In the depths of oriental thought there is an idea. It is the desire to achieve tranquility, silence and serenity in life. It is an intoxicating feeling. It is exactly what Sanaz wants to express in her music.
Her new CD presents songs which speak of love, strangeness, humanity and lostness.
They are created against the background of a great cultural symbiosis of Azerbaijani, Persian, Arabic, Turkish and Armenian musical traditions. Sanaz is rooted in the Persian and Azerbaijani musical traditions. With her new songs, she immerses herself once again therein.
Sanaz combines all of these influences into an independent and original repertoire. The influence of all these musical cultures has given rise to a music that is characterised by a passionate vocal style and by extremely complex and precisely crafted rhythms.
The musical spirituality here is closely linked to clear melodic forms and a deep respect for the lyrics. The people of the Orient are very attached to the spoken word, and there is hardly any music without singing, which is characteristic of this music.
Sanaz is not only a singer, but also a poet. In her songs she cultivates the fine art of the word, for Iranians have always cultivated artfully crafted poetry, and music is a complement and embellishment of the lyric content.
The word has a central position in the consciousness of musicians, and music actually can be thought of as “melodic words”. Is it the same in this music?
The spirituality and diversity of the music here are certainly very impressive.
The presence of Sanaz’s voice immediately has an intimate and emotional effect. Her expressiveness, especially when she sings the Persian and Azerbaijani ballads, makes them into objects of great sensual pleasure. The songs touch us and do not let go. Beguiled by the richness of these songs, by the beauty of the language and its timbres, her voice combines with the artistry of her excellent instrumentalists to make this music into a truly special experience.
Suleman Taufiq
translated by: Ian Melrose