's hard to explain how this album differs from its predecessors since many of the ingredients are the same, but it feels like a bright leap forward. I love it! (JoAnn Whetsell)
The Fourth Light
Release info:
2015—Six Degrees—65703612222
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Comments:
Another great album from this band. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Thanks to JoAnn Whetsell for work on this entry.
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