Dariush Talai, Madjid Khaladj Live Recording in Utrecht, NL Dariush Talai Dariush Talai is one of the great masters of Persian classical music, whose creativity combines finely authenticity and innovation. His art has its roots in the tradition and at the same time opens itself generously to the world. Born in 1953 in Iran, he studied in the time-honored Persian tradition with masters of the Radif. His exceptional talent was recognized at an early age and as a young musician in Tehran, he was admitted to the circle of all the great masters of Persian Classiacl Music. In this atmosphere, he acquired an extensive knowledge of theory and a highly accomplished technique on the Tar and Setar. His teachers included the brilliant Tar player Ali Akbar Shahnazi, the late N.A. Borumand with whom he studied Radif and old compositions, as well as U. Forutan and A. Davami, with whom he studied Setar and vocal techniques and repertories. Master Talai taught at the University of Tehran, University of Sorbonne-Paris, University of Washington-Seatlle and was awarded a number of major prizes for his contribution to Persian Art Music. His collaboration with prestigious artists such as Maurice Bejart, Carolyn Carlson, Michel Portal… and with his numerous recordings and concerts throughout Europe and the USA, he has found a place in the western cultural heritage. Dariush Talai is not only an outstanding performer and master of Persian Art Music but, unlike most his predecessors, conscious that the Art Music, its techniques and repertory must be organized, explained and exposed in accessible books and if need, accompanied with audio materials. He has published several books and created a new method according to this principle. Madjid Khaladj Of the many talented younger players from the Iranian classical music scene, this player of the tombak* and other traditional instruments has made the most widespread inroads on the Western music scene, although the rewards of that may be questioned when they include soundtrack appearances on such Hollywood duds as Geronimo, Last Man Standing or The Insider... The instrument played by Madjid Khaladj is known as a tombak in Iran, a dombak in Turkey, and has an Irish relative in the bhodran. Khaladj began studying the instrument at the age of seven, the initial pounding and banging of a youth leading to a brilliant career as a traditional musician, pedagogue, composer, and lecturer. He has mastered an entire family of Iranian percussion instruments, including the daf...actually considered as a mystical drum. The musical adventures of Khaladj have led to collaborations with the traditional Armenian vocal group Kotchnak, as well as the laid-back California recording scene of world music wannabe Ry Cooder. The Iranian also went far from his roots when he recorded an album entitled Chopin, Impressions with pianist Leszek Mozdzer and the results of this collaboration can only be described as fascinating. Khaladj has moved well beyond what is sometimes seen as the drummer's traditional role in the background to lead numerous activities on the international scene, including festivals, concerts, and recordings. Since 1984, he has taught the percussion traditions of his country at the Center for Study of Oriental Musics in the Institute of Musicology of Paris-Sorbonne. In 1996, he founded the College of Tombak, a center of Iranian percussion study, in Paris. Since 1999, he has been invited to teach at the Music Academy of Basel in Switzerland. An astounding part of this performer is his extensive solo improvisation repertory. As for the many master Iranian musicians who call upon him for percussion support, most would agree that he has few rivals in terms of either instrumental sound or accurate rendition of such a wide variety of traditional rhythmic patterns. Some of Khaladj's most noted works are: Anthology of Iranian Rhythms, Vol. I (1997) & Vol. II (1999), Iranian Percussions (2000), DVD of Tombak (2005), Nafas/ Iranian Art Percussion (2006) and the numerous recordings with masters such as Hossein Alizadeh, Hossein Omoumi, Dariush Talai, M.R. Lotfi and M.R. Shajarian. ---------------------------------- Zarb, Tar, Setar, Tombak, Tonbak