Rahman Asadollahi, from Southern Azerbaijan, was born in 1951 and is considered the most accomplished garmon player, which is the Azerbaijani accordion.
He started playing the garmon at the age of 10 and a few years later was honored by the most prestigious awards by the Azerbaijan State Music University and Conservatory of Music of Azerbaijan. Rahman Asadollahi composed music, played in and conducted Azerbaijani concerts in Iran from 1969 to 1985 where he became known as the master of all accordion players. He is a remarkable composer and masterful improviser on the garmon.
Rahman Asadollahi has a vast knowledge of the Azerbaijani mugams and performs them with infinite devotion. He has won the first prize among 160 European accordion players in the 1995 All European Accordion and Harmonica Championship in Switzerland. He lived in Germany from 1985 to 1999 and has performed throughout Iran, Azerbaijan, the United States, Turkmenistan, England, France, Denmark, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany, arriving to the US in 1999.
For his recording Ana, Rahman Asadollahi teamed up with the Orchestra of Azerbaijani Folkloric Music, conducted by nationally renown Professor Nariman Azimoff, and his brother master drummer Vehid Asadollahi, to feature some of the best loved traditional Azeri music, poured out with profound sensitivity from Rahman’s 90 year-old garmon.
Ana was recorded with a 25 member Azerbaijani orchestra in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan with the famed conductor Nariman Azimoff.
In 2016, Rahman and his brother Vahid Asadollahi released Rima (Rahgozar Haft Eghlim), a duet for garmon and naqare (drum). All tracks were inspired by Azerbaijani melodies and Iranian the repertoire. Some of the musical pieces were composed by master Qolamhossein Bigjekhani and Rahman Asadollahi.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.