“Santur, harp, and tabla as you've never heard them before.”
In the midst of three distinct and daring careers, Shawn Mativetsky, Amir Amiri, and Sarah Pagé have come together, forging a remarkable triad in which multiple musical traditions are recontextualized. Employing rhythmically imaginative tabla, a custom-built santur and processed concert harp, the group makes stirring music for emergent worlds.
Based in Montreal, Mativetsky, Amiri & Pagé formed in 2019 through mutual connections and a shared desire to push their respective practices further. At the center of this creative collaboration is an intention to bring musical traditions into a contemporary context; seeking new sounds through a balance of study and experimentation. The resulting music is both intense and welcoming, appealing equally to fans of both traditional and non-traditional approaches. This equilibrium is achieved through rigorous play and serious dedication. Despite being technically sophisticated, all of the music’s intricate mechanisms remain tucked inside. The sound is lush, organic and uncanny. What’s immediately evident when listening to the trio is the rich sense of cohesion; complex melodies referencing Persian music and chamber jazz combine seamlessly with inventive Hindustani rhythms. The compositions morph and sway as if to their own internal logic, each player taking turns shepherding the music.
Bios
Amir Amiri was born in Tehran, Iran where much of his youth was spent studying the santur, a 72-string hammered dulcimer that lies at the heart of Persian classical music. Classically trained, Amiri has always sought to explore the limits of his music, stretching beyond the constraints of classical thought. Amiri has worked extensively as a performer, composer, musical director and consultant for numerous Canadian dance and theatre companies, orchestras, concert series, and has considerable experience in film and television. While continuously exploring the limits of his music, Amir keeps coming back to the conclusion that there are none.
To encapsulate the career of Montreal-based harpist Sarah Pagé, one would have to draw long, constellation-like shapes across genres, borders and histories. While perhaps best known as a founding and longtime member of roots rockers The Barr Brothers, a brief consideration of her resume reveals the fact that she’s equally at home within traditions as without them. Her first solo LP, Dose Curves, affirms this versatility and reveals Pagé as one of Canada’s most accomplished experimentalists.
Dynamic performer Shawn Mativetsky is considered one of Canada's leading ambassadors of the tabla, pushing the boundaries of tradition. Acclaimed as an exceptional soloist and a leading disciple of the renowned Pandit Sharda Sahai, Shawn Mativetsky is highly sought after as both performer and educator, and has performed at venues around the world. Based in Montreal, Shawn teaches tabla and percussion at McGill University. His solo album, Rivers, is rooted in the rich traditions of the Benares style of tabla playing, and the recent self-titled debut album of his new project, Temporal Waves, features the tabla, bathed in the neon glow of analog synthesizers.
