Mohammad Reza Mortazavi
Event
Mohammad Reza Mortazavi was born in Iran in 1978. He started learning tombak at the age of 6 and by 9 he already mastered the instrument at the same level of the greatest masters. As a child, he won the annual Iranian tombak competition, where only the best performers are evaluated. At the age of 20, he already seen by many as one of the best tombak and daf (traditional Persian percussion instruments) Players. He earned an infamous reputation among the most canonical Persian percussionists by coming up with over 30 new techniques for playing the region's traditional instruments while selling out Tehran's concert halls. He has become a major figure in the “roots music” circuits, playing at major festivals over more than two decades. In 2017, he released with Burnt Friedman the EP Yek; in 2018, another EP, this time solo, by the Portuguese record label Padre Himalaya; and in 2019, LP Ritme Jaavdanegi by the French record label Latency. These three releases proved to be crucial in introducing his rhythms to the universe of electronic, experimental and dance music avant-garde. Mohammad Reza Mortazavi is one of those rare musicians capable of bringing together the so often estranged concepts of avant-garde and tradition. With just his hands, he produces what could only be expected from a small percussionist ensemble, processed and polished by the most meticulous sound engineer.
