Mohammad Reza Mortazavi + Cinna Peyghamy

Mohammad Reza Mortazavi and Cinna Peyghamy both take the tombak – the traditional Persian percussion instrument – as their point of departure, yet lead it in strikingly different directions.

MOHAMMAD REZA MORTAZAVI

Mohammad Reza Mortazavi (b. 1979, Iran) is one of the most acclaimed living masters of the tombak and daf – traditional Persian drums that he has spent decades developing and redefining through his own techniques and unique musical language. Recognised as an extraordinary talent from an early age, he won Iran’s national tombak competition seven times.

On his album Nexus, Mortazavi continues his exploration of rhythm, resonance, and transformation. Expanding his sonic palette with voice, effects, and electronic sound processing, he remains deeply connected to the acoustic essence of his instruments. The album opens with Zendegi (“Life”), inspired by the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom.” By analysing the rhythm of the chant and transforming it into a new compositional structure, Mortazavi offers both a personal artistic statement and a gesture to his homeland and beyond.

CINNA PEYGHAMY

Cinna Peyghamy is a French-Iranian percussionist, composer, and producer based in Paris. Drawing from both the experimental noise scene and electronic music, he creates a distinctive sonic universe shaped by fragmented rhythms, improvisation, and a relentless curiosity for the possibilities of sound.

Designing and building many of his own instruments – from DIY synthesizers to mechanical sound devices – Peyghamy works at the intersection of acoustic and electronic music. At the heart of his practice is the tombak, a traditional Persian percussion instrument that he combines with modular synthesizers and real-time electronic sound processing.