Latest Articles

• Ebrahim Hamedi (Ebi)

  Jul 7, 2013 lily 0 Comments

  Ebrahim Hamedi (born 19 June 1949), known better by his stage name Ebi, is one of the most famous and influential Iranian singers of his time. He is widely known for his expressive voice and is considered one of the best singers of his generation. He lives in exile in Marbella, Spain, although he also spends time in Los Angeles. Since the Islamic revolution in Iran he mostly tours the world, having combined musical influences from traditional Persian music, western pop and sometimes Latino style rhythms.
  

  In 1974, he became the best singer in Turkey festival with the song Shekar. Exiled from Iran since the Islamic Revolution he has taken an active political stand against the Iranian regime; but has also performed his Iranian nationalistic song "Persian Gulf" that makes reference to the Iranian stand in the Persian Gulf naming dispute. Among other "politically charged" songs,Tasmim critically addressed the very controversial 2009 presidential Election. In 2010,  He has also been awarded Testimonially by the British M.S. (Multiple Sclerosis) Society in respect of his voluntary performance at the Royal Albert Hall in benefit of the M.S. patients....

  Ebi was born in Tehran, the eldest of five siblings. He received early musical schooling, as he was discovered by the Ministry of Art and Culture at a very early age. Declining an offer to further pursue classical schooling as an opera soloist in Italy, Ebi instead turned to popular music as a member in the group "Sun Boys". A major breakthrough was Ebi's performance of the song "Shab" (Night) at Fereydoun Farrokhzad's TV-show "Mikhak-e Noghreyi". During a series of planned concerts in the United States, Ebi, due to the events preceding the revolution of 1979, decided not to return to Iran.

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• Kourosh Yaghmaei

  May 11, 2013 AVA 0 Comments

  Kourosh Yaghmaei was 10 when his father gave him a gift that revealed his talent for music. It was a Santour (The Persian Traditional string-percussive /Dulcimer). According to his mother, when he opened his present, after a few tries, he started to play a tune. Not to mention that he had never touched a Santour before. After 5 years of practice he gained precious knowledge of Iranian traditional music along with excellent skills in playing Santour.

  At the age of 15 he chose to play the guitar, which he has always loved. He gathered his own Pop/Rock bands which he both composed for and played in. He mostly played the lead guitar. In fact Kourosh introduced Rock music to Iran with a Pop formation of songs. At that time he received several tempting offers from Western musicians and bands’ managers to join them. In his senior year as a Social Science student at the Iran National University (DANESHGHAH-e MELLI-e IRAN), Kourosh released his first single hit GOL-e YAKH. The poem was written by his classmate, now-famous poet Mahdi Akhavan Langeroudi. This memorable love song led him to worldwide fame. He orchestrated, composed, played and sang the song. The song received international attention. It was re-played and sang in several other languages by their local musicians.

  His voice was banned for 17 years after 1979. In these years he published children stories on books and cassettes. He released an instrumental album called DIYAAR (Homeland). It was an orchestration of endemic songs for Grand National Orchestra. He also took some guitar students. His first album SIB-e NOGHRE’EE (Silvery Apple) was released after the ban was lifted. His picture was only allowed to be printed in his albums after 24 years. It has to be noted that Kourosh has learnt all different aspects of music without having any music teacher or instructor.

   

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• Mohammad Reza Shajarian

  May 11, 2013 AVA 0 Comments

  Mohammad-Reza Shajarian (Persian: محمدرضا شجريان‎) (born 23 September 1940 in Mashhad, Iran) is an internationally and critically acclaimed Persian traditional singer, composer and ostad (master) of Persian music. He has been called "Iran's greatest living master of traditional Persian music." Shajarian is also known for his skills in Persian calligraphy, and humanitarian activities.

  Shajarian started singing at the age of five, under the supervision of his father, and at the age of twelve, he began studying the traditional classical repertoire known as the Radif. Shajarian started his singing career in 1959 at Radio Khorasan, rising to prominence in the 1960s with his distinct style of singing. His main teachers were Ahmad Ebadi, Esmaeil Mehrtash, Abdollah Davami, and Nour-Ali Boroumand. He also learned the vocal styles of singers from previous generations, including Reza Gholi Mirza Zelli, Fariborz Manouchehri, Ghamar Molouk Vaziri, Eghbal Azar, and Taj Isfahani. When giving a lecture at California State University, Sacramento on March 2, 2012, he was asked what teacher was most influential to his development, and he cited legendary Iranian tar musician Jalil Shahnaz, indicating that Shahnaz' playing style was what he most tried to mimic with his own singing style.

  Shajarian has collaborated with Parviz Meshkatian, Mohammad Reza Lotfi, Hossein Alizadeh, and Faramarz Payvar. He is recognised as skilled singer in the challenging traditional Dastgah style. In 1999 UNESCO in France presented him with the Picasso Award and in 2006 with the UNESCO Mozart Medal.

