The Road

Called "one of the wonders of world trance music," by the Los Angeles Times, Mamak Khadem captivates audiences by blending her roots in the ancient poetry and music of the Persian masters with a bold and revolutionary new sounds. By nature a nomad, she thrives in open spaces but by occupation, she is a bridge connecting geography to lore. Mamak weaves a canopy at once simple and rich, inspiring an awareness and appreciation of Persian arts and culture through a blending of old and new.

The Road, Mamak Khadem's newest project, continues a journey started with her first solo album Jostojoo (Forever Seeking). Following her passion for new influences, Mamak has crossed borders from Iran to Serbia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Greece and Arab-Andalusia. Her search for common threads and the emotional depth of traditional melodies remains a driving force behind her music, which she fuses with elements from her Iranian heritage.

For The Road, Mamak traveled far and wide to forge dynamic collaborations with guitarists Jorge Strunz & Ardeshir Farah (Moods and Visions/Americas), jazz percussionist Mino Cinelu (Quest Journey), Macedonian brass band Agusevi Dzambo Orkestar, members of Bulgaria’s Pazardjik Ensemble, Persian musicians Pezhham Akhavass (The Sky at Dawn) and Mehdi Bagheri and many more. 

Mamak has appeared throughout the Middle East, the US and Europe -- performing at the Perth Concert Hall in Australia, the Greek Theater in Los Angeles, the Smithsonian Institute, the Museum of Folk Instruments and the Voices of Women Festival in Greece, the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, House of Culture in Germany, California Plaza Grand Performances, the Skirball Cultural Center, the World Festival of Sacred Music and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.