Niyaz

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 trance tradition. [Sample: Ishq]

This may seem like a tall order for a band that’s barely three years old – until you realize who these musicians are.  Vocalist Azam Ali co-founded the best-selling world music duo Vas in 1996; her unmistakable voice has graced numerous recordings and major film scores.   Loga Ramin Torkian is a multi-instrumentalist whose group Axiom of Choice brought the ancient sounds of Persian classical music to Western listeners in the 1990s.  And producer Carmen Rizzo, a multiple Grammy nominee, has worked with Coldplay, Seal, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and many others.  Small wonder then that the trio hit the ground running with its self-titled debut.  Now, with Nine Heavens, Niyaz breaks new ground in a two-disc format: the first is an adventurous, spiritual exploration of the ties that bind Persian, Indian, Turkish, and Western dance music.  The second disc showcases 8 out of the 9 songs in a purely acoustic setting >>> More

* U.S. Press Contact: Ryan Romana, Six Degrees Records, 540 Hampshire St.,  San Francisco, CA 94110-1417,  t: 415-626-6334 ext. 15, f: 415-626-6167, ryan@sixdegreesrecords.com

Ishgh (Nine Heavens)