Mirror and Song - A collection of 28 cassettes of regional and religious music of Iran published in Iran, recorded in 1994 - Cassette 22: Music from Loristan

Side A:

1. & 2. Vocal

3. Vocal & Kamancheh

4. - 6. Vocal

Side B:

1. & 2. Kamancheh & Vocal & Tombak

3. Vocal

wave

mp3

Mirror and Song - A collection of 28 cassettes of regional and religious music of Iran published in Iran, recorded in 1994 - Cassette 21: Music from Kurdistan

Side A:

Music from Kurdistan - Sanandaj

Dhikr (Zikr) Ritual of the Qaderiyye Khaneqah 

Side B:

1. Music from Kurdistan - Sanandaj

Dhikr (Zikr) Ritual of the Qaderiyye Khaneqah (continuation)

2. Vocal - I can't decipher what and from where in Kurdistan this is

wave

mp3

Mirror and Song - A collection of 28 cassettes of regional and religious music of Iran published in Iran, recorded in 1994 - Cassette 20: Music from Kurdistan

Side A & Side B:

Music from Kurdistan - Sanandaj

Qaderiyye Khaneqah Ritual

Khalife Haj Mirza Aqa Ghowsi

wave

mp3

This cassette has been published on CD in 2015 with a good booklet in English and Farsi by Mohammad-Reza Darvishi:

Khalife Hâj Mirzâ Âqâ Ghowsi (Vocal & Daf) & Qâderi Sufi Music Ensemble of Kurdistan - Qâderiyye Khaneqah Rituals, Sanandaj, Kurdistan - Regional Music of Iran 56: The Zekrs of Qâderiyye Khâneqâh in Sanandaj - The group of Great Dervishes from Sheykh Mohammad Kasnazâni’s Qâderiyye (59:13), MAHOOR, M.CD-433

"Qâderiyye, one of the most important Sufi orders, is ascribed to Abdulqâder Gilâni (Jilâni) and has many followers in Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, and a vast area from India to North Africa and even Eastern Europe. Their main center is in Kurdistan, Iran. Their followers in Iran are in Kermânshâh, Baluchestân, and several other places.

Zekr ritual takes place on Monday and Thursday nights in Khâneqâh. Dervishes enter the place after having Vozu (partial ablution); they perform a two-Rak’at prayer called Tahiyyat (in order to respect the place), they kiss the flag and the Qurân of the Khâneqâh (in order to consecrate themselves); they shake hands with the khalife, who is the conductor of the ritual, then sit down, and start reciting the rosary . After half an hour panegyrists begin to play the daf and sing songs praising God, Prophet Mohammad, his descendants and other saints. At this moment the dervishes go into trance and they all get enthusiastic, this takes almost half an hour. Then they say a Salavât (prayers for praising God, Prophet Mohammad, and his descendants) and they all sit on their knees in a circle and start saying Zekr or Tahlil. At this stage, all the dervishes and the khalife repeatedly say the following zekrs: Lâ elâha ellallâh, Astaqfirullâh, Yâ Hu, Yâ Hayy, Yâ Qayyum, Yâ Dâ ’em.This step also takes half an hour. Then it’s time to say Qiyâm Zekr (prayers while standing up) or Samâ’ when the dervishes uncover the heads to let their long hair swirl from one side to the other, and along with the daf and tâs music they start saying Zekr-e Hayyallâh , and gradually reach the state of ecstasy. While saying Qiyâm Zekr, the dervishes ask for the khalife’s permission to do some extraordinary things, such as eating glass, blade or stone; pricking their bodies on daggers, skewers, or any other sharp metals, etc. This part ends with praying and reciting Fâtehah.

Qâderiyye followers also perform Samâ’ with daf and tâs music on some other occasions, such as welcoming the Order’s sheykhs, promoting the Order out of the Khâneqâh, and performing some holy rituals like “Pir Shâliyâr” in Orâmân.

Daf: The daf is the main musical instrument for the rituals in Qâderiyye Khâneqâh in Kurdistan. Although the musical culture of Iran’s different areas is very much entangled with the daf, its association with Kurdistan -at least after Qâderiyye Order was established by Sheykh Abdulqâder Gilâni ( 471-561 Ah), and because of the Order’s followers particular use of this instrument - has been even more significant. The daf has been given the following names in different areas of Iran through time: Dap, Bâter, Dezire, Dub, Dâyere (and different altered dialectical forms like Dâriye, Diyâre, and Dayare). In Arabic language it is known as Sammâ, Qarbâl, Qarbil, Bandir, Teriyâl, and Mezhar. Doff in Arabic, Dap in Persian, or Daf as it is commonly called these days, along with all the above mentioned names, all refer to the same musical instrument that was named differently in each area and period of time.

