Rana Farhan
Encyclopedia
Rana Farhan, is an Iran
ian musician
and singer of Jazz
and Blues
. She was born in Iran
. After graduating from Tehran University, she left Iran, and is living in New York since then.
and Janis Joplin.
Rana left Iran after graduating from Tehran University and she soon found herself in New York City, exploring her talents in lacquer paintings and soaking in the sounds and music of Manhattan, including the rich cultural district of Harlem where she discovered her love of jazz.
Farhan sings in a bluesy style that is an exploration of combining classic Persian poetry with modern jazz and blues.
Toub, a veteran of New York’s rock and blues scene, has recorded at such studios as Electric Ladyland and The Power Station, and has performed in opening slots for Squeeze, Robin Trower and Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Farhan’s second release was “I Return”, a fusion of classical Persian poetry with contemporary blues and jazz music.
Farhan recorded and distributed a track called “Rumi’s Prayer” over the internet, the positive response to which from both American and international listeners prompted her and Toub to begin writing and recording the album working off of both Rumi and Hafez, compiling a fusion of two distant cultures.
Her reception in New York local clubs was considerable, and she followed this with sold-out shows at the Cowell Theater in San Francisco, The Toronto Opera House in Toronto, Canada and at the Auditorium Cite De La Musique in Strasbourg, France.
She has also appeared on Bebin TV in Los Angeles with Melissa Shoshahi and Voice of America/Persian TV’s Shabahang.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and singer of Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and Blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
. She was born in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. After graduating from Tehran University, she left Iran, and is living in New York since then.
Career
Born in Iran, Rana grew up listening to any albums she could get her hands on, fostering a love for American blues artists like Odetta and Leadbelly; while rockin’ to Jimi HendrixJimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
and Janis Joplin.
Rana left Iran after graduating from Tehran University and she soon found herself in New York City, exploring her talents in lacquer paintings and soaking in the sounds and music of Manhattan, including the rich cultural district of Harlem where she discovered her love of jazz.
Farhan sings in a bluesy style that is an exploration of combining classic Persian poetry with modern jazz and blues.
Recording albums
In 2005 she teamed with guitarist/ producer Steven Toub for her first full-length CD, “The Blues Are Brewin’”, a collection of American jazz and blues standards.Toub, a veteran of New York’s rock and blues scene, has recorded at such studios as Electric Ladyland and The Power Station, and has performed in opening slots for Squeeze, Robin Trower and Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Farhan’s second release was “I Return”, a fusion of classical Persian poetry with contemporary blues and jazz music.
Farhan recorded and distributed a track called “Rumi’s Prayer” over the internet, the positive response to which from both American and international listeners prompted her and Toub to begin writing and recording the album working off of both Rumi and Hafez, compiling a fusion of two distant cultures.
Her reception in New York local clubs was considerable, and she followed this with sold-out shows at the Cowell Theater in San Francisco, The Toronto Opera House in Toronto, Canada and at the Auditorium Cite De La Musique in Strasbourg, France.
Appearances
Rana has been featured on BBC Persian TV, Manoto TV, Voice Of America, Suzi Khatami’s “Live From Hollywood” KIRN 670 AM Los Angeles, dw-world.de German radio with Shahram Ahadi, “Taraneyeh Nasorudeh” with Farid Vahabi RFI Radio France International, Voice of America radio Farda, Homa Sarshar’s “Khaaneh-ye doost” 670AM Los Angeles, the Kook entertainment show with Behzad Bolour for BBC Persia, Sholeh Sadr sbs radio from Melbourne Australia, “Saba: Wind of Love” 90.1 FM KKFI Kansas City Radio, "The Upper Room with Joe Kelly" WVOF 88.5 FM in Fairfield CT, “Persian Hour” with Shahrokh Nikfar KYRS 92.3 FM in Spokane Washington, and Buenos Aires’ “Goodtime Blues Show” in Argentina.She has also appeared on Bebin TV in Los Angeles with Melissa Shoshahi and Voice of America/Persian TV’s Shabahang.
Discography
- 2007 : I Return (Baz Amadam)I Return (Baz Amadam)I Return is the debut album of Rana Farhan, an Iranian musician and singer of Jazz and Blues. It was released in 2007.- Track listing :#Open the Door#Better Drowned In Wine#Drunk With Love #I Return#I Don't Know#Rumi's Prayer...
- 2009 : Your Wish (Arezoo-Ye To)Your Wish (Arezoo-Ye To)Your Wish is the second album of Rana Farhan, an Iranian musician and singer of Jazz and Blues. It was released in 2009.- Track listing :#I'm Drunk You're Mad#My Work#It Will Be#Ode to Life#Love Song#Spring Morning...
- 2011 : Moon and Stone (Mah-o Sang)Moon and Stone (Mah-o Sang)Moon and Stone is the third album of Rana Farhan, an Iranian musician and singer of Jazz and Blues. It was released in 2011.- Track listing :#Tangled - 4:21#One Breath - 4:30#Slave to the Moment - 5:00 #Blind Star - 4:07 #I Stand By You - 3:19...