Middle Eastern (album)

Middle Eastern is an album by Mehdi Rajabian, along with a hundred musicians from twelve countries of Middle East, in classic and Middle Eastern form, released by Sony Music Entertainment in March 2019. This album haven't been released in Iran due to the restrictions Rajabian is facing. This album includes 11 tracks which are 40 minutes in total. The initiative idea for this album came to Rajabian's mind while he was imprisoned due to his musical activities. Artists from more than 12 Middle Eastern countries are participating in the project. The album features more than 100 musicians from all over the Middle East. In this album is made by the use of traditional instruments, as the main focus was on Middle Eastern tones.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]

Middle Eastern
Studio album by
Mehdi Rajabian
Released15 March 2019
RecordedMarch 2018, in different studios in Middle East
GenreClassical, Traditional Middle Eastern Folk
Length40:12
LabelSony Music Entertainment
ProducerBarg Music by Mehdi Rajabian

Publication

This album was published worldwide in March 2019 by Sony Music Entertainment.[2] It was available on both physical and digital markets (such as iTunes) to buy. This album hasn't been published Iran due to the restrictions Rajabian is facing.

Cover

The cover of the album is a photograph by Reza Deghati. As he claimed in one of his interviews with Al Jazeera, the photograph was shot in Iraq.[1]

Musicians' Condition

The melodies of this album were created in the middle of war, vast water (as one the musicians was a refugee escaping his country on a boat), in prison, poverty and under bombardments. Rajabian himself was in prison for two years due to his musical activities, and he wrote the initiative idea for the album then. The message this album carries is about tyranny, oppression, human rights, war, peace, and freedom.[9]

Reflection in media

News agencies such as Washington Post, Euronews,[3] ICI,[10] MSN,[4] Al Jazeera,[1] Newsweek,[2] BBC World, etc. did cover the album. Washington Post mentioned this that music can talk about suffering and human rights, and not just for fun and politics. Newsweek labeled this album as one of the greatest albums of Middle East.

Arrest

Mehdi Rajabian was arrested once again on August 11, 2020 for publishing his latest album Middle Eastern. Later on, Fox News reported that he was temporarily released on bail until his court date.[11] As Reuters reports, Rajabian "was arrested following media reports that his latest project will include women singing and the publication of a video of a woman dancing to his music".[12] Al Jazeera also reported that he will be on a home arrest until the court date.[13] Worldwide media coverage by Fox News, Reuters, Newsweek, BBC News, ABC, Financial Times, The National, la Repubblica, Al Arabiya, Corriere, etc. has forced the regime to approve Rajabian being released on bail until the court date. In his previous case back in 2015, after spending two years in prison, Rajabian went on a 40 days hunger strike which forced the authorities to temporarily release him. In the case mentioned earlier, he also had a three years of suspended sentence which now can be executed at any moment. After his release back then, Mehdi Rajabian went on producing Middle Eastern. Music,[14] Painting,[15] Dancing,[16] Photography,[17] and Book writing were the elements of Middle Eastern project. Musicians from all over the Middle East have participated in this project. Due to his arrest, this project was also left unfinished, just like the last ones. As for the music part of the project, the album was released by Sony Music in 2019.[11][12][13][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]

See also

References
  1. "'No to war': Middle East musicians collaborate on a 'peace album'". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  2. "Middle Eastern". Sony Music Turkey. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  3. Matamoros, Cristina Abellan (20 September 2018). "Middle East musicians send united message of peace in new musical collaboration". euronews. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  4. "Risquer sa vie pour faire de la musique en temps de guerre". www.msn.com. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  5. "'No to war': Middle East musicians collaborate on a 'peace album'". Your Middle East. 16 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  6. "Iran,"Medio Oriente di pace", il nuovo album di Mehdi Rajabian". Arabpress (in Italian). 10 August 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  7. "Mehdi Rajabian was sent to prison for making music - but he says that won't stop him". BBC.com. 10 August 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  8. "The songwriter tells us about his new 'Middle Eastern' album and his passion for artistic freedom". thenational.ae. 16 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  9. "'No to war': Middle East musicians collaborate on a 'peace album' - RocketNews". RocketNews | Top News Stories From Around the Globe. 16 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  10. ICI.Radio-Canada.ca, Zone Arts-. "Risquer sa vie pour faire de la musique en temps de guerre". Radio-Canada.ca (in French). Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  11. "Iranian musician rebuffing ban arrested for allegedly encouraging women to dance and sing". foxnews.com. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  12. "Iranian musician faces jail over women dancers and singers". Reuters.com. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  13. "Iran: Musician faces jail for working with women dancers, singers". Aljazeera.com. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  14. "Middle Eastern Album Music". sonymusic.com.tr. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  15. "Dissident Musician Mehdi Rajabian on Collaborating With Artists for His Risky New Album". news.artnet.com. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  16. "performs for the Middle Eastern Project". abc.net.au. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  17. "Middle East musicians collaborate on a 'peace album'". aljazeera.com. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  18. "Iran Threatens Musician With Jail for Encouraging Women to Sing, Dance". Newsweek.com. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  19. "Iranian musician Mehdi Rajabian arrested for working with women". Bbc.com. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  20. "Iranian musician's complete prohibition' after allegedly helping women sing". thenational.ae. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  21. "Iranian artists jailed for defying government restrictions on women singing and dancing". abc.net.au. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  22. "When dance gets dangerous: the perils of free expression in Iran". Ft.com. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  23. "Iranian musician faces prison for women dancing, singing". alarabiya.net. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  24. "Iran, rischia la prigione il musicista che fa cantare e ballare le donne". corriere.it. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  25. "Iran, arrestato il musicista Mehdi Rajabian: collabora con donne. L'accusa: "Incoraggia la prostituzione"". repubblica.it. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
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