'Toranj' Available HERE

Music

About

Nava is a Dublin-based quartet exploring the musical cultures of Ireland and Persia. It is comprised ofbanjoist Paddy Kiernan, guitarist/bassist Niall Hughes, and Iranian born brothers Shahab and ShayanCoohe, on santoor, and tombak/tar/clarinetrespectively.

March 2022 saw Nava release their third studio recording, “Toranj”, following up from 2017’s“Tapestry” and 2019’s “Sojourns, Volume 1”.

The album sees them incorporate a wider array of musical influences to their Persian-Irishfoundation,incorporating Turkish music, Indian Classical, modal jazz, Scandinavian folk music, and atraditional piece inspired by the Baloochestan region of Iran.

The album’s title “Toranj” is Farsi for the central point of a Persian rug’s design, where the variouspatterns all meet. It’s reflective of the creative vision that drove the project; of an innovative,adventurous group of musicians weaving their influences and instruments into a rich sonic tapestry,charting a confident next step in the development of this unique ensemble.

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Santoor

Shahab Coohe

Born into a family of music lovers, Shahab started his music education aged eight, under the direction of Majid Kiani, one of the contemporary masters of the santoor (a trapezoid-shaped stringed instrument that pre-dates the duclimer and piano). He also plays violin and is currently studying performance at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.
Guitar/Bass

Niall Hughes

Originally from County Mayo, Niall now lives in Dublin where is widely known as one of the most versatile and creative bass players in Ireland. He currently plays with a whole host of bands across the musical spectrum including Bluegrass band Mules and Men, The Lisa Canny Band and The Blue Light Smugglers.
Banjo

Paddy Kiernan

Paddy is one of Ireland's most in-demand banjo players and teachers. Constantly pushing boundaries on his instrument, he was the first 5 string banjo player to graduate from the University of Limerick’s MA in Traditional Music Programme.
Tombak/Tar/Clarinet

Shayan Coohe

Shayan started playing the Tombak under the direction of Master Arjang Kamkar at the age of seven and went on to study Tar (a plucked string instrument which pre-dates the lute and guitar). Shayan continued his studies at the Conservatoire of Music in Tehran aged 11. He also plays Daf, Setar and Tanbour and is currently studying Clarinet at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin.

Upcoming Gigs

Check back here for upcoming performances

Selected past performances

Doolin Folk Festival

Celtic Connections

National Concert Hall, Dublin

Folk Alliance

Fleadh TV 2022

Philidelphia Folk Festival 2020

Masters of the Tradition

Press

Irish Times (Album Reviews April 2022) '... Toranj is a stunning snapshot of the band on a hugely impressive upward trajectory. Catching them live is a must, as these tunes will surely glisten in the heat of live performance..' - Siobhán Long

Songlines (#134 Jan/Feb 2018) 'Wherever the source of the music lies, the group manage to create a new home for it in the space created by their sensitive and dynamic playing. 4/5 Stars' - Tom Newall

Fatea Records (January 2018) 'The individual, and rather mesmerising, quality of Nava’s invention is perhaps most strikingly felt on the pieces of Iranian origin, although the Irish tunes also spring some surprises...' - David Kidman

The Thin Air (December 2017) 'Nava’s musical make-up and blisteringly sharp instrumentation boil over into a debut effort that’s eccentric, incomparable, and essential. 4.5/5 Stars' - Aaron Drain

Irish Music Magazine (December 2017) '... the familiarity in the music and instruments as can be heard on Tapestry demonstrates the importance of what Nava has done with this record, which is breaking new ground on the global musical landscape.' - Derek Copley

Contact

For booking and general inquires please use the links below.

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