Global Union
Sunday, September 14, 2008, 2:30 p.m.
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Mamak Khadem is best known as the singer of the acclaimed and popular cross-cultural Persian fusion ensemble Axiom of Choice, which was established in 1990 in Los Angeles. By nature, Khadem is nomadic, thriving in open spaces and using her music as a bridge between geography and lore. While open to a variety of cultural influences, she has chosen the classical Persian style as her base. Khadem was born in Iran at a time when tides were changing. Part of the Children's Choir for National Radio and Television of Iran, it wasn't until the late 1970s and after the Iranian Revolution of 1979 that her passion for singing waxed. Inspired by works of master musicians in the 1980s, she seized every opportunity to further her vocal art, regularly traveling back to Iran to study with some of the finest Persian vocalists and masters. She benefited from classical Indian singing tradition at Ali Akbar Khan College of Music in northern California and from Bulgarian choir of Nevenka.
Following the release of Axiom of Choice’s three albums Beyond Denial (1994), Niayesh (2000), and Unfolding (2002), Khadem embarked upon a solo career, heading her own ensemble. Her first solo album Jostojoo, which she co-produced with Jamshied Sharifi, was released in September 2007. Jostojoo explores regional melodies from Iran, Greece, Armenia and Turkey, rearranged and set to Persian poetry.
Khadem has performed widely in the US and Europe, and also teaches voice at regular music workshops at the Middle Eastern Music Camp in Mendocino, the Labyrinth School of Music in Hudetsi, Greece, the Irish World Academy Of Music and Dance, University of Limerick , and University of Toronto.
Khadem has recorded with Hans Zimmer (on the feature soundtrack to the motion picture Peace Maker), Joel McNeally (on the soundtrack to Buffalo Soldier and Dark Angels TV series), Jeff Rona (on the score of Traffic and “Profiler” TV series), Marco Beltrami (on the feature soundtrack to the motion picture Dracula 2000), Chris Beck (on the score to “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” TV series), Richard Gibbs (on the score of “Battlestar Galactica” TV series), and Jamshid Sharifi (on the feature soundtrack to the motion picture Persona Non Grata). She sang for the music score of a theatrical production, “Majles-e Shabih”, composed by Iranian composer and ethnomusicologist Mohammad Reza Darvishi. The play was written and directed by renowned Iranian playwright and director Bahram Bayzaie. Mamak also sang for “The Libation Bearers”, a play directed by Lee Breuer at Patras Festival in Greece (2006), with music composed by Eve Beglarian.
Besides recording with film composers, Mamak has worked, performed and recorded with Turkish singer Omar Faruk Tekbilek (on the album Alif), Jamshid Sharifi (on A Prayer for the Soul of Layla), and Tulku (on Season of Souls compiled in one of the Buddha Bar CD series).