Persian Kanun Master Emad Shakuri joins the podcast. He
discusses how he started playing the kanun, performing with a
multitude of musicians, world music and his approach to arranging
music.
Topics Include:
Spent time in Sweden, Iran and Turkey, where he bought a Kanun
in Istanbul and used to practice 10 hours a day in Stockholm, in
part due to his situation as an immigrant
In Iran, the santur was more common, and it was interesting to
try an instrument that wasn't as prominent in the kanun, and his
father made instruments (tar, santur and several others)
Interacted with various Middle Eastern and Eastern European
ethnic groups in Sweden, and used his playing of the kanun to mix
all these styles together
Found it fascinating to blend Persian, Kurdish and Turkish
styles, and is close with Taksim Trio, which have performed on his
recordings
Shakouri has recorded 120+ albums as a producer/arranger
Various kanun samples by Shakouri on the podcast, where he
demonstrates his style
His origins are in northern Iran, near the Caspian Sea, but has
traveled all over the world
Varies the different quarter tone possibilities for creative
optionality, mixing and matching modes
He plays with all his fingers on both hands, not with
picks
Traveled to South America with his University studies, and was
exposed to a lot of different musical influences to incorporate
into his playing, including flamenco
Works with top singers throughout the Middle East for both
recordings and performances, including top Lebanese artists like
George Wasouf, George Arasy, Hany Shaker from Egypt, Angham from
Egypt, Hata Muraghi and Habib Ali from Iraq, Koza Masayer, Ibrahim
Tatlises, Emra with Jaylan, Emalsayin, Moraham Ahmati from Albania,
Pandoura from Macedonia, Hamza from Macedonia, Spiros Kotis from
Greece, Moeen (for nearly 20 years) and Googoosh from Iran,
Mahashti, Khaliji, Nabil Shahil, and scores of others, including
with jazz and fusion artists
The concept of music as teamwork for Shakouri, and gaining
experience by working with others, for example listening to
different forms of improvisation
Shakouri's first instrument was Zarb/Toumbek to learn tempo and
rhythm, Percussion instruments from Iran to learn time, and he
studied at his father's music school - his second instrument was
the tar
Instruments were forbidden for a time during his childhood
during Khomeini's time, and his father's factory made instruments
and had influence over this controversial dynamic
At the age of 8 years old, he performed in front of a crowd
over 2000 people
Shakouri's brother is also a music producer, but more
traditional Persian style influences
Spent time with Ustad Shahid Parvis one of the most revered
Sitar players
For compositions and arrangement, he engages artists and
singers to see how they approach their music
Shakouri's signature is writing for string sections, with a
Turkish string section, because they play all styles well
Discusses how many Arab and Turkish music scales are originally
from Persian, Armenian or Azeri culture
Discussion of how instruments may move from region to region
and different cultures may adopt and even improve the playing of
these instruments beyond the original versions and styles
Works with William Ross at Capital Studios and Persian artist
Moeen, providing middle eastern style music for movie soundtrack
projects and pop song recordings, incorporating kanun and also
Turkish strings
Has shared his arrangements with Ibrahim Tatlises, with a
compliment that Oylesef, that Shakouri's arrangement was more
impressive than the original
Advice for new players is to listen to different kinds of music
and various styles from all over the world to learn something, with
an example of how Indian glissando vocals and sitar concepts helped
him develop his style
About the Podcast
The TAQS.IM Middle Eastern Music podcast discusses playing, performing and appreciating Arabic, Armenian, Assyrian, Balkan, Greek, Kurdish, Persian, Turkish music and more.