Hamava Arts
About Hamava by Dirk Campbell
In 1989 my wife Adrienne and I were living near London's Portobello Market, where we discovered a strange instrument shop in the viaduct arches. I had long been interested in non-western music, and the shop contained instruments which I could not identify. We introduced ourselves to the owner, Dr. Iraj Emami, and bought a cassette tape from him of Iranian classical music (Shajarian and Alizadeh, I think). Hearing this music for the first time, Adrienne and I were immediately captivated, especially by the vocal style, and we played it so much in the car that the tape was eventually damaged. I never knew the name of the work - the title was in Farsi! - but I can still recall the music now, over 20 years later.
Iraj looked very stylish in those days, with a trendy haircut and suit. I later found out that he had been a top theatre and film actor in Iran before the Islamic revolution, and that he was also an accomplished artist, musician and film director in his own right. His passion was for all things traditionally Iranian, and he had formed a group called Hamava to promote Iranian culture in London.
Through my lucky connection with Iraj and Hamava I was invited to attend many events promoted by the group, including performances by Nazeri, Lotfi, Alizadeh and Parissa, and folk groups such as the Bakhtiari and the Zoorkhaneh. Hamava members threw themselves heart and soul into the work and were able to fill major venues such as the Royal Festival Hall. I benefited greatly from my friendship with Iraj, who introduced me to these legendary stars, educated me in all aspects of Iranian tradition and taught me how to play ney Iranian-style.
There are many very ancient and rich cultures that need protection and encouragement against the destructive influence of American popular culture. These traditions, once gone, can never be replaced. So I'm delighted that Hamava is still active - long may it continue to flourish!
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