What they say about themselves

International violinist and composer Farzad strongly believes in "the oneness of humanity" and strives to communicate "the commonality of human emotions" through the music he composes and performs. On his latest album, Mirror of Emotions, he utilizes his violin to create music that reflects his emotions in the hope that listeners will discover similar feelings within themselves.

One reason that Farzad stresses the common ties of all humanity is because of his worldwide travels and his personal odyssey. He was born and raised in Tehran, Iran, but left there at age 18 and had his college education in the United States. When Khomeini came into power in the late Seventies, most of Farzad's family was persecuted for their belief in the Bahá'í religion so they fled and were scattered around the world. One of his uncles was executed in Iran for his faith. Farzad has never returned. "I have lived longer in the United States than I did in Iran," he says, "and I appreciate the freedoms we have here because I have seen the danger of political and military rulers who persecute anyone with different beliefs."

Farzad recorded his first album, From My Heart, creating all the music himself. The album, which hit The Music Review Top 100 charts, contained a mix of original compositions as well as his contemporary arrangements of Persian folk music. In recent years, Farzad has performed throughout the United States and internationally in Canada, Europe and South America. In the summer of 2002, Farzad co-headlined (with the Colombian band Millero Congo and various international singers) a six-week "Oneness Tour" produced by multi-Grammy-Award-winning K.C. Porter, who has worked with Ricky Martin, Carlos Santana and Los Fabulosos Cadillacs. The concerts were put on by Oneness, a non-profit organization that promotes racial unity through music and the arts. "We didn’t preach, but simply tried to touch the audience with our message through the music," explains Farzad.

" I think humankind has the opportunity to move forward and overcome all of the problems the world faces. If we start with communication and sharing, more and more of a global realization of possibilities will take place. Some governments may delay the process, but they cannot stop it. We are at a new point of maturity for humanity. I truly believe that humanity is destined for something more noble than what we have seen in the past."

What other reviewers say about them

"Farzad – whose new CD, Mirror of Emotions, mixes classical, Latin, jazz and Iranian folk music – is immersed in cultural diversity . . .Farzad hopes his musical diversity, demonstrating the ‘oneness of humanity,’ will help illuminate a path to peace. ‘It’s a mingling of cultures and traditions,’ he said . . .’We have to let those differences enrich our lives’.”
ASSOCIATED PRESS

“ Similar in style to Michael Urbaniak, Stephane Grappelli, Max Jaffa, Debbie Spring, Django Reinhardt . . .Farzad’s playing caresses the listener with a sense of peace . . .A wonderfully expressive and soothing set . . .which matures like a good wine with every play . . .As a lifelong jazz and classical music fan, it was really a privilege to hear this album. If you have any stress problems, buy Mirror of Emotions – problem solved.”
THE JAZZ SITE