Amir ElSaffar is an Iraqi-American trumpeter and vocalist.

In addition to being a classical and jazz trumpeter, he is also a skilled interpreter of Iraqi maqam

Arabic maqam

Arabic maqām is the system of melodic modes used in traditional Arabic music, which is mainly melodic. The word maqam in Arabic means place, location or rank. The Arabic maqam is a melody type...

, which he sings and plays on santur

Santur

The santur is a Persian hammered dulcimerIt is a trapezoid-shaped box often made of walnut or different exotic woods. The Persian classical santur has 72 strings. The name santur was first referenced in ancient Persian poetry...

. In 2002 he began studying the maqam tradition in Baghdad

Baghdad

Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...

 and London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

, with Hamid al-Saadi, one of the most renowned maqam singers in Iraq. He has released a CD of this music and also applied maqam techniques to his trumpet playing.

ElSaffan has performed with Cecil Taylor

Cecil Taylor

Cecil Percival Taylor is an American pianist and poet. Classically trained, Taylor is generally acknowledged as one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized by an extremely energetic, physical approach, producing complex improvised sounds, frequently involving tone clusters and...

, Simon Shaheen

Simon Shaheen

Simon Shaheen is a Palestinian-American oud and violin virtuoso and composer....

, Randy Brecker

Randy Brecker

Randal "Randy" Brecker is an American trumpeter and flugelhornist. He is a highly sought after performer in the genres of jazz, rock, and R&B, and has performed or recorded with Stanley Turrentine, Billy Cobham, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Sandip Burman, Charles Mingus, Blood, Sweat & Tears,...

, Miya Masaoka

Miya Masaoka

Miya Masaoka is an American musician and composer who performs on the 17-string Japanese koto zither, often augmenting it with string preparations and electronic triggers...

, Rudresh Mahanthappa

Rudresh Mahanthappa

Rudresh Mahanthappa is a New York-based jazz alto saxophonist and composer.Mahanthappa was born in Trieste, Italy, and grew up in Boulder, Colorado. He graduated from Berklee College of Music in 1992 and received his Master of Fine Arts degree in jazz composition from Chicago's DePaul University...

, and Samir Chatterjee.

External links

• Amir ElSaffar biography
• Amir ElSaffar official site
• Amir ElSaffar interview from National Public Radio Morning Edition program, July 7, 2006