Ritual Performers: Khalife Hâj Mirzâ Âqâ Ghowsi: leader, solo singer, and daf player, Abdorrahmân and Alirezâ Ghowsi: daf players and zâkers, Hoseyn Moshiri, Tofiq Behjuri, Azizollâh Gerâmiparvar, Abdullâh Pazhuhande, Mohammad Ahmadi, Heydar Khedri, Aziz Qassâbi, Ali Shâhpasande, Mohammad Bivâre, Rashid Balâyi, Nasrollâh Oliâyi and Sâleh Ja’fari: Zâkers." Mohammad-Rezâ Darvishi

Excellent, recorded in 1994.

Khalife Hâj Mirzâ Âqâ Ghowsi was a well-known performer already present on the double CD 'Kurdistan – Zikr et chants' by Jean During, published by Ocora – Radio France in 1994 (out of print for years), There are also two ealier CDs from Mahoor. See below. 

And one with a strong Dhikr by another Khalife:

As always, all these CDs can be obtained from: info@raga-maqam-dastgah.com  

Mirror and Song - A collection of 28 cassettes of regional and religious music of Iran published in Iran, recorded in 1994 - Cassette 19: Music from Mazandaran Sharqi (East) & Gharbi & Music from Gilan (Talesh & Daylaman)

Side A:

1. Music from Mazandaran Sharqi

Kemecheh & Vocal & Tombak

2. Music from Mazandaran Gharbi

Vocal

3. Music from Gilan - Talesh

Laleh (Ney)

Side B: 

1. Music from Gilan - Talesh

Laleh (Ney)

2. Music from Daylaman - Gilan

 Laleh (Ney) & Vocal

wave

mp3

Mirror and Song - A collection of 28 cassettes of regional and religious music of Iran published in Iran, recorded in 1994 - Cassette 18: Music from Mazandaran Markazi, Sharqi (East) & Gharbi

Side A:

Music from Mazandaran Markazi

Nur Mohammad Talibi (Vocal)

accompanied by a Kemenche player

Side B

Music from Mazandaran Sharqi

1. Two singers

2. A singer & Kemenche player

3 Dotar & Vocal

Music from Mazandaran Gharbi

4. Ney

wave

mp3

Mirror and Song - A collection of 28 cassettes of regional and religious music of Iran published in Iran, recorded in 1994 - Cassette 17: Music from Turkmen Sahra, Aliabad-e Guneh & Sharq (East) Mazandaran

Side A:

Music from Turkmen Sahra

1. Por-Khani Ritual

2. - 4. Bakhshi Music

The Bakhshi sings and plays Dotar, accompanied by a Kemenche player

Side B:

Music from Turkmen Sahra

1. Bakhshi Music

Vocal & Dotar

2. Ney & Vocal

Music from Aliabad-e Guneh - Mazandaran

3. Ney & Vocal

Music from East Mazandaran

4. Dotar & Vocal

wave

mp3

The first track has been published on the CD (Regional Music of Iran 55) which we had informed about in our post of cassette 8 of this series.

Mirror and Song - A collection of 28 cassettes of regional and religious music of Iran published in Iran, recorded in 1994 - Cassette 16: Music from Hormozgan & Balouchestan

Side A:

Music from Minab - Hormozgan

Molud-khani

Side B:

1. Music from Beluchestan

She'r (Epic songs)

Pahlevan Boland Zangshahi (Vocal & Sorud)

accomapnied by two Tambourak players

2. seems to be a song from Mazandaran in the north of Iran

wave

mp3

I just discovered a good website about music from Baluchestan: http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/baluchistan-iv

Mirror and Song - A collection of 28 cassettes of regional and religious music of Iran published in Iran, recorded in 1994 - Cassette 15: Music from Khuzestan & Hormozgan

Side A:

Music from Khuzestan

Zar & Mashayekh Ritual

Side B:

1. Music from Khuzestan

Zar & Mashayekh Ritual (continuation)

2. Music from Minab - Hormozgan

Zar Ritual

wave

mp3

The recordings of this cassette plus an additional recording have been published on CD in 2015. The CD can be obtained from: info@raga-maqam-dastgah.com

Zar - Mashayekh & Molud-khani Rituals – Ritual-Therapeutic Music – Khuzestan & Hormozgan – Regional Music of Iran 53: Ritual-Therapeutic Music – Khuzestan - Zar & Mashayekh Ritual (51:36), Ritual-Therapeutic Music – Hormozgan, Minab – Zar Ritual (9:10), Ritual Music - Hormozgan, Minab – Molud-khani (11:03), MAHOOR, M.CD-430

The Zar & Mashayekh Ritual from Khuzestan is performed by a solo singer, response singers and players of Daf and some other percussions. The Zar Ritual and the Molud-khani from Minab in Hormozgan are performed by Qolam Samma'i (Solo singer and Samma player) and Abbas Samma'i (Samma player and response singer). Samma is a kind of Daf. Very interesting.

