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He said all summers since he was 19, every time he went to Iran he would train with Master Mozaffari and Master Shoari in Tehran. He started voice lessons with Mr. Zolghadr when he was 20. Playing the setar by himself has helped him to develop his own distinct style. His setar sounds a little different because he mixes American folk music (bluegrass, a bit of Bob Dylan, or the indie rock music of RadioHead) with Iranian traditional music. Talking about fusion music, he said: “I don’t try to fuse in fusion. My identity is fusion.
Fared is bringing his unique and sweet music back to the San Francisco Bay Area on September 26, 2009. He will be performing at Iranian.com’s Music Festival at the Palace of Fine Arts. A night he and his band will share with guitarist extraordinaire Lily Afshar and The Three Iranian Sopranos. If you live in these parts, don’t miss this show.
On his last day in Berkeley, Fared came to visit me in my office. He brought his setar and a wonderful hour was spent talking about life and music. When you listen to Fared’s music, interwoven into his beautiful voice and the sweet Iranian melodies, you can distinctly hear influences of western music. You can hear the Dixie of Texas, And beats of classical music.
He says: “My musical discipline comes from a western classical construct, from all the years of playing the cello in an orchestra.” “I don’t “try to make fusion music,” it is what I do because of who I am.” “I used to think I am really Iranian here, but when I got there I realized how American I am.” Fared lived in Iran for a couple of years, training with masters and teaching music to support himself.
“Slowly but surely I realized where my heart lied, both musically and personally. On my own, without access to any proper training, I dove head first into the study of the santur, avaz, and then setar, dabbling in tombak and tar.“
The wait was all worth it! Within the first few notes Fared and Tehranosaurus had the audience captured and wrapped around their little fingers! Percussionist Pejham Akhvass joined the band to deliver a most unforgettable performance. Tehranosaurus band, Fared Shafinury, setar, vocals; Roberto Riggio, violin; Najeeb Sabour, cello; Christopher Ledesma, guitar, electric bass; Andy Beaudoin, drum kit; Jason McKenzie, tabla, and guest musician Pejham Akhvass on daf and tombak.
The next day I heard Fared Shafinury as a panelist at the IAAB Conference in Berkeley. He delivered his paper “From Terrorist to Tourist,” offering his reflections on his identity and life in the US as an Iranian American. He talked about returning to Iran and his efforts to integrate into a society which resisted and challenged his full participation as a “complete Iranian.”
After lunch we went to Berkeley’s Persian Center to get together briefly with our very own Hamed Nikpay.
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