   

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• Elvis Presley

  May 10, 2013 AVA 0 Comments

  Elvis Aaron Presley was born to Vernon and Gladys Presley in a two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935. His twin brother, Jessie Garon, was stillborn, leaving Elvis to grow up as an only child. He and his parents moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1948, and Elvis graduated from Humes High School there in 1953. 

  
  Elvis’ musical influences were the pop and country music of the time, the gospel music he heard in church and at the all-night gospel sings he frequently attended, and the black R&B he absorbed on historic Beale Street as a Memphis teenager. 
  
  In 1954, Elvis began his singing career with the legendary Sun Records label in Memphis. In late 1955, his recording contract was sold to RCA Victor. By 1956, he was an international sensation. With a sound and style that uniquely combined his diverse musical influences and blurred and challenged the social and racial barriers of the time, he ushered in a whole new era of American music and popular culture. 
  
  He starred in 33 successful films, made history with his television appearances and specials, and knew great acclaim through his many, often record-breaking, live concert performances on tour and in Las Vegas. Globally, he has sold over one billion records, more than any other artist. His American sales have earned him gold, platinum or multi-platinum awards. Among his many awards and accolades were 14 Grammy nominations (3 wins) from the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award which he received at age 36, and his being named One of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Nation for 1970 by the United States Jaycees. Without any of the special privileges, his celebrity status might have afforded him, he honorably served his country in the U.S. Army. 
  
  His talent, good looks, sensuality, charisma, and good humor endeared him to millions, as did the humility and human kindness he demonstrated throughout his life. Known the world over by his first name, he is regarded as one of the most important figures of twentieth century popular culture. Elvis died at his Memphis home, Graceland, on August 16, 1977. 
  
  For a fun, interactive walk through Elvis’ life, visit the 75 years of Elvis Timeline developed in celebration of Elvis’ 75th Birthday Celebration.

   

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• ANDY WILLIAMS

  May 10, 2013 AVA 0 Comments

  Andy Williams began his amazing career in his hometown of Wall Lake, Iowa. It was there he began singing with his three brothers in a local Presbyterian church choir that was established by his parents. 

  At the tender age of 8, Andy made his professional singing debut as part of the Williams Brothers Quartet. The brothers became regulars on radio station WHO’s “Iowa’s Barn Dance Show” in Des Moines, Iowa. From there, the brothers continued their radio days being prominently featured on national stations like WLS in Chicago and WLW in Cincinnati.The widespread radio exposure brought the boys a considerable following which eventually caught the attention of Bing Crosby. With Crosby, Andy and his brothers made their first professional recording, Swinging on a Star” which became a tremendous hit in 1944.

       In 1947, Andy and his brothers teamed up with comedienne Kay Thompson ( who also wrote the popular children’s book series “Eloise”) for a successful, trend setting nightclub act. Thompson  and the brothers spend the next few years performing all over the United States and in London.But it all came to an end in 1951 as the group disbanded and each brother went their own way.Andy chose to move to New York and continued to pursue his vocal career.While in New York, Andy became a regular performer on Steve Allen’s “Tonight Show”. For  2 ½ years he appeared on the “Tonight Show” which led to his first recording contract with Cadence Records.​

       It wasn’t long before Andy had his first top 10 hit with “Canadian Sunset”. What followed was a string of hits that included “Butterfly”, “Lonely Street”, “The Village of St. Bernadette”, and “The Hawaiian Wedding Song” for which he received the first of his five Grammy Awards nominations.

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• Julie Andrews

  May 10, 2013 AVA 0 Comments

  Julie Andrews is one of the most recognized figures in the entertainment industry. Her legendary career encompasses the Broadway and London stages, blockbuster Hollywood films, award-winning television shows, multiple album releases and concert tours and the world of children’s publishing.

  Born Julia Elizabeth Wells in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England, Julie was a child star of the British vaudeville circuit. Her mother, Barbara Wells, was a concert pianist, and her step-father, Ted Andrews, was a tenor, and together the two had a popular double act which toured the country.

  Julie made her stage debut in their act, and at the age of twelve began to perform on her own in variety shows, music hall performances, holiday pantomimes, and on British radio and television. Her school-teacher father, Ted Wells, fostered Julie’s love of reading and writing from an early age – gifts which served her well during her touring years, when her academic education was curtailed by her professional commitments.

  At the age of 19, Julie was pegged to star as Polly Browne in Sandy Wilson’s The Boyfriend on Broadway. She subsequently received critical acclaim for her legendary stage performances starring as Eliza Doolittle (opposite Rex Harrison) in My Fair Lady, and as Queen Guenevere (opposite Richard Burton) in Camelot. She made her motion picture debut in Mary Poppins (which won her an Oscar), and her extensive film career since encompasses such screen classics as The Sound of Music (the highest grossing film of all time), Thoroughly Modern Millie, 10, Victor/Victoria (which she also performed on Broadway a decade later, and which earned her a TonyÒ nomination for Best Actress) and most recently The Princess Diaries and Shrek films.

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• Whitney Houston

  Apr 27, 2013 0 Comments

  Houston performing at Good Morning America in Central Park on September 1, 2009

  Background information

  Birth name: Whitney Elizabeth Houston

  Born:  August 9, 1963 Newark, New Jersey, U.S.