Mirror and Song - A collection of 28 cassettes of regional and religious music of Iran published in Iran, recorded in 1994 - Cassette 14: Music from Hormozgan

Side A:

Music from Bandar Lenge - Hormozgan

Noban Ritual

Side B:

Music from Bandar Lenge - Hormozgan

Noban Ritual

wave

mp3

Part of these recordings have been published on CD in 2015. See details to the second CD in our post of cassette 12.

Mirror and Song - A collection of 28 cassettes of regional and religious music of Iran published in Iran, recorded in 1994 - Cassette 13: Music from Hormozgan

Side A:

Music from Bandar Lenge - Hormozgan

Zar Ritual

Side B:

1. Music from Bandar Lenge - Hormozgan

Zar Ritual (continuation)

2. Music from Bandar Kong - Hormozgan

I read Nameh (?) Ritual

wave

mp3

Part of these recordings have been published last year on the two CDs which we mentioned in our post of cassette 12.

Mirror and Song - A collection of 28 cassettes of regional and religious music of Iran published in Iran, recorded in 1994 - Cassette 12: Music from Hormozgan

Side A:

Music from Bandar Lenge - Hormozgan

Mashayekh Ritual

Side B:

1. continuation

2. Music from Bandar Lenge - Hormozgan

I read "Razif Ritual". According to the CDs below it could be either the Zar or Noban ritual.

wave

mp3

I found the poster to the complete edition of these 28 cassettes on CD, planned to be published in 2011 and which never saw the day:

Last year two CDs were published in Iran which contain more complete versions of these recordings. As always they can be obtained from: info@raga-maqam-dastgah.com

Mashayekh Ritual – Ritual-Therapeutic Music – Hormozgan (Qeshm Island & Bandar Lenge) – Regional Music of Iran 51: Mashayekh Ritual (Bandar Lenge) (42:14), Mashayekh Ritual (Qeshm Island) (31:46), MAHOOR, M.CD-428

Research, compilation & accompanying notes by Mohammad-Reza Darvishi.

”Ahl-e Havâ (the people of air): the inhabitants of the southern coastal regions of Iran believe that Ahl-e Havâ is a person who is affected by mysterious and magical powers. These powers, which are known as Bâd (wind), exist everywhere and they dominate human beings. The powers enter the soul and body of (often poor and pained) people, possess them and finally disturb their physical-mental balance. No one is strong enough to fight and resist them. Ahl-e Havâ who are suffering from Bâd, have no way except coping with them, self-sacrificing and surrendering. Bâd powers mount Ahl-e Havâ. The different types of Bâd include Zâr, Nobân, Mashâyekh, Leyvâ, Govât and Jinn, to name a few. Bâds are divided into two main divisions: 1. Critical, harmful or even infidel 2. Calm, Muslim or believing in worldly rewards and punishments.

To harness, and not cure, the Bâd some special rituals and ceremonies are held in which Bâbâ and Mâmâ take the responsibility to lead and direct the participants. These Bâds either have traveled along with the African people or have nested in the Iranian seamen and poor divers’ head and have come to Iran`s beaches and islands, and for a long period of time, the poor coastal inhabitants have been affected by such powers and still believe in them; to get rid of them, they still use the same method that the African people have used for centuries. Throughout the way from Africa to Iran, these Bâds have obtained Islamic forms and shapes; for instance, their African magical spells and poems have been replaced by poems to praise the Prophet of Islam. The Bâds have been mixed with  cultures, myths and different stories and their respective customs and rules (of what is allowed and what is forbidden) have become so similar to the Islamic ones although they still have their African flashy colors. Nowadays, due to the changes in social conditions and the restrictions over performing Ahl-e Havâ rituals especially in recent decades, such ceremonies and rituals are held more briefly than before and the requirements of the ceremony have been reduced compared to the past. Besides, because of the death of known and famous Bâbâs and Mâmâs and not finding a genuine replacement for them, this unique custom and culture is in danger of dying out and being forgotten—a culture of real significance in various fields, including music, oral literature, drama, rituals, myth and even medical sciences, psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy."

Recorded 1994. Performed by solo and group singers and Dohol players. Booklet in Farsi and English. 

