Pedram Khavar Zamini, one of the world’s foremost Iranian Tombak players, has been living in France for few years now. Tombak is the main percussion instrument in classical Persian music, and Pedram is considered to be one of the most interesting players. He started to learn playing the Tombak alongside masters Kamyar Mohabbat and Bahman Rajabi. Talented student, he performed in concert with Bahman Rajabi, a duet for Tombak, and helped him to write "Rajabi’s second method book for Tombak". He founded his own Percussion-Tombak group, named “Varashan”. He released his debut album “Koutah”, compositions of Pedram for group of Tombak, with Hamid Ghambary, which was produced in Iran and Europe (www.aerakis.net). Because of his rhythmical knowledge and his technique, he could soon collaborate with important classical Persian musicians such as Sharam Nazeri, Dariush Talai, Kayhan Kalhor and Ali Akbar Moradi. In 2002, 2003 and 2004, he performed in several concerts in U.S with the Kayhan Kalhor’s Ensemble, organized by the World Music Institute, and in Germany with George Petrov and Ross Daly for the “Bowed Instrument Festival”.
After meeting with Ross Daly in Germany, Pedram decided to leave Iran and join Ross in Greece. He recorded “Iris” with and under the directions of Ross Daly, which is a meeting point of Pedram with some very popular artists of India and Iran: Dhruba Ghosh, Partha Sarathi Mukherjee, Hamid Khabazi, along with the Greek virtuosos Vasilis Rakopoulos, Kelli Thoma, Giorgis Xylouris. He also became a member of the “Labyrinth” group, led by Ross Daly. Always eager to explore in different musical worlds, Pedram, so far, has met and played with so many gifted musicians for all around the globe such as Habil Aliev, Mohamad Rahim Khushnawaz, Dariush Talai, Sharam Nazeri, Djamchid Chemirani, Ballake Sissoko, Zohar Fresco, Kelly Thoma, Ellika Frisell, Dhruba Gosh, Khaled, Hossein Arman, Giorgos Xylouris, Siamak Aghaie, Stelios Petrakis, Vassilis Stavrakakis, etc. He has also recorded CDs with great musicians such as Habil Aliev or Mohamad Rahim Khushnawaz
(Video 2: SOLO TOMBAK IN GERMANY)
Since 2005, he has developed his soloist career, playing in different venues in France such as “Festival des Hauts de Garonne” , “Nuits Atypiques”, or “Le Nancy Jazz Pulsations’’, and also as a first part for Rokia Traore, Susheela Raman, Natacha Atlas, Cristina Branco. In 2008, he has recorded a CD with “Siwan Project” (Jon Balke, Amina Alaoui,Jon Hassell) on the Label “ECM”. As a result of this project, Jon Hassell invited Pedram to play with his band “Marifa’s street” for some concerts in Norway.
Pedram has created the “Abi Trio” (Blue Trio) with Siamak Aghaie (santur) and Hamid Ghanbary (Percussions), experimenting using the traditional Persian Repertoire but giving a bigger place to percussions.
Due to his encounters and collaborations, Pedram has played in some of the most beautiful venues in the world such as “Théâtre de la Ville” and “L’institut du Monde Arabe’’ (Paris, France), “Lincoln Center Hall” , “Cleveland Museum of Art” , “Thomas Jefferson Theatre” (United-States), “Megaron Moussikis”(Athens, Greece) and “Royal Albert Hall” (London, UK), as well as in some very beautiful festivals of the world, such as: “Mehregan Festival’’ (Iran), “Mai Jazz festival’’ and “Punkt festival ’’ (Norway), “Toronto Summer music festival’’ (Canada), “Festival des musiques sacrées de Fès’’, (Morocco), “Rhino jazz festival’’ (France), …
His thrilling technique in playing Tombak coupled with his musical influences (Persian, Indian, Turkish, Jazz .) have given him the privilege of being a very unique Tombak player.
Pedram knows how to mix the traditional Iranian foundation with his own modern patterns. Through this alchemy, he creates active rhythms and new sounds. His extremely developed sense of improvisation and his ability of adaptation give a unique colour to each of his concerts. He is known as one of the finest musicians of the new generation of Persian classical music.
With my dear friend and great musician Zohar Fresco in Athens 2008
(Video 3: ROSS DALY, KELLY THOMA & PEDRAM)
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