Shams Ensemble

Shamss Ensemble
Background information
OriginIran
GenresIranian's Traditional Music
Instrument(s)Tanbour
Years activeSince 1980
MembersKaykhosro Pournazry, Tahmoures Pournazeri, Sohrab Pournazeri

The Shamss Ensemble is a musical group that performs traditional Sufi and classical Iranian music with the Tanbour, Daf (frame drum), Ney and various other percussion instruments.[1] The group was founded by composer Kaykhosro Pournazeri.[2] His sons Tahmoures and Sohrab are also members of the group.

History

Pournazeri formed the Shamss Ensemble with a vision of bringing back the lost art of Tanbour through compositions that fused the Tanbour with other traditional classical mode instruments.

He invited fellow musicians who were familiar playing such classical pieces, they eventually became a popular musical ensemble in Iran.[3] Initially, the group performed under the name of Tanbour-e-Shams, but adding traditional and Kurdish music to their performances, they took the name of the Shamss Ensemble.

The Shamss Ensemble has performed at over 300 international venues and was on tour in the United States in 2008 during the month of October.[4][5]

Members

Over the years, there have been more than fifty players and singers, the majority of whom were Pournazeri's students. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, women were banned from performing solo in front of men—that includes singing or playing any instruments. Only recently, women have been included as vocalists and players of the Tanbour.

Albums

Albums
Album Released Composer Singer Tracks
Whirl of Divinity 2018 Kaykhosro Pournazeri -
Raindrops 2014 Kaykhosro Pournazeri, Tahmoures Pournazeri,

Sohrab Pournazeri

Alireza Ghorbani 12
Tanbours Chant 2012 Kaykhosro Pournazeri, Tahmoures Pournazeri,

Sohrab Pournazeri

Alireza Ghorbani 14
Hidden in Heart 2012 Kaykhosro Pournazeri, Tahmoures Pournazeri,

Sohrab Pournazeri

Hamidreza Norbakhsh 11
Motreb-e Mahtab Rou 2007 Kaykhosro Pournazeri Shahram Nazeri 6
Nishtiman 2001 Kaykhosro Pournazeri Najmeh Tajadod,

Maryam Ebrahimpour, Neda Khaki

8
Legend of Tanbour 2001 Kaykhosro Pournazeri Shahram Nazeri 8
Mastan 1999 Kaykhosro Pournazeri, Tahmoures Pournazeri Bijan Kamkar, Najmeh Tajadod,

Maryam Ebrahimpour

7
Heyrani (Perplexity) 1996 Kaykhosro Pournazeri Shahram Nazeri 6
Voice of Endearment 1983 Kaykhosro Pournazeri Shahram Nazeri 6

Live performances

See also

Music of Iran

References

  1. ^ "Amnesty International Concert in SF with Iranian Band". 21 September 2009.
  2. ^ Iran's Shams ensemble to perform in Turkey. The Kuwait Observer. Accessed 19 August 2010
  3. ^ "Mystic World Music".
  4. ^ http://www.payvand.com/news/08/oct/1037.html%7CShams Ensemble Touring U.S. This Month
  5. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/arts/story/2008/10/081014_ag-shams-usa-tour-pics.shtml (Persian)
  6. ^ "Ensemble Shamss". Théâtre de la ville de Paris. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  7. ^ "Shamss Ensemble, Keykhosro Pournazeri, Homayoun Shajarian". www.brusselslife.be. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  8. ^ "Iranian vocalist performs in Konya, Turkey". IRNA English. 26 September 2018. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  9. ^ "Konya Mystic Music Festival to celebrate Rumi's birthdat with Shajarian concert recording". Iran arts. Retrieved 6 October 2021.

External links