Zâr & Nobân Rituals - Ritual-Therapeutic Music - Hormozgan (Bandar Lenge) - Regional Music of Iran 52: Zar Ritual (Bandar Lenge) (40:01), Noban Ritual (Bandar Lenge) (33:16), MAHOOR, M.CD-429

Research, compilation & accompanying notes by Mohammad-Reza Darvishi.

"Zâr is the most harmful and common Bâd. All types of Zâr in Iran, are critical, harmful and atheist. There are thirteen known Zârs in the southern coasts of Iran, and the famous Bâbâs and Mâmâs believe that the real number of Zârs is more than seventy two. Suffering from any type of Zâr begins with especial symptoms; for example, Bâd-e Maturi with a heart attack, Bâd-e Dingemâru with headache and sore eyes, Bâd-e Dâykatu with depression and inability to move. All types of Bâds, including Zâr, are contagious. The patient who is affected by Zâr goes to Bâbâ or Mâmâ to get rid of the pain and affliction, and through performing the ceremony (offerings, dohol playing and singing specific songs) the Bâd is tamed. Bâbâs or Mâmâs are often dark-skinned, full-blooded or hybrid. They are poor and deprived, and each of them is affected by several Bâds. Before starting the ritual, there are some steps of specific treatments, such as niyat (expressing the intention), going through the hejâb stage (for the patient), giving the patient some medicine, rubbing a particular oil on his or her body, giving the patient a particular smoke, and evicting Jinn from the patient’s body.

The next step is the phase of taming the Bâd, which may continue for hours and even several nights. The participants who are in curable nervous conditions manage to tame their Bâd in one or more sessions and will become members of Ahl-e Havâ. The nervous symptoms which frequently happened to them will be controlled and may appear only during formal ceremonies; but the patients with incurable nervous conditions, whose Bâd cannot be tamed by Bâbâs and Mâmâs, will be left alone, they are rejected by people and eventually die.

Ahl-e Havâ participate in the ritual to tame the Bâd. Some kinds of dohols, geshtesuz (censer), frankincense and various types of food, dates, sweets and the blood of the sacrificed animal requested by Zâr, are the requirements of the ritual. Usually the scarified animal is a goat and sometimes a cow or even a cock. Zȃr’s Bâbȃ starts singing with a gentle rhythm. The drums are played and Ahl-e Havȃ sing responses. Each song belongs to one Zȃr. By singing and reciting the poems, the Zȃr in the patient’s body would react. Little by little, head shaking turns into fast movements and gradually the patient starts trembling and goes into a deep trance. Most of the poems are sung in Swahili; so sometimes the meaning is not obvious even for Ahl-e Havȃ. So, in normal conditions and outside the ritual context, they do not remember the poems. As it was previously mentioned, by taming the patient’s Bȃd, the Zȃr ritual ends too."

Recorded 1994. Solo and group singers, Dohol and Tambire players. Booklet in Farsi and English. 

Mirror and Song - A collection of 28 cassettes of regional and religious music of Iran published in Iran, recorded in 1994 - Cassette 11: Music from Baluchestan

 

Side A:

Music from Chabahar - Beluchestan

Dhikrs of Gwati ceremonies

Shahmir Baluch Maldari (Vocal & Tambourak & Leader of the ceremony)

Ali Mohammad Baluch (Ghichak (Sorud))

Eyduk Razmi (Tambourak)

Chalokparvar (Vocal - Qasidah)

Side B:

Music Gwati from Beluchestan

Ali Mohammad Beluch (Sorud (Ghichak))

 Eyduk Razmi (Tambourak)

"Music of guati ceremonies or Qalandari-Guâti music. Guati (or Qalandari-guati) music is specific to the ceremonies of healing the person who is possessed by a supernatural being, and shows symptoms of sickness. Baluchi people interpret the healing process as follows: a person (most of the time a woman) becomes sick and all the efforts of the traditional healer and mollah to cure her are in vain. Patient's relatives, after trying all the possible ways of treatment - and becoming disappointed - take her to a spirit expert (or khalife). These spirits are guats, djins and paries that disturb people for some reasons and make them sick. If someone is possessed by one of these creatures, the only solution is talking to guat and persuading him to let the possessed person alone. In order to do that, a healing ceremony must be held, where music plays an important role." 

Jean During in the booklet to: Regional Music of Iran 9 - Qalandari Music of Baluchistan, Mahoor, M.CD-181 (2005).

wave

mp3

In 2012 there was released a double CD in Iran which contains on CD 2 the recordings of this cassette in better sound quality. On CD 1 there is more Gwati (Guati) music. The set has a detailed booklet in Farsi and English by Mohammad Reza Darvishi. As always it can be obtained from: info@raga-maqam-dastgah.com.