"in the Name of the Red Rose" the latest work of Hamid Motebassem & Dastan Ensemble, featuring the voice of Salar Aghili, has been released
Sing in the Name of the Red Rose, and Sing with Love
The first time I heard this poem, I didn’t have enough education to take a look at Kuoche baq-ha-ye Neyshabour The Garden Streets of Neyshabour by Shafie Kadkani myself, yet the musicality and the transparent message left a deep and unforgettable impression on my soul as a child.
In those days, music and poetry had a special place in our home. My mother had a delicate and musical temperament. My father played the Tar and owned a store specializing in musical notes. Of my older brothers, one played the violin and the other loved poetry and would sometimes have his works published in Ferdosi Magazine. As for my other sisters and brothers, great enthusiasm and talent for music and poetry was always present and still remains so.
Listening to the music of such artists as Mahjoubi or Banan and becoming familiar with the poetry of great minds like Shafi Kadkani became the foundation of my future artistic life and led me to specialized art schools in order to expand my knowledge. Today, this foundation gives me passion and courage to offer you another rendition of In the Name of the Red Rose in song and music.
The words of Shafie Kadkani binds your heart with the other side of the world, does not know borders and belongs to all human beings. May In the Name of the Red Rose be the same.
It is pure joy that the music played by the able hands of the Dastan Ensemble and other musicians, and the beautiful voice of Salar Aghili join me in this melody so we can sing In the Name of the Red Rose with love.
Hamid Motebassem
Winter 2007

Ensemble DASTAN
Said Farajpoori Kamancheh
Hossein Behroozinia Barbat
Hamid Motebassem Tar
Behnam Samani Percussion
Pejman Hadadi Percussion
&
Siddharth Kishna Sitar
Reza Abaee Qeizhak
Pouya Saraee Santour