Mazgani
Encyclopedia
Mazgani is an Iran
ian-Portuguese
singer-songwriter who started playing in Setúbal
in the summer of 2004. Shahryar Mazgani's family had left Iran after the Iranian Revolution
.
In 2006, Mazgani was considered by the French
magazine Les Inrockuptibles
as one of the best 20 new Europe
an artists. His debut album, Song of the New Heart, released in 2007, contains 13 songs sung in English
.
In 2009, netlabel OptimusDiscos1 in Portugal released the Tell the People EP, produced by Pedro Gonçalves of Dead Combo
. Also in 2009, Mazgani came third in the International Songwriting Competition, AAA category, with the song "Somewhere Beneath This Sky"3; the competition judges included Tom Waits
, Robert Smith
, and other alternative music notables.
At the end of 2009, he released his first international disc, Ladies and Gentlemen introducing Mazgani, through the Fading Ways Finland record label2. It was released for the BeNeLux and Scandinavian markets. The record is also available digitally worldwide via Finetunes.
In January 2010, Mazgani performed at the Eurosonic festival in the Netherlands
, after also playing the Super Bock em Stock festival in Lisbon the month before. He also performed at Europavox 2010 in Clermont-Ferrand
, France
.
His second full-length album, Song of Distance, was released in Portugal in April 2010 and that release was followed by a digital UK release via AWAL
in October. It was produced by Dead Combo
's Pedro V. Goncalves and Helder Nelson. The record hit no. 17 on the Portuguese charts.
In 2009, and with the rest of the band in 2010, Pedro Gonçalves of Dead combo
accompanied Mazgani live as well as producing the Tell the People EP.
By 2011, the line-up is as follows:
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian-Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
singer-songwriter who started playing in Setúbal
Setúbal
Setúbal is the main city in Setúbal Municipality in Portugal with a total area of 172.0 km² and a total population of 118,696 inhabitants in the municipality. The city proper has 89,303 inhabitants....
in the summer of 2004. Shahryar Mazgani's family had left Iran after the Iranian Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
.
In 2006, Mazgani was considered by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
magazine Les Inrockuptibles
Les Inrockuptibles
Les Inrockuptibles is a French cultural magazine. Started as a monthly magazine in 1986, it became weekly in 1995. The name is a play on "Les Incorruptibles", the French title of the American television series The Untouchables...
as one of the best 20 new Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an artists. His debut album, Song of the New Heart, released in 2007, contains 13 songs sung in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
In 2009, netlabel OptimusDiscos1 in Portugal released the Tell the People EP, produced by Pedro Gonçalves of Dead Combo
Dead combo
Dead Combo is a Portuguese musical band formed in 2002–3 following their contribution in a tribute album to the late Portuguese guitar player Carlos Paredes. The album was called Movimentos Perpétuos and Dead Combo played a song called "Paredes Ambience". The band was officially created soon...
. Also in 2009, Mazgani came third in the International Songwriting Competition, AAA category, with the song "Somewhere Beneath This Sky"3; the competition judges included Tom Waits
Tom Waits
Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
, Robert Smith
Robert Smith (musician)
Robert James Smith is an English musician. He is the lead singer, guitar player and principal songwriter of the rock band The Cure, and its only constant member since its founding in 1976...
, and other alternative music notables.
At the end of 2009, he released his first international disc, Ladies and Gentlemen introducing Mazgani, through the Fading Ways Finland record label2. It was released for the BeNeLux and Scandinavian markets. The record is also available digitally worldwide via Finetunes.
In January 2010, Mazgani performed at the Eurosonic festival in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, after also playing the Super Bock em Stock festival in Lisbon the month before. He also performed at Europavox 2010 in Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
His second full-length album, Song of Distance, was released in Portugal in April 2010 and that release was followed by a digital UK release via AWAL
AWAL
AWAL is a UK based digital distribution and entertainment services company that works with independent artists, comedians, and labels. The company was started in 1997 by Denzyl Feigelson....
in October. It was produced by Dead Combo
Dead combo
Dead Combo is a Portuguese musical band formed in 2002–3 following their contribution in a tribute album to the late Portuguese guitar player Carlos Paredes. The album was called Movimentos Perpétuos and Dead Combo played a song called "Paredes Ambience". The band was officially created soon...
's Pedro V. Goncalves and Helder Nelson. The record hit no. 17 on the Portuguese charts.
Members
For 2008 self-produced debut album, Mazgani's band members were:- Shahryar Mazgani (vocalSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
ist and acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
) - Sérgio Mendes (electrical guitar)
- Victor Coimbra (bass)
- Rui Luís (drums)
In 2009, and with the rest of the band in 2010, Pedro Gonçalves of Dead combo
Dead combo
Dead Combo is a Portuguese musical band formed in 2002–3 following their contribution in a tribute album to the late Portuguese guitar player Carlos Paredes. The album was called Movimentos Perpétuos and Dead Combo played a song called "Paredes Ambience". The band was officially created soon...
accompanied Mazgani live as well as producing the Tell the People EP.
By 2011, the line-up is as follows:
- Shahryar Mazgani (vocalSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
ist and acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
) - Sérgio Mendes (electrical guitar)
- Victor Coimbra (bass)
- Joao Vitor (drums)
Influences
Mazgani has mentioned, in interviews or press releases, the following musical influences:- Leonard CohenLeonard CohenLeonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
- Nick CaveNick CaveNicholas Edward "Nick" Cave is an Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, and occasional film actor.He is best known for his work as a frontman of the critically acclaimed rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, established in 1984, a group known for its eclectic influences and...
- Tom WaitsTom WaitsThomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
- Woven HandWoven HandWovenhand is a band from Denver, Colorado led by former 16 Horsepower lead singer David Eugene Edwards. Woven Hand's music combines elements of neofolk, alternative country, post-rock, punk, industrial music, folk rock, old-time music and native American music, among other influences.-History:The...
Albums
- Song of the New Heart (Independent, 2007)
- Song Of Distance(Vachier, 2010)
EPs
- Tell The People (Optimus Discos, 2009)
- Ladies and Gentlemen, introducing Mazgani (Fading Ways, 2009)
- MercyMercyMercy is broad term that refers to benevolence, forgiveness and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social and legal contexts.The concept of a "Merciful God" appears in various religions from Christianity to...
(live promo EP, Tell the People, 2011)
Sources
- Official artist site
- Portuguese Netlabel
- International label
- ISC website
- Portuguese Agency
- Dutch Agency
External links
- Official page of the band
- Mazgani on LastFM
- Mazgani in MySpace
- http://maismusicanova.com/2008/mazgani-ao-vivo-na-antena-3/Mazgani on life at Antena 3 (in portuguesePortuguese languagePortuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
)]