Azam Ali ( fa, اعظم علی) is an
Iranian musician. As of 2013, she has released eight full-length albums with the bands
VAS and
Niyaz, as well as four solo albums.
Biography
She was born in
Tehran
Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the Capital city, capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is th ...
on 3 October 1970, Ali spent most of her childhood in
Panchgani
Panchgani, called Paachgani (पाचगणी in Marathi), is a hill station and municipal council in Satara district in Maharashtra, India. Panchgani attracts tourists throughout the year. It is also known for having many residential educa ...
, India.
Ali and her mother moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1985, after which Ali discovered the
santour
The santur (also ''santūr'', ''santour'', ''santoor'') ( fa, سنتور), is a hammered dulcimer of Iranian origins.--- Rashid, Subhi Anwar (1989). ''Al-ʼĀlāt al-musīqīyya al-muṣāhiba lil-Maqām al-ʻIrāqī''. Baghdad: Matbaʻat al-ʻU ...
. Ali then studied the santour under Persian master
Manoochehr Sadeghi
Manoochehr Sadeghi (born April 13, 1938) is a Persian-American naturalized citizen, born in Tehran, Iran. He is considered a Grandmaster or Ostad of the santur, a Persian hammered dulcimer. He has been lecturing, teaching, recording and ...
, which led to the rediscovery of her voice. Ali's singing voice is
mezzo-soprano
A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below midd ...
.
In 1996, Ali formed "alternative world" group
VAS with percussionist
Greg Ellis after meeting the year prior at a concert at
UCLA.
She and her husband,
Loga Ramin Torkian
Loga Ramin Torkian ( fa, لوگا) رامین ترکیان))،(Born: September 23 ،1964) is a musician and the co-founder of the groups Axiom of Choice and Niyaz. Both groups incorporate Persian and Middle Eastern themes into their music. To ...
, are also part of another group,
Niyaz, an Iranian acoustic electronic group. She is known now to be one of the most attractive people in Iran and got that label from her fans around 2018
In 2005, Azam Ali was featured in ''
Enter the Chicken'', a 2005
Buckethead album, singing the song "Coma" with
Serj Tankian.
In 2006, Ali was featured on ''Nefes/Breath'', an album by Turkish ney player and DJ,
Mercan Dede
Mercan Dede (born Arkın Ilıcalı, 1966), also known as DJ Arkin Allen, is a Turkish-Canadian composer, ney and bendir player, DJ, and producer. He is a world music artist, playing a fusion of traditional acoustic Turkish and other oriental ...
, singing the song "Dem."
Solo career
In 2002, Ali released her first solo album, ''
Portals of Grace''. This was followed up with 2006's ''Elysium for the Brave'', which reached No. 10 on ''
Billboards World Albums chart on 23 September 2006. Ali's third album, ''From Night to the Edge of Day'' (2011), is a collection of lullabies inspired by her son. ''Lamentation of Swans – A Journey Towards Silence'' (2013), Ali's fourth album, is a joint effort with her husband
Loga Ramin Torkian
Loga Ramin Torkian ( fa, لوگا) رامین ترکیان))،(Born: September 23 ،1964) is a musician and the co-founder of the groups Axiom of Choice and Niyaz. Both groups incorporate Persian and Middle Eastern themes into their music. To ...
that began in 2009 and explores the intimate spaces they had to carve out for themselves to escape the demands of touring.
In 2003 she sang
Inama Nushif
''Frank Herbert's Children of Dune'' is a three-part science fiction miniseries written by John Harrison and directed by Greg Yaitanes, based on Frank Herbert's novels '' Dune Messiah'' (1969) and '' Children of Dune'' (1976). First broadcast ...
in the fictional
Fremen language for the soundtrack to the 2003
Sci Fi Channel mini-series
A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format h ...
''
Frank Herbert's Children of Dune'', written by
Brian Tyler.
In 2006 she was featured vocals in the movie
300. In 2011, Ali's vocals were featured several times on the soundtrack of the third installment of the
Uncharted videogame series,
Uncharted 3. In 2012, she was the vocalist for
Square Enix
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate, best known for its ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', ''Star Ocean'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' role-playing video game ...
's ''
Final Fantasy'' video game
tech demo
A technology demonstration (or tech demo), also known as demonstrator model, is a prototype, rough example or an otherwise incomplete version of a conceivable product or future system, put together as proof of concept with the primary purpose of ...
''Agni's Philosophy''. She also helped American composer
Jack Wall on the soundtrack for ''
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2'' by being vocalist on the track "Pakistan Run".
In September 2013, Ali announced that she would provide vocals for the soundtrack of the film ''
Thor: The Dark World''.
On 31 May 2019, Ali announced her next album, the self-produced PHANTOMS, along with its first single and music video, "Hope." The next single was the album's self-titled track, "Phantoms," and was released on 12 July. The album was released on 13 September 2019.
Social media
Instagram @azamaliofficial
Facebook Page /azam.ali.music
Discography
Solo albums
*''
Portals of Grace'' (2002)
*''
Elysium for the Brave'' (2006)
*''From Night to the Edge of Day'' (2011)
*''Lamentation of Swans – A Journey Towards Silence'' (2013)
redited to Azam Ali and Loga R Torkian*''Phantoms'' (2019)
With VAS
* ''
Sunyata'' (1997)
* ''
Offerings'' (1998)
* ''
In the Garden of Souls
Vas was an alternative world musical group which consisted of Persian vocalist Azam Ali and American percussionist Greg Ellis. Vas is frequently compared to the Australian band Dead Can Dance. The band released four full-length albums, and b ...
'' (2000)
* ''
Feast of Silence'' (2004)
With Niyaz
* ''
Niyaz'' (2005)
* ''
Nine Heavens'' (2008)
* ''
Sumud Sumud ( ar, صمود) meaning "steadfastness"Abed, 1988, p. 288. or "steadfast perseverance" is a Palestinian cultural value, ideological theme and political strategy that first emerged among the Palestinian people through the experience of the dia ...
'' (2012)
* ''
Sumud Acoustic EP'' (2013)
* ''
The Fourth Light'' (2015)
With Roseland
*''
Roseland'' (2007)
With VGM
*''
Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow'' (2007)
*''
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception'' (2011)
With Mercan Dede
*''Breath'' (song "Dem") (2006)
With Buckethead
*''
Enter the Chicken'' (song "Coma")
With Shahrokh Yadegari & Keyavash Nourai
*''Green Memories'' (2008)
Greg Ellis
* ''Kala Rupa Explorations in Rhythm'' (2001)
Solo
*''
Where's Neil When You Need Him?
''Where's Neil When You Need Him?'' is a tribute album based on the works of fantasy writer Neil Gaiman.
Overview
The album was released on Dancing Ferret Discs on July 18, 2006. The CD has cover art by Dave McKean and extensive new liner notes f ...
'' (2006, song "The Cold Black Key")
References
External links
*
Niyaz website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ali, Azam
1970 births
Living people
Iranian musicians
People from Tehran
Iranian women singers
Urdu-language singers
Arabic-language singers
English-language singers
Persian-language singers
Musicians from Los Angeles
Narada Productions artists
21st-century women singers
Six Degrees Records artists
Iranian expatriates in India
Expatriate musicians in India
21st-century Iranian women singers
American people of Iranian descent
Iranian emigrants to the United States