Ostad Lotfi and San Diego

by Farhad Bahrami

Mohammadreza Lotfi has a special relationship with San Diego – one that goes back almost 20 years.

Let’s take a walk down memory lane …

Lotfi’s name, along with Shajarian, became a household name in Iran in the late 70’s when their frequent collaboration resulted in the revitalization of Persian classical music. The concerts at the Shiraz Arts Festival, the “old” songs (like “Bot-e Chin”) brought back to life, and the new songs composed during the tumultuous revolutionary years (like “Baraadar”) made classical music hip for the first time in 50 years.

However in the early 80’s Iran’s war with Iraq and the severance of relations with the U.S. spelled disaster for Persian music in Iran and abroad. Here in California there were no classical concerts (as there are today), and even getting an Iranian musical instrument was next to impossible.

Then in 1986 came word that four masters of Persian music were planning a tour of the U.S. Names we had heard (but never expected to see here): Lotfi, Alizadeh, Omoumi, and Ghavihelm. Their historic concert at San Diego State University is remembered by many in this community to this day.

That awesome combination never again performed in concert as each artist went his separate way: Lotfi settled in Washington D.C., Alizadeh in Iran, and Omoumi and Ghavihelm in Europe. However Ostad Lotfi would come to Berkeley, California every couple of years to teach and also to play concerts. I remember driving up to Berkeley for one such memorable concert in 1991, and asking Mr. Lotfi afterwards whether he would ever play in San Diego. His response was chilling: “San Diego? That’s like Los Angeles, no?” We both understood that Los Angeles – in terms of music – meant commercial and shallow. I was disheartened (but did not give up).

Finally our break came in 1996 when we were able to arrange a concert at Standley Junior High School Auditorium (home of the Iranian School). Close to 150 people came, but those people left transformed. Even though our production was amateurish, I think Lotfi sensed that San Diego is home to some hard-core music-lovers. He would come back in 2001 to play at the Neurosciences Institute and to teach a handful of students.

When he returned in 2003, he was sold on San Diego. He predicted that we would become the center of Persian music in California (trumping Berkeley) – and he was right. With support from the Persian Cultural Center, Zaman Productions, the Center for World Music, Darvak Ensemble, KPBS, KSDS, and others, his concert at SDSU was sold-out and reached both Iranian and non-Iranian audiences in an unprecedented way. Finally years of grass-roots work was paying off.

This year Ostad Lotfi’s California tour starts in San Diego with a concert at SDSU on June 25. Two week of classes and a special mountain retreat for students are also in the plans. We are truly lucky to have such a world-class artist with us and hope that we can live up to our reputation as the Persian music capitol of the west coast.