Global Mashup: Middle Eastern Rock Meets Western Swing
Company:
Flushing Town Hall
Starting with two dance workshops, each band plays a set, then the two meet and jam for the third and final "Mashup" set!
Experience an unforgettable night of powerful music, cultural fusion, and storytelling as two groundbreaking artists take the stage: Mehrnam Rastegari, the internationally acclaimed Persian musician and composer, and Queen Esther, the genre-defying force in Americana and Black roots music.
Mehrnam Rastegari: Chogan blends Persian classical traditions with rock and modern fusion, reimagining the sound of the Kamancheh for global audiences. A master instrumentalist, film score composer, and founder of both her traditional Persian ensemble and Middle Eastern rock band Chogan, Rastegari brings centuries of sonic heritage into bold, contemporary conversation.
"Rastegari is a distinguished Persian musician, award-winning film score composer, singer, violinist and virtuoso kamancheh player. Renowned for pushing the boundaries of Persian music, she blends traditional sounds with rock and modern fusion elements, offering fresh interpretations that resonate with global audiences. Her innovative approach to Persian microtonal music aims to bridge the gap between tradition and contemporary styles, capturing the attention of listeners worldwide."
-- www.timesargus.com
Queen Esther, hailed as “the unknown queen of Americana,” digs deep into Black Southern roots to reclaim and reshape the narrative of American music. Her genre-blurring style draws from jazz, blues, swing, alt-country, and Black folk traditions, creating an electrifying mix that is both timeless and fiercely original.
“There’s a kind of raw naivet to Queen Esther’s voice. The way she slides into and out of each note, slurring her enunciation, with a sly hesitating sense of rhythm that just borders on slow, as if she’s listening and playing to an alternative beat. To be honest, she plays so fast and loose with her intonation that at first she seemed out of tune, but with time and multiple listenings, I began to see what she was doing. Queen Esther approaches her vocals more as an instrumentalist might, bending notes and delaying the timing to emphasize the solo. It’s masterful, but not everyone can pull this off. On reflection, it’s obvious that Queen Esther puts a lot of thought into her performance, while at the same time she makes it seem graceful and carefree. That’s one of the hallmarks of a true virtuoso.”
— Audiophile Audition
Together, these two visionary artists share a stage for the first time, weaving stories across cultures and generations. This one-night-only event is a celebration of identity, innovation, and the unifying power of music.
Don’t miss this extraordinary evening of musical brilliance and cultural connection.
