Vas (band)
Encyclopedia
Vas was an alternative world musical group composed of Persian
vocalist Azam Ali
and American
percussionist Greg Ellis
. Vas is frequently compared to the Australia
n band Dead Can Dance
. The band released four full-length albums, and both artists have released a few solo albums and participated in side projects. After the group's last album, Feast of Silence
, Ali and Ellis went their own separate ways.
Azam Ali
was born in Iran
and moved to Los Angeles, California
, in 1985, where she began studying the dulcimer
-like santur
under the guidance of Manoochehr Sadeghi
. Greg Ellis was born and raised in Los Gatos, California
, where he first learned to play the drums at age twelve. Ellis moved to Los Angeles in 1984 and started work as a percussionist. The two musicians met at UCLA in 1995 after hearing each other perform; they formed Vas shortly thereafter.
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
vocalist Azam Ali
Azam Ali
-Biography:Born in Tehran, Iran 1970, Ali spent most of her childhood in Panchgani, India. Ali and her mother moved to Los Angeles, California in 1985, after which Ali discovered the santour...
and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
percussionist Greg Ellis
Greg Ellis (musician)
Greg Ellis is a California-born drummer and percussionist, who is currently a member of World/Psytrance/Tribal band Juno Reactor and the ambient group Biomusique....
. Vas is frequently compared to the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n band Dead Can Dance
Dead Can Dance
Dead Can Dance are an ethereal neoclassical duo formed in Melbourne, Australia, in August 1981, by Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry. The band relocated to London in May 1982 and disbanded in 1998. Their 1996 album Spiritchaser reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top World Music Albums Chart...
. The band released four full-length albums, and both artists have released a few solo albums and participated in side projects. After the group's last album, Feast of Silence
Feast of Silence
Feast of Silence is the fourth album release by Vas. It was released after the band came off a hiatus spent recording solo endeavours.-Track listing:# "Amrita "# "In Our Faith"# "Mandara"# "Izgrejala"# "Moksha"...
, Ali and Ellis went their own separate ways.
Azam Ali
Azam Ali
-Biography:Born in Tehran, Iran 1970, Ali spent most of her childhood in Panchgani, India. Ali and her mother moved to Los Angeles, California in 1985, after which Ali discovered the santour...
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...
and moved to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, in 1985, where she began studying the dulcimer
Hammered dulcimer
The hammered dulcimer is a stringed musical instrument with the strings stretched over a trapezoidal sounding board. Typically, the hammered dulcimer is set on a stand, at an angle, before the musician, who holds small mallet hammers in each hand to strike the strings...
-like santur
Santur
The santur is a Persian hammered dulcimerIt is a trapezoid-shaped box often made of walnut or different exotic woods. The Persian classical santur has 72 strings. The name santur was first referenced in ancient Persian poetry...
under the guidance of Manoochehr Sadeghi
Manoochehr Sadeghi
Manoochehr Sadeghi is Persian American naturalized citizen, born in Tehran, Iran. He is considered a Grandmaster or Ostad of the santur a Persian hammered dulcimer. Recipient of the 2003 National Heritage Fellowship Award by the Library of Congress and in 2002 Durfee Foundation: Recipient of the...
. Greg Ellis was born and raised in Los Gatos, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where he first learned to play the drums at age twelve. Ellis moved to Los Angeles in 1984 and started work as a percussionist. The two musicians met at UCLA in 1995 after hearing each other perform; they formed Vas shortly thereafter.
List of band members
- Azam AliAzam Ali-Biography:Born in Tehran, Iran 1970, Ali spent most of her childhood in Panchgani, India. Ali and her mother moved to Los Angeles, California in 1985, after which Ali discovered the santour...
(1995–2004) -- vocals, hammered dulcimerHammered dulcimerThe hammered dulcimer is a stringed musical instrument with the strings stretched over a trapezoidal sounding board. Typically, the hammered dulcimer is set on a stand, at an angle, before the musician, who holds small mallet hammers in each hand to strike the strings...
, tamburaTamburaThe tambura, tanpura, or tambora is a long-necked plucked lute . The body shape of the tambura somewhat resembles that of the sitar, but it has no frets – only the open strings are played to accompany other musicians...
, drums - Greg EllisGreg Ellis (musician)Greg Ellis is a California-born drummer and percussionist, who is currently a member of World/Psytrance/Tribal band Juno Reactor and the ambient group Biomusique....
(1995–2004) -- uduUdufor other uses see Udu The udu is an African drum originated by the Igbo people of Nigeria. In the Igbo language, udu means vessel. Actually being a water jug with an additional hole, it was played by women for ceremonial uses. Usually the udu is made of clay...
