MUSIC FROM PLANET EARTH: PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE

The Official Regina Spektor Soundcloud Account

The 68th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival will take place at the Monterey County Fairgrounds September 26-28, 2025.

A non-profit jazz label with a mission. Devoted to preserving jazz and discovering the rising stars of tomorrow.



Described by the Huffington Post as "an evolutionary force in contemporary Middle Eastern music, NIYAZ has created a 21st century global trance tradition by seamlessly blending poetry and folk songs from their native Iran and its surrounding countries in the Persian Gulf, with rich acoustic instrumentation and state-of-the-art modern electronics.

Their sublime, ever-evolving mix of poetry and song is delivered through music that is both uplifting and transformative. Yet with all the mysticism and allure of the East which is dominant in their musical heritage, Niyaz is not limited by tradition. Their far-reaching music which defies most standards of “world music” and makes a bold statement to a global audience aims to tear down cultural boundaries by offering listeners a bridge between the East and the West- a sanctuary in the modern world of polarized ideologies, as well as well as restoring a severed bond between the past and the present.

Today with four best selling and critically acclaimed albums released on Six Degrees Records, all of which have debuted at #1 on iTunes and garnered the band an incredible amount of media attention including features on NPR, PRI, BBC World and The Huffington Post, Niyaz continues to tour internationally and build on its impressive and loyal fan base worldwide. Their music as well as solo performances have been featured in several major Hollywood film and television scores, which include, “The Matrix,” “Prince of Persia,”“Thor- The Dark World,” Body of Lies,”“True Blood, ”Nip Tuck,” Bones,” "Alias,” "Prison Break,” and Crossing Over.

Led by front woman AZAM ALI ,whose Iranian heritage and Indian upbringing have created a singer of bewitching and richly textured proportions. Instrumentation includes electronica as well as traditional instruments, keyboards and percussion. A single whirling dervish performs on select events and a multi-media live presentation to augment the current performance is in the works. By masterfully blending acoustic and electronic music, Niyaz will appeal to audiences who enjoy fantasy, global electronica, Middle Eastern music, sacred music and alternative world music.
   





Vanguard Records, part of Concord Bicycle Music’s Fantasy Label Group, is one of the world’s leading independent record labels. Its eclectic roster of quality artists includes Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Switchfoot, O.A.R., Flogging Molly, Parachute, Sallie Ford, Matt Nathanson, Chris Isaak, Barenaked Ladies, Greg Laswell, Trevor Hall, Indigo Girls, and more. It’s rich history of catalog artists features Levon Helm, Merle Haggard, Joan Baez, Mindy Smith, Buddy Guy, Big Mama Thornton, Junior Wells, John Fahey, to name a few.

Bob Bielefeld is following