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Niyaz

Niyaz"Persian and Urdu for yearning"is the musical brainchild of three musicians: top deejay, programmer/producer and remixer Carmen Rizzo, vocalist and hammered dulcimer player Azam Ali, formerly of the group Vas, and Loga Ramin Torkian of the popular Iranian crossover group Axiom Of Choice.

Azam was born in Iran but raised in India, where she started singing at an early age, absorbing the rich cultures of both countries. Her early music influences include the English soprano Emily Van Evera and singing-medieval- mystic-visionary-composer and abbess, Hildegard Von Bingen. Loga Ramin Torkian plays guitar, the saz, and rabab, while Carmen Rizzo does all the programming; keyboards, synthesizers and drums, as well as performing live with the group. On their new album for Six Degrees Records, Tony Levin of King Crimson plays bass along with other Indian and Armenian musical guests.

Niyaz is a mixture of old and new music styles. Their lyrics are drawn from Sufi mystics, such as the Persian poet Rumi, and other classic poetry sung in Urdu. Niyaz claims it for our times and gives it a modern expression.

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Video / DVD

Niyaz Releases New Music Video, Starts US Tour

Niyaz Releases New Music Video, Starts US Tour

Source: Press Junkie PR

Montreal/Los Angeles-based Niyaz have recently released their third album, Sumud (pronounced soomood) and they are bringing it on tour to the United States this summer. The album has already debuted at #1 on the iTunes World Chart and broke into the top 10 Billboard World Music Chart as well. The band will be kicking off their US tour on July 22nd in NYC then off to Atlantic City, Eugene, Los Angeles, Irvine, San Francisco, and Seattle. Niyaz, which means ‘yearning’ ...

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Recording

Six Degrees Announces Niyaz's "Sumud"

Six Degrees Announces Niyaz's  "Sumud"

Source: Press Junkie PR

Struggle as a metaphor is something every human can relate to. One of the most prolific and challenging forms of struggle in the world today is the plight of ethnic and religious minorities, which is the topic of Niyaz’s third album, Sumud (pronounced soomood) forthcoming on Six Degrees Records. Translating from Arabic as ‘steadfastness,’ lead singer Azam Ali chose this philosophical term as a symbolic reminder that, as she explains, ‘every human being should inherit the right to live with ...

386

Recording

Niyaz' "Nine Heavens" on Six Degrees Records June 24

Niyaz' "Nine Heavens" on Six Degrees Records June 24

Source: All About Jazz

By any measure, Niyaz has come very far, very fast. The trio's 2005 debut featured a convincing blend of Sufi mysticism and trance electronica, and quickly established them as a standout ensemble in a very crowded world music field. A worldwide tour followed. Now, Niyaz returns with Nine Heavens, which doesn't just cross cultural and stylistic boundaries, but the centuries as well. Drawing on medieval Persian poetry and 300-year old Persian folk songs, Niyaz has created a 21st century global ...

205

Recording

Six Degrees Announces New Niyaz Album

Six Degrees Announces New Niyaz Album

Source: All About Jazz

Six Degrees Records is proud to announce the new album from Niyaz, entitled Nine Heavens. Nine Heavens will be released as a double CD (featuring one disc of electronic and one disc of acoustic versions of the tracks) on June 24, 2008. Niyaz consists of three prominent artists, Azam Ali, best known as the vocalist of the successful world music group Vas, Loga Ramin Torkian, the multi-instrumentalist and composer for the critically acclaimed group Axiom of Choice, and Carmen Rizzo, ...

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