Persian and Middle Eastern music in London, York and Canterbury - September 2025 - April 2026.
Wednesday, September 03, 2025
Artstage, one of the world’s leading promoters of Persian & Middle Eastern music will present a series of performances in the UK including several events forming part of the EFG London Jazz Festival.
We have received the following press release;
Artstage is one of the world’s leading promoters of Persian and Middle Eastern music – and they have a series of concerts coming up in London, including numerous shows as part of this year’s London Jazz Festival in November.
The concerts will feature some of the most celebrated artists from across the region including legendary composer and virtuoso instrumentalist Hossein Alizadeh, one of the leading forces in Persian jazz Arshid Azarine, and a unique collaboration between Armenian and Iranian musicians Arsen Petrosyan, Adib Rostami and Mehdi Rostami.
LISTINGS:
GRASS: A NATION’S BATTLE FOR LIFE (1925) – CENTENARY SCREENING + LIVE MUSIC BY PEYMAN YAZDANIAN
Friday 19th September – Kings Place, London
This year marks the centenary of Grass: A Nation’s Battle for Life - one of the most culturally significant films of the silent era. Directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack (who would later go on to make King Kong), Grass documents the epic seasonal migration of Iran’s Bakhtiari nomads. It remains a cornerstone of ethnographic cinema and a vital record of a disappearing way of life. A newly restored version of the film - courtesy of the Museum of Modern Art - will be screened at Kings Place in London on September 19th, accompanied by a live score from acclaimed Iranian composer and pianist Peyman Yazdanian. Yazdanian’s blend of Persian and Western classical traditions brings a new emotional depth to this landmark work. He’ll be joined by Adib Rostami on traditional instruments for a performance that reimagines Grass for a modern audience.
https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/classical/screening-of-the-silent-masterpiece-grass-1925-with-live-music-by-peyman-yazdanian/
BOMRANI ENSEMBLE
Friday 17th October – Rich Mix, London
After a sold-out show in 2024, Bomrani, one of Iran’s most acclaimed alternative bands, return to London for two exclusive performances at Rich Mix. Emerging from Tehran’s underground scene, the band has gained international recognition for its unique fusion of rock, folk, and jazz.
https://richmix.org.uk/music/bomrani/
ARSHID AZARINE TRIO
Thursday 23rd October – Elgar Room Royal Albert Hall, London
Known for their unique fusion of Persian roots and contemporary jazz, the trio features Arshid Azarine on piano, Habib Meftah on percussion and vocals, and Hervé de Ratuld on bass.
Their acclaimed albums 7 Djan and Sing Me a Song showcased collaborations with Iranian and international artists, blending Persian poetry with global jazz influences. Now, with their latest release Vorticity, the trio embarks on a new musical journey inspired by both the turbulence of recent events in Iran and Azarine’s background in cardiovascular research. Vorticity explores themes of chaos, love, and renewal through intricate rhythms and evocative melodies.
https://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/events/2025/late-night-jazz-arshid-azarine-trio
HOSSEIN ALIZADEH AND REMBRANDT TRIO
Friday 14th November – Cadogan Hall, London (PART OF LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL)
An evening of musical fusion as Hossein Alizadeh, Iran’s legendary composer and virtuoso of the tar and setar, joins forces with the acclaimed Dutch ensemble Rembrandt Trio. This unique collaboration brings together the soul of Persian classical music with the refined improvisational language of European jazz.
Alizadeh’s deeply expressive melodies and centuries-old traditions intertwine seamlessly with the Trio’s rich textures and contemporary sensibility, led by Rembrandt Frerichs on piano, Tony Overwater on double bass and Vinsent Planjer on drums and percussion. Together, they create a genre-defying soundscape - at once intimate, adventurous, and timeless.
https://cadoganhall.com/whats-on/ljf25-hossein-alizadeh-and-rembrandt-trio/
L’ANTIDOTE TRIO
Saturday 15th November – Kings Place, London (PART OF LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL)
Making their UK debut this autumn at the London Jazz Festival, L’Antidote Trio are a group consisting of Iranian zarb and Persian percussionist Bijan Chemirani, Albanian cellist Redi Hasa and Lebanese pianist Rami Khalifé (Robert Plant, Maria Mazzotta and Ludovico Einaudi) blurring the boundaries between classical and electronic sounds from the Middle East.
