Rana Farhan
A unique fusion of classical Persian poetry with contemporary jazz and blues.
Iranian artist Rana Farhan sings in a cool bluesy style that transcends time and erases all borders, wowing listeners worldwide.
Now with the release of “Moon And Stone” her forth full length CD she continues to expand the boundaries and break new ground, combining jazz and blues with Classic Persian poetry, pushing it through to soul and even a hint of R&B.
With each new release Rana redefines a genre that seems to be hers alone.
“This album feels like a new beginning”, Rana says, “It feels like I’m opening new doors. My music is really nothing more than a reflection of what I listen to and the music that is surrounding me at the time. Although Billie Holiday will never be far from my heart, this year my mp3 player was filled with the likes of Teddie Pendergrass, Al Green and a lot of that old 60’s soul vibe. Not that my compositions are similar, sometimes it’s just a flavor here or a phrase there or I might just be walking through the park and hear a line and I’ll say, ‘That’s cool! I wonder if I can do that in Farsi.’ It doesn’t always work but it is a fun trip”.
Her most personal record to date, Rana was also inspired to write her own lyrics on two of the tracks. A touching ballad called “I Stand By You” and a nod to her home country in the hauntingly beautiful “Iran” a song of loneliness and despair that never gives up hope.
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 Jimmy Hendrix 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.
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 legendary studio’s as Electric Ladyland and The Power Station as well as performing in opening slots for Squeeze, Robin Trower and Siouxsie and the Banshees.
It was Farhan’s second release “I Return”, a unique fusion of classical Persian poetry with contemporary blues and jazz music that really set the world on fire.
After recording and distributing a track called “Rumi’s Prayer” over the internet, the response from both American and International listeners was overwhelming. With a demand for more, Farhan and Toub, began writing and recording the album working off of both Rumi and Hafez, compiling one of the most sensitive fusions of two distant cultures.
New York audiences, who were already caught up in Rana’s energy, and packing her performances at local clubs, were now joined by 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. Rana has also recently headlined The Tirgan Festival in Toronto in July 2011.
Rana has been featured on:
Television:
Manoto TV, Voice Of America/Persian TV’s Shabahang,
BBC Persian TV Norooz 2009 live broadcast, the Kook entertainment show with Behzad Bolour and a the documentary “Az Nazdik” for BBC Persia, Pars TV and Bebin TV.
Radio:
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, 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.
In March, 2008 Rana was recognized for her outstanding contributions in art and music by Radio Zamaneh in Holland commemorating the International Day of Woman.