ARTIST ... Origin
Title  Duration
(Album) [Label]

Parvis MESHKATIAN .... Iran
Segah 6'03
(Dawn) [Kereshmeh]
Meshkatian plays the hammer-dulcimer/cimbalom of the region called a santour. He is accompanied by Nasser Farhangfar and Jamshid Mohebi on the chalice-shaped drum called the tombak.

Hossein ALIZADEH .... Iran
Shoushtari 26'50
(Raz-O-Niaz) [Kereshmeh]
Alizadeh not only composes music like this in a Classical Persian style, but here he also directs the combined forces of the Shayda and Aref ensembles, and plays the long-necked 4-string lute called a setar. The setar is made of thin mulberry wood, and the fingerboard has around 25 adjustable gut frets. The name literally means three strings, but these days has four. It is also claimed to be one of the preferred instruments of the Sufi mystics because of its delicate tone.
On this long-form piece, you hear Mas'oud Sho'ari dueting with Alizadeh on the setar, and the wonderful voice of Ali Reza Eftekhari. It moves from the slow measured opening in 5-8 time, to a very loose and arhythmical melody to set the mood with just setar and voice, then the duets begin. It closes in a more upbeat way with the whole ensemble.

Mohammed Reza LOTFI .... Iran
Mahur 40'10
(Mystery of Love) [Kereshmeh]
A concert performance given in Copenhagen in April 1994. Despite the length, this piece is highly varied and wholly engaging. Lotfi sings and plays the setar here, and tar on other piece on this CD. The tar is the double-bodied brother/sister of the setar but with three double-course strings (not to be confused with the tar drum of Arabic music). With Lotfi is Mohammed Ghavihelm on tombak and duf (frame drum).

Glen VELEZ and the Handance Frame-Drum Ensemble .... USA
Golden Seal 4'26
(Rhythmcolour Exotica) [Ellipsis Arts]

MEMORIES OF NUSRAT FATEH ALI KHAN .... Pakistan
By request I am including here the brief interview I had with this great man back in early March 1995. We were backstage at WOMADelaide. It was a very hot weekend, and I was the only person who was granted a few minutes with him. On this occasion, his Tour Manager acted as interpreter. (This interview was included in the live Community Radio broadcasts from WOMADelaide that were sent via Satellite to stations across Australia.)

(a) Shabaaz Qalandar 3'34
(Shabaaz) [Real World]
INTERVIEW
(a) Shamas-ud-doha Badar-ud-doja 3'00
(Shahen Shah) [Real World]
(b) Musst Musst (Michael Brook collaboration) 3'36
(Musst Musst) [Real World]
INTERVIEW
(c) Musst Musst (Live performance with his Party) 10'15
(WOMADELAIDE 95) [ABC Music]
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan died in a London hospital last Saturday August 16 at the age of 49. This concert performance is how I will remember his musical gift to us under the stars in Adelaide.