PERSIAN MUSIC MAN plays a MELODY OF LOVE
When Mohammad Reza Lotfi speaks, you listen. The Persian composer and vocalist, whose hand has probably been kissed by peasants and royalty, has been creating music for more than 30 years. Asked about his craft, Lotfi -- whose wild, cloudy ponytail and beard hang past his chest -- uttered four words, sounding almost dazed: "I am in love." Lotfi performs on tar and setar (long-necked lutes) extended improvisations from the classical Persian repertoire -- the works of Rumi and the music of the Sufis -- which date back nearly a thousand years. His genius lies in his ability to be just as innovative as he is traditional. Lotfi, who has played at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center, will perform tomorrow night at the Neurosciences Institute at UCSD. In addition to "Mystery of Love: Live in Copenhagen" (Kereshmeh Records), Lotfi has released seven other CDs, some of which are side projects from his group, the Shayda Ensemble. Among Lotfi's most memorable pieces are "Morgh-e-Sahar" (morgh means bird, sahar means dawn) and "Baaz Amadam" ("I've Returned"). Composed in 1975 and 1976, the songs feature vigorous rhythms and chilling vocals by Hengameh Akhavan. In "Darvak," Lotfi unites traditional Persian sounds with a symphony orchestra. The song, composed in 1978, is considered a breakthrough piece in classical Persian circles. Lotfi has collaborated with such prolific peers as Mohammad Reza Shajarian and Hossein Alizadeh. Both men graced UCSD's Mandeville Auditorium in January at the Masters of Persian Classical Music show. Kayhan Kalhor, the world's leading kamancheh player, and vocalist Shahram Nazeri are among Lotfi's former pupils. Of the intimate relationship between pupil and master, Lotfi says: "I had the honor of learning from three different masters. I worked with them from their 70s to the time of their deaths. I became like a son to them. I bought their groceries and bathed their naked bodies. When they died, I mourned their deaths more than my own father's. The relationship between a master and his pupil is a spiritual one." At 53, Lotfi spends a large part of the year teaching seminars around the world, from Europe to Canada to the United States. Today, Lotfi has about 350 students in the States. He admits that the work is tiring. "But I am a sailor," he said. "I board this ship and sail. This is my life." As a preteen, Lotfi was able to pick up his older brother's tar, and, from memory, mimic what he saw him playing earlier that day. "I love music more than I love people," he said. "If
you think about it, who created music? Thousands and thousands of
people over the ages. It's just like the delicious khoresht
(stew) that we eat. No one person is responsible for it. Millions
of people over the years have, little by little, created it." Jessica Yadegaran is a Union-Tribune news assistant.
Copyright 2001 Union-Tribune Publishing Co. |
