TEHRAN – Lian led by its vocalist and neyanban virtuoso Mohsen Sharifian will give a concert featuring the rhythmical Bushehri music of southern Iran during WOMAD, a music festival in London, on July 29, the organizers have announced.

Vocalists Mohammad Bahrani and Okolo Farmarzi are also scheduled to accompany the band, which features Homayun Nasiri and Hamid Akbari on percussion, and Hossein Taban on oud and neyanban.
 
In a statement published on the WOMAD website, the organizers said, “The troupe [Lian] generates an impressive, layered wall of sound, but their set maintains a strong sense of playfulness, as the performers dabble in dance, solo and improvisation throughout.

“Sharifian’s commitment to playing and advocating for Iranian folk is important and inspiring. His work with the Lian band is going some way to rejuvenating and amplifying this vital musical culture.”

The WOMAD Festival, running in London from July 26 to 29 this year, is held annually during the last weekend of July, offering a global fiesta of music, food, dance and art. 

Photo: Lian performs a concert at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on June 21, 2018. (Musicema/Sara Abdollahi)

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