  Died:  February 11, 2012 (aged 48) Beverly Hills, California, U.S.

  Genres R&B, pop, soul, dance, gospel

  Occupations: Singer, actress, model, film producer, record producer, songwriter

  Instruments:  Vocals, piano

  Years active: 1977–2012

  Labels:  Arista, RCA

  Associated acts Cissy Houston, Dionne Warwick, Dee Dee Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Jermaine Jackson, Mariah Carey, Enrique Iglesias, Bobby Brown

  Website: whitneyhouston.com

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• Abbas Kiarostami

  Apr 27, 2013 0 Comments

  Abbas Kiarostami (Persian: عباس کیارستمی ‎ Abbās Kiyārostamī; born 22 June 1940) is an internationally acclaimed Iranian film director, screenwriter, photographer and film producerAn active filmmaker since 1970, Kiarostami has been involved in over forty films, including shorts and documentaries. Kiarostami attained critical acclaim for directing the Koker Trilogy (1987–94), Taste of Cherry (1997), and The Wind Will Carry Us (1999). In his recent films, Certified Copy (2010) and Like Someone in Love (2012), he filmed for the first time outside Iran, in France and Japan, respectively.

  Kiarostami has worked extensively as a screenwriter, film editor, art director and producer and has designed credit titles and publicity material. He is also a poet, photographer, painter, illustrator, and graphic designer. He is part of a generation of filmmakers in the Iranian New Wave, a Persian cinema movement that started in the late 1960s and includes pioneering directors such as Forough Farrokhzad, Sohrab Shahid Saless, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Bahram Beizai, and Parviz Kimiavi. These filmmakers share many common techniques including the use of poetic dialogue and allegorical storytelling dealing with political and philosophical issues.

  Kiarostami has a reputation for using child protagonists, for documentary-style narrative films, for stories that take place in rural villages, and for conversations that unfold inside cars, using stationary mounted cameras. He is also known for his use of contemporary Iranian poetry in the dialogue, titles, and themes of his films.

   

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• Mahmoud Mohammad Abbas

  Apr 27, 2013 0 Comments

  Mohammad Hisham Mahmoud Mohammad Abbas (Arabic: محمد هشام محمود محمد عباس‎; born September 13, 1963), commonly known as just Hisham Abbas (Egyptian: هشام عباس), is an Egyptian pop singer best known for his hit song "Habibi Dah (Nari Narain)" and his religious song "Asmaa Allah al-husna".

  Biography

  Hisham Abbas was born in Cairo, Egypt. He had his primary education in Dar El Tefl school. Later on he enrolled in American University in Cairo as he graduated with a major in Mechanical Engineering. He decided to pursue art as his profession rather than Engineering.

  Abbas took his first step as a professional singer being a member of "Pats Band" band with his partner in the band Aliaa Saleh and other friends. They covered a number of Egyptian and Arabic classing songs, such as "Halawet Shamsena", "Ala Remesh Oyonha", "El Wala Dah" and more. Then he met up with widely-known producer and singer Hameed El Shaery. They collaborated to produce successful songs that highlighted Abbas' position in the music scene. Songs like "Halal Aleik", "Allah Yesalem Halak", "Habetah", and "Saea Albak".

  Abbas' career bloomed later on to release several songs. He rose in the early 1990s with successful hits like "Wana Wana Wana", "Eineha El Sood", "Ta'ala", "Ya Leila", "Shoofi" and his most successful hit, "Habibi Dah (Nari Narain)" featuring Indian singer Jayashri. Up to this day, he has 10 solo studio albums in his account. He received a number of awards, the most notable one was Orbit's Arabic Song Award in 1997.

  He collaborated later on with Hamid El Shaery several times. Hamid featured him in the hit "Einy" which featured Lebanese model, now singer, Nicole Saba.

   

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• Hassan Sattar

  Apr 27, 2013 0 Comments

  Hassan Sattar (known as Sattar, Persian: ستار ‎) is an Iranian Pop-tenor, Oratorio singer with specialization in both Persian Pop and Classical music. He had gained fame before the Iranian Revolution and became Pahlavi Royal Family court singer up until the political upheavals of the late 1970s. He left Iran in 1978 and has taken residence in the United States since then.

   Biography

  Sattar was one of the six siblings born into an Abadani mother and Azeri father. His fame began at the age of 22 with the release of the theme song Khaneh Bedush for Morad Barghi, a popular television show in Iran. The show made him an instant star. His next hit came with the TV series "Ghesseye Eshq"" made by Mansour Poormand. His signature song is Hamsafar. With over 40 years of fame, Sattar has over 70 hits which include internationally known song of Gol-e Sangam.

   

  Sattar in the 70s

  Sattar has recorded over 350 songs and is among very few Persian singers who in addition to diverse sound of Pop, he performs both Persian Traditional and Classical music professionaly. Sattar has also recorded a number of cover songs in the English language such as 'Feelings', 'A time for us', 'Speak softly, Love' and 'I Believe' to name a few.

   

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