Print

Mail

wiki links

Good ol' Texan world music

The musicians of Atash are as varied as their music -- or is that the other way around? From left, vocalist Mohammad Firoozi, bassist Dylan Jones, violinist Robert Riggio, violinist John Moon and percussionist Jason McKenzie. PHOTO COURTESY OF ARS MUNDI PRODUCTIONS

"World music" and "Texas" aren't often seen in the same sentence. It's even rarer that a world music band from Texas would make it's way to Taiwan.

Atash, or "fire" in Farsi, is a collection of musicians from several points on the globe who create a sound that belies its Austin origins. Now they're in Taiwan for a series of concerts that starts this afternoon at Sun Moon Lake and ends in Taipei next week.

Perhaps saying Atash is from Austin isn't exactly right. Robert Riggio, one of the band's violinists, was born in Mexico, Mohammad Firoozi, its vocalist, is from Iran, and its newest member, a djembe player, is from Guinea. The remaining members of the group hail from various parts of the southwestern US, having met up in the musical Mecca that is Austin, Texas. Their sound is a blend of jazz and rock in a Middle Eastern style with lyrics based on Islamic mysticism.

Why Taiwan? is best answered by the group's bassist, Dylan Jones.

"This is my fourth trip here. I first came with another band called Q for Spring Scream. I'm happy to be bringing these guys here to experience it," he says of his bandmates.

Unfortunately, several of them weren't able to make the trip. Violinist John Kwichan Moon remains stateside, as does vocalist Firoozi, who worried about his ability to re-enter the world's melting pot with the heat having been turned up at customs and immigration. In fact, the only person to make the trip other than Jones and Riggio is percussionist Jason McKenzie. But even with their musical power halved, Atash is still unlike anything you'll hear on the island -- until they return, that is, hopefully in full force.

Atash will perform on the Sun Moon Lake Stage as part of the resort area's ongoing festival today at

3:30pm and tonight from 8pm to 8:30pm. On Sunday from 8pm to 8:30pm; Monday at 3:30pm and 7pm and on Tuesday again at 7pm. If you can't make it to Sun Moon Lake, you can catch them at a free concert in Taipei next Wednesday, Sept 24 at Huilang Cafe (迴廊咖啡館) in the gymnasium building near the corner of Xinseng South and Roosevelt roads on the campus of National Taiwan University (台灣大學綜合體育館一樓). They'll go on at 8pm. Call (02) 8369-5656 for directions. For a taste of Atash, listen to a few MP3 samples found on their Web site at http://www.atash.net.

This story has been viewed 1990 times.