 Fared Shafinury – Much of the “fusion music’ pumped out by a new
generation of bands in Iran transitions from East to west, writing Farsi
lyrics onto non-Iranian genres like rock, jazz, and country. While the results
can be novel and crowd-pleasing, the mix often feels more like an over lay
of disparate elements than a seamless, authentic form of art. This is what
makes the sound of Iranian-American musician Fared Shafinury stand out
from his contemporaries.

Born in a small town along the Gulf of Mexico, and classically trained on
the cello, Shafinury later unearthed a deep-rooted love for the music of his
parents’ homeland – the traditional vocal/instrumental repertoire known as
the radiff. His compositions thus move against the current, by retracing
the arc from West to East. In his hands, the setar, an Eastern cousin
of the guitar, and Fared’s virtuoso specialty, yearns not for a departure
from Iranian form nor the emulation of Western genres, but arrival at the
point where binaries and boundaries bleed and blend until they dissolve
completely.

Shafinury now lives in the Bay Area recording his 3rd album, as well
as composing sound tracks for various films. He has performed all
across the country, selling out prestigious concert halls. In 2009, Fared
Shafinury was the featured artist at the Iranian Alliances Across Borders
International conference on the Iranian Diaspora. In 2010, he was featured
at the Iranian.com music festival, performing at the Palace of Fine Arts.
Shafinury also has extensive knowledge of composing and arranging for
choreographies. In 2005, Fared Shafinury has had the privilege of studying under
some of Iran’s most prominent masters: including: Ostad Mozaffari, Ostad
Zoghadr, Ostad Shaari, Ostad Soukuti, and Ostad Mohammad Reza Lotfi.
Shafinury’s music is the progeny of his talent, passion, and environments –
producing a sound that simultaneously singular in character and universal
in appeal. 

Jolin Tan is following