Azam Ali Interview and Swana-Motzer-Hirlinger Live on Echoes
This weekend on Echoes, Iranian singer Azam Ali. Azam is a voice that launched a dozen love affairs. She was the sound of the world fusion group, Vas and then the Persian fusion band, Niyaz. Her intoxicating, sensual voice is heard in dozens of films including Thor: The Dark World, 300, John Carter and Priest. She takes her love of modern electronic music to create her new album, Phantoms, her first with all-English lyrics. It will be October’s CD of the Month, John Diliberto talks to Azam Ali about a sound born from social and political darkness and electronic grooves..
Weekend listeners may also hear music created before your ears when trumpeter John Swana, guitarist Tim Motzer and percussionist Doug Hirlinger create music from ground zero. Think Pink Floyd meets Miles Davis conducted by Sun Ra. Collectively they have played with David Sylvian, Jaki Liebezeit of Can, King Britt, Vernon Reid, David Torn, Donny McCaslin, Chris Potter, Pat Mastelotto of King Crimson and the Philadelphia Orchestra. We head into improvisational space with Swana-Motzer-Hirlinger when they compose and play live on Echoes.