, tablaTablaThe tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
, dumbek, nagaraNagaraNagara is a village in the Shimoga district of the state of Karnataka, India. It is 17 km from Hosanagara or 84 km from Shimoga. This was called "Bidanoor" earlier during the 16th century, this was the last capital city of Keladi rulers. In 1763, Hyder Ali captured this area...
, cymbals, bellsBell (instrument)A bell is a simple sound-making device. The bell is a percussion instrument and an idiophone. Its form is usually a hollow, cup-shaped object, which resonates upon being struck...
, drums, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Cameron Stone (2000) -- celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
on In the Garden of Souls
Full length albums and EPs
- SunyataSunyata (VAS album)-Track listing:# "Ningal"# "Saphyrro"# "Refuge"# "Sunyata"# "Apsara"# "Astrae"# "Iman"# "Remembrance"# "Arc of Ascent"# "At Siva's Feet"...
Narada World/MCA (1997) - OfferingsOfferings (VAS album)Offerings is the second album by VAS, with guests Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Steve Stevens, and Hans Christian.-Track listing:# "Svarga"# "Roya"# "Varuna"# "The Promise"# "Ellora"# "Temple Of The Maiden"# "Leyli"# "Veiled"# "Wajad"...
Narada World/Virgin/EMI (1998) - In the Garden of SoulsIn the Garden of SoulsIn the Garden of Souls is the third album by Vas.-Track listing:# "In The Garden of Souls"# "Inamorata"# "Samaya"# "Prayer for Soheil"# "Ceremony of Passage"# "Beyond Despair"# "The Inward Coil"# "Éphémère "# "Lila"# "Unbecome"...
Narada World/Virgin/EMI (2000) - Feast of SilenceFeast of SilenceFeast of Silence is the fourth album release by Vas. It was released after the band came off a hiatus spent recording solo endeavours.-Track listing:# "Amrita "# "In Our Faith"# "Mandara"# "Izgrejala"# "Moksha"...
Narada World/Virgin/EMI (2004)
Compilation appearances
- Refuge on Earthdance 2CD (1998)
- The Reaper and the Flowers on Asleep By Dawn Issue Two (2004)
- The Next Generation - Narada SamplerThe Next Generation - Narada SamplerThe Next Generation - Explore Our World is a 1997 Narada sampler introducing their "Next Generation" of artists.-Track listing:#Jesse Cook Introduction – 0:52#"Mario Takes A Walk" – Jesse Cook – 3:47...
- Narada Film and Television Music SamplerNarada Film and Television Music SamplerNarada Films and Television Music Sampler is a 2003 U.S. EMI Film & TV Music publishing 2CD sampler that represents an overview of the Narada catalog, demonstrating the breadth and diversity of the Narada roster.-Disc One:...
Side projects and solo projects
- Azam AliAzam Ali-Biography:Born in Tehran, Iran 1970, Ali spent most of her childhood in Panchgani, India. Ali and her mother moved to Los Angeles, California in 1985, after which Ali discovered the santour...
- Greg EllisGreg Ellis (musician)Greg Ellis is a California-born drummer and percussionist, who is currently a member of World/Psytrance/Tribal band Juno Reactor and the ambient group Biomusique....
- NiyazNiyazNiyaz is an Iranian musical trio. The group was created in 2005 by DJ, programmer/producer and remixer Carmen Rizzo, vocalist and hammered dulcimer player Azam Ali, formerly of the group Vas, and Ali's husband, Loga Ramin Torkian, of the Iranian crossover group Axiom Of Choice...
(Azam AliAzam Ali-Biography:Born in Tehran, Iran 1970, Ali spent most of her childhood in Panchgani, India. Ali and her mother moved to Los Angeles, California in 1985, after which Ali discovered the santour...
, Loga Torkian) - RoselandRoseland (band)Roseland is a musical partnership between Azam Ali and film composer Tyler Bates. It features Azam singing entirely in English against a rock/ambient soundscape that, on several tracks, includes the drumming and percussion of Greg Ellis, who co-founded Vas with Azam Ali back in 1996.-History and...
(Azam AliAzam Ali-Biography:Born in Tehran, Iran 1970, Ali spent most of her childhood in Panchgani, India. Ali and her mother moved to Los Angeles, California in 1985, after which Ali discovered the santour...
, Tyler BatesTyler BatesTyler Bates is a music producer and composer for films. His most known work includes "The Hangman's Song" and various other tracks from the zombie horror film Dawn of the Dead, and 2008's Day of the Dead...
, Greg Ellis)