"Dreamcatcher" from Bahramji

Bahram was born 1952 in the Persian city Kermanshah, in the Kurdish part Iran. Kermanshah is a small city in a beautifully location: surrounded by mountains, rivers and trees, it was therefore also called „the city of the kings“. Bahram grew up in a large family, in which there were many good musicians and singers. He therefore had contact to music at early age. As a child he heard the old Sufi melodies, which are still inspiration for him today. Bahrams musical career began at the age of 15 when his father, who plays the violin himself, gave him a Santoor. A good friend taught him the first steps on this traditional instrument and already soon he became such a virtuoso, that he already performed in public.

After Bahram had lived 25 years in Iran, where he also went to school ending with a highschool diploma, he left the country in 1977, studied in and travelled to India and later to Europe. India became Bahrams new love. „India is the country of spirituality. Nature and people are wonderful - it changed my life.“ says Bahramji. By playing whirling music for restless globetrotters of most various cultures, his style changed and melted the traditional songs into a new form, creating a sphere refreshing the body and soul.

His instrument is the Persian Santoor, a traditional string instrument, from which is said to be able to cause the tone of total emptiness. Besides the Santoor, he also began to play the Persian Settar and „Ney“, a Persian bamboo flute. He also began to sing in order to interpret the words of mystic poets such as Rumi, Saadi, Attar or Hafez.

For a long time Bahramji studied the doctrines of the Sufi and also lived through the teachings. „I identify myself with my music - however not just only herewith. Today I am a musician and tomorrow … a cook.“ And a good cook he is. Bahramji continues to say: „I never commit myself to only one thing. I take life simply gratefully and with open heartily – just as it is. Whatever may come, I take it like it is, because it is good as it is.“ Bahram does not expect anything and this seems to be his secret. Nevertheless is music of greatest importance in his life. „In the life of the Sufi music is as important as air for breathing. Music is a power in our life, our greatest gift. It brings us laughter or tears - it feeds our spirit. Music is a universal language; music appears in all languages of the world, by mixing seven tones, which create millions of different melodies. Seven tones create the whole music world-wide, ever written and still to be written. Sufi music is a mental expression of divine love from the view of humans. The  “Ney“ plays hereby an important role. It is a symbol for the human soul and a symbol for the Sufi soul, which swings along with it. Sufism is not a religion, but rather a way of life. The message is liberty of the soul, the love for each other and the love for nature. It’s about harmony with ourselves and with others. To see the beauty, which is all around, visibly or invisibly. We call Sufism the belief love, harmony and beauty.“, says Bahramji.

"Dreamcatcher" is taken from the album CALL OF THE MYSTIC (Blue Flame 39850732)