Recordings

HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE SUDIE!!!

Nani Jan

Click the link below to download Nani Jan MP3:
Nani-Jan.MP3

Traditional Armenian song known as Hars Em Genoum, dedicated to Rowan's beloved first musical mentor, Souren Baronian, on the celebration of his 80th birthday. With Souren's encouragement, Rowan began to believe in herself and her musicianship. Rowan is eternally grateful for all the love, wisdom and energy which he has brought to her life's path.

Additional Persian poetry ~ Nima Janmohammadi, with the voice of Fereshteh Ettehad

Nima Janmohammadi ~ setar, poetry, arrangement
Rowan Storm ~ Armenian vocal, daf
Fereshteh Ettehad ~ Persian vocal

Nima and Rowan began this recording project in Istanbul, Turkey during November of 2009. The recording was completed in Tehran in January 2010 with the addition of Nima's poetry and the lovely voice of Fereshteh Ettehad. In advance publication of their musical collaboration, Nima and Rowan finally decided to share this first as a gift.

The Armenian of the first part of this song expresses the pain of separation as a 17-year old bride leaves her own village and goes to live within the fold of her new husband's family. Love is strong, and exists on many levels. The Persian poetry of the last part of the recording expresses the depth of love inspired by the Beloved, and pain of separation from the Beloved.

روزی برای نانی جان می گفتم واژگان که زمانی ما را تسلی می دادند ، اکنون موجوداتی خیانتکارند
عادت به حرف زدن نداشت ، هر کلام را با نگاه های متکثرش پاسخ می گفت، آن روزها بال هایش را کنار شاعری جا گذاشته بود، در دل به من می خندید، و من راز را نمی دانستم
چرا باز دیوانه وار آنها را طلب می کنیم؟ وچرا این کنش را همچون سرمشقی به دیگر ابعاد زندگیمان نیز می گستریم؟ به عشقهامان، جداییهامان
واژگان می آیند و می روند، چیزی را در تو بر می انگیزند که نمی دانی بوده است یا نه؟! پیشاپیش مرز میان هر چیز را برداشته اند، چنان بر تو واقع می شوند که اتفاق را از یاد می بری، فراموش می کنی بوده ای یا نه
قسمتی از تو را می آورند، قسمتی را با خود می برند، و در این استحاله حیرانی توست
که می خواهد به صورت شاهدانی نامعلوم دست ساید
معرفتش را فراموش کند
نتی باشد شبیه خنده ای کوچک
که در میان هارمونی نت ها ویران نباشد
نتی باشد در آرامش یک چیدمان، روبه روی تو
روبه روی تو
در موسیقی شفافیت بیشتری بود، در عطر زنانه شفافیت بیشتری بود
ناامنی کلمات از امنیت نت ها می آمد
در ناامنی کلمات زاده می شدم، در امنیت نت ها آرام می شدم
هنگام که شعر فارسی این ترانه را برای نانی جان می نوشتم دسته ی همسرایان را می دیدم که عروس را می برند
در مکان ایستاده بودم، نمی دانستم، همان دم خود در جدایی بسر می برم
جدایی هایی که از جنس کلمات اند، که گویی ما آخرین تن هایی هستیم که در پیکرشان هستی میابند، خود اگر ازلی ابدی نباشند


پی نوشت: قرار بود این کار در قالب یک مجموعه در فرنگ منتشر شود ، نانی جان می گفت کار باید رسمی باشد ، رها کردنش در اینترنت کار را بی هویت می کند
نانی جانم، بگذار هویت کار دردل آنهایی باشد که همدیگر را دوست دارند و به این کار گوش می سپارند
بگذار نثاری باشد به سیالیت جان هایی که بی قرارند


نیما جان محمدی، پاییز هشتاد و هشت

English Translation:
Once I told Nani Jan, the words that one day were consoling us have now turned to some treacherous creatures. She was not speaking . . . she was answering every word with her far-reaching glances. Those days when she left her wings with a poet, she was laughing at me in her heart, and I did not know the mystery. Why are we looking like maniacs to understand, and why do we regard it as a paradigm for all aspects of our lives, our loves, and even our separations? Words are coming and going, they awake something in you but you can never be sure of its existence as they have destroyed all the borders in advance. They affect you in a way that you forget the occurrence itself; you also doubt your own being.

Words make up some parts of you, take some parts away, and in this transformation, this is your perplexity . . . one who wants to touch the face of indefinite lovers, forgetting wisdom, would be a note like a small smile, not destroyed in the harmony of the notes . . . would be a note in the calm of an arrangement, in front of you . . . in front of you . . .

There was more transparency in music, there was more transparency in a women's scent . . . insecurity of the words was coming from the security of the notes. I was born in insecurity of the words, I was calmed down by the security of the notes.

When I was writing the lyric of this song for Nani Jan, I saw the choir taking the bride . . . I was standing in a place, I did not know I was experiencing the separation at the same moment. Such separations have the same quality as the words do; that it seems we are the last bodies which can find their existence inside them, if they would not be eternal and immortal.

PS: We had a plan to publish this song in an album. Nani Jan told me your work should be officially released, since publishing it through the internet spoils the identity of the work. Finally, we agreed: my dear Nani Jan, let the essence of the song live in the hearts of the people who love each other and listen to it. Let us dedicate this identification to flowing spirits of frenzied souls . . .

Nima Jan Mohammadi, Tehran, January 2010

 

Nima Janmohammadi was born in Tehran, and is a recent graduate of the Tehran Music University. Nima is a published poet, composer and multi-instrumentalist, specializing in traditional Iranian instruments including setar, kemancheh, gheychak and oud. He has studied with many masters of Persian music including Mohammad Reza Lotfi, and has performed with Zolfonoun. Nima is working on a series of recordings of his most recent compositions.

Fereshteh Ettehad, Iranian singer, was born in Tehran. She has played piano since she was 9 years old. Fereshteh has studied with several masters of Persian music, including vocal radif with Seddigh Ta'rif and Mohsen Keramati, setar with Mohammadreza Ebrahimi, Old Iranian Tasnif with Arshad Tahmasbi, and advanced method of Iranian music with Master Mohammad Reza Lotfi. In addition, Fereshteh also has a Masters degree in mathematics from Azad University of Tehran.

Rowan Storm is recognized internationally for her command of Middle Eastern percussion instruments and music, her Essential Frame Drum Method workshops and Carpet Concerts, and singing in several languages. Rowan has studied and performed with many world-renowned musicians, including the great Master of Classical Persian music, Mohammad Reza Lotfi. Rowan's signature Frame Drum, the Rowan Storm Dayereh, is featured in the Artist Innovation Series by Cooperman Drum Company.