The Iranian Ars Nova Big Band Ensemble is slated to perform at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on January 5 and 12.
The concert will present 16 jazz and Latin repertoires, including 14 Latin Blues (music genre that originated in African-American communities in the “Deep South” of the United States around the end of the 19th century), said ensemble conductor Armin Qeitasi at a press conference, attended by veteran composer and drummer Behnam Abtahi and event producer Mehrdad Jahantab, Honaronline reported.
Entitled ‘Latin Night’, the event will host skilled musicians, namely an Armenian trumpeter and an Iranian- Portuguese vocalist, said Qeitasi, adding that the band is honored to have Abtahi’s cooperation after his long hiatus from live performances.
The 30-member band has previously held performances including ‘Feeling Good’, ‘Gipsy Jazz’ and ‘Ars Nova’.
Abtahi, 67, said he had retired long ago, but was motivated to return to stage and join the ‘Latin Night’ performance because “I believe the band’s music is close to my taste.”
A skilled composer, arranger, orchestra leader, pianist and percussion player, he was selected as the “Fastest Iranian Drummer” earlier in August at a competition in Tehran held in cooperation with Meinl Cymbal Company, a manufacturer of percussion instruments, based in Gutenstetten, Germany.
Abtahi has also been selected by several foreign music companies as among the top 50 drummers.
He started studying music by learning the piano when he was just 8 years old, and later the drums without a tutor. Abtahi formally studied music at the Music Conservatory of Tehran before migrating to Toronto, Canada for higher education.
After returning home, he began his career by composing music for films. So far, he has composed music for about 90 films. Then he started composing and arranging music for pop or pop-classical albums. Naser Abdollahi, Saeed Shahrooz, Mohammad Esfahani, Reza Sadeghi, and Hamid Hami are some of the singers trained and tutored by Abtahi.
