Ghasimi, Püschel und Turnbull
The Schahnameh(„The Book of Kings“), a monumental work of world literature, embodies the mythic origins of the Persian-speaking world. In a bold act of artistic reinterpretation, Elshan Ghasimi, Philipp Püschel, and Joss Turnbull bring this timeless epic into the present, crafting a musical experience that transcends cultural and temporal divisions. Ghasimi, a vocalist and master of the Persian Tar, partners with Püschel and Turnbull, whose instruments are enriched by analog effects and live electronics,creating a space where tradition and modernity dissolve into one another.Rooted in the Radif, the classical Persian music tradition, and inspired by the poetic vision of Abū ʾl-Qāsim Firdausī (940-1020), the trio meditates on cultural memory from a modern perspective. Through jazz, free improvisation, and electronic soundscapes, Ghasimi, Püschel,and Turnbull engage in a dialogue that dissolves borders, inviting a deeper reflection on the interconnectedness of past and present, East and West, tradition and transformation
Elshan Ghasimi
“In her playing […] every phrase is invested with deep thought and grave authority” Michael Church,Musics Lost and Found(2021)Elshan Ghasimi (*1981 in Isfahan, Iran) is an outstanding master of the Persian long-necked lute Tar and Setar and an expert in classical Persian art music. She is a versatile artist, composer, performance artist and committed teacher. Her artistic work takes place in the fascinating intersections of tradition and modernity, West and East, and music and other art forms.Ghasimi’s musical approach is significantly influenced by the rich tradition and practice of Radif, the extensive repertoire of classical Persian music. Through years of dedication and intensive study, she has internalized this repertoire and reinterprets it systematically and in innovative ways.Elshan Ghasimi has been living in Germany since 2016, where she not only performs as a soloist, but also works as a composer for and performs with ensembles such as Concerto Köln.
Philipp Püschel (jazz trumpet / cultural management)
Philipp Püschel (*1990 in Hanover) studied jazz trumpet and cultural and media management at the Hamburg University of Music and Drama and works at the interface between jazz, fusion and electronic music with his ensembles ROCKET MEN and NORLYZ. He also plays regularly in various jazz and pop ensembles, such as the techno marching band MEUTE. As a composer, he has written music for TV productions and dance theater and is the founder of JazzLab, a Hamburg jazz collective, concert series and music label, thus shaping a young, innovative Hamburg jazz sound. Most recently, he directed the new Hamburg concert hall “JazzHall”, is a scholarship holder of the Claussen Simon Foundation Hamburg (st.ART-up funding program) and the concerto21 Academy.
Joss Turnbull
The percussionist Joss Turnbull plays the Iranian goblet drum tombak. With the use of rubber balls, tremmolo sticks, foils and live sampling, he creates expressive music that is far removed from musical oriental clichés and goes against all listening habits. He released his first solo album “Isturnbull” in 2013, followed by concerts as a soloist and with internationally renowned musicians at the Shubbak Festival in London’s Barbican, “Irtijal” for experimental music Lebanon 2015 in Beirut, Al Hamra Theatre Damascus Syria, with Tarek Atoui’s “Revisting Tarab” at Sharjah Art Foundation and many more. He was presented on Deutschlandradio Kultur as “one of the most exciting percussionists of his generation” and received a prize from the GBG Mannheim in the solo artist category in 2015 as well as a scholarship from the Baden-Württemberg Art Foundation.