https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/jazz/lantidote-trio/
FAARJAM SAIDI
Sunday 16th November – Kings Place, London (PART OF LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL)
Faarjam Saidi is an Iranian musician and producer whose sound blends indie pop and fusion with rich Middle Eastern influences. Drawing inspiration from contemporary Iranian poetry, his music is marked by emotional depth, poetic lyricism, and a unique cross-cultural sensibility. Tracks like “Fathe Bagh,” “Sabze Lajani,” and “Amsterdam” showcase his ability to fuse reflective storytelling with memorable melodies. As part of the London Jazz Festival, Faarjam and his full band will perform at King’s Place in London on 16 November. Expect an atmospheric and intimate live set shaped by vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, bass, and drums, bridging tradition and modernity through deeply personal songs and poetic narratives.
https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/contemporary/faarjam-saidi-2025/
ARSEN PETROSYAN, MEHDI ROSTAMI AND ADIB ROSTAMI
Monday 17th November – National Centre for Early Music, York
Tuesday 18th November – Rich Mix, London (PART OF LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL)
Bringing together the rich musical traditions of Armenia and Iran, this is an evening of music with an exceptional trio performance by Arsen Petrosyan (duduk), Adib Rostami (kamancheh), and Mehdi Rostami (setar). The trio weaves a tapestry of sound that is both deeply rooted and beautifully contemporary with haunting melodies and intricate improvisations.
https://richmix.org.uk/music/arsen-petrosyan-mehdi-rostami-and-adib-rostami/
OH VOYAGE
Thursday 20th November – Rich Mix, London (PART OF LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL)
Rotterdam-based duo Oh Voyage grew up in Istanbul and blend psychedelic Anatolian folk music with analogue synthesisers to create a sound that pays homage to the nomadic spirit of their ancestors.
https://richmix.org.uk/music/oh-voyage/
BEHDAD BABAEI & NAVID AFGHAH
Saturday 22nd November – Rich Mix, London (PART OF LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL)
A powerful musical journey through the life and mind of renowned Iranian musician Behdad Babaei, joined by Navid Afghah and Vahid Taremi as part of this year’s London Jazz Festival. This is a story of unravelling and revelation, of an artist shaped by cultural memory, personal struggle and the enduring search for meaning. Through music, Babaei traces a path from inner turmoil to creative clarity, from collective pain to silent longing, weaving a deeply emotional narrative that resonates far beyond borders.
https://richmix.org.uk/music/insanity-route-behdad-babaei-navid-afghah-vahid-taremi/
PERSIAN JAZZ NIGHT: ARIN KESHISHI QUINTET & KOUROSH KANANI DUO
Saturday 22nd November 2025 – Rich Mix, London (PART OF LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL)
Drawing inspiration from Kourosh’s Iranian-Azeri heritage and his deep command of South Indian rhythm, the duo crafts a soundscape rooted in tradition, yet forward-looking. Presenting music from their forthcoming third album, Gisu, featuring a bold interplay between virtuosic guitar and electronically infused drums, this is a truly unmissable act.
Led by bassist and composer Arin Keshishi, an Armenian musician from Iran now based in Amsterdam, Arin blends the rich musical traditions of Armenia and Iran while creating something entirely new. His debut album, Self-Reflection, is a compelling portrait of his personal and cultural journey. The quintet also features world-class musicians from Europe and Iran, all of whom share Arin’s vision and bring their own mastery to the ensemble.
https://richmix.org.uk/music/persian-jazz-night-arin-keshishi-quintet-kourosh-kanani-duo/
PEYMAN YAZDANIAN
Sunday 23rd November 2025 – World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens, London (PART OF LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL)
Peyman Yazdanian is an acclaimed Iranian pianist and composer known for his unique fusion of Persian musical sensibilities with Western classical traditions. Trained from a young age in Tehran and later in Europe, Yazdanian has composed over 40 solo piano pieces and numerous orchestral works, earning international recognition for both his concert music and film scores. Yazdanian returns to the capital this November to perform at World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens as part of the London Jazz Festival.
https://worldheartbeat.org/events/jazz-improvisation-with-peyman-yazdanian/
KAYHAN KALHOR
Friday 24th April 2026 – Colyer-Fergusson Hall, Kent
A creative force in today’s global music scene, Kayhan Kalhor is an internationally acclaimed virtuoso of the kamancheh (spiked fiddle). Renowned for his evocative performances of traditional Persian music and his groundbreaking collaborations across cultures, Kalhor has played a vital role in bringing Persian music to international prominence. His artistry continues to captivate audiences worldwide, bridging musical traditions with remarkable depth and sensitivity.
https://thegulbenkian.co.uk/events/kayhan-kalhor/