Ali Eskandarian

Our new Peyote Radio Theatre feature artist is Ali Eskandarian. We'd like to thank Ali as he was gracious enough to take time out of his super busy schedule and do an interview (featured below), with us here at JBIN.

Ali Eskandarian's ambient alt/countrysoundscapes, mixed with his edgy songwriting and singing set him apart in todays music scene. His music has a quality that draws the listener in and leaves you wanting more. Ali is a triple threat and well seasoned professional, penning his own original songs as well as being adept at guitar, keyboards, percusion and having performed in Dallas, Texas , New York City at The Knitting Factory, The Bitter End, The Living Room, Rockwood Music Hall and in Chicago and Toronto.

Ali was born a few months before the climax of the Iranian revolution September 11th, 1978 in Pensacola, Florida. His musical influences are varied as a result of his life experience and living in diverse areas, from Tehran, Iran's capital and the family hometown to Germany and then Dallas, Texas where Ali went to High School and College.

Ali attended the award winning Quad C theater program @ the Collin County Community College in Plano, Texas where he studied acting for 2 yrs and then it was off to Los Angeles where he spent several years honing his acting skills.

Ali moved to NYC in July of 2003, "I knew that people's ears opened wider in NYC". Ali is influenced by many kinds of music from Iranian Pop, Jazz and traditional music to Indian, Greek, Italian, and German (krautrock) to Glamrock, blues, country, jazz, psychedelic rock.

His debut CD "Nothing To Say" was produced by Rob Friedman at Littlife Studios in New York and is now available at
http://cdbaby.com/cd/eskandarian

You can hear the track "All We Do" on Peyote Radio Theatre at www.jeffbuckley.com

For more info & a full performance schedule, log online at:
www.myspace.com/alieskandarian

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ALI ESKANDARIAN INTERVIEW
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JBIN: How did you first become interested in music & performing?
ALI: I've been interested in performing in one way or another since my childhood. I loved to dance and sing. I also come from a very musical and artistic background. My father and uncles played guitar and sang. My father was on the verge of having a successful entertainment career before he became an officer in the Iranian Air force so I was always around music. It's hard to find an Iranian party without dancing and singing. The Islamic Revolution has up until now not been successful, despite having tried very hard, in trying to stop people from having a good time. It was the same during the war and it
suited me just fine. I eventually realized how much music meant to me and that I could be a musician.



JBIN: What inspires your songwriting ?
ALI: Lots of things. People and places. News events and
the state of our world. Stuff I've heard people say on the train or the way someone looks on the street.
Some things need to be said in songs. Some things are best said in songs. Sometimes though just sitting around and playing the guitar and wanting to play a song that neither you or anybody else has heard before can inspire a song. On those occasions it's nice to have some kind of a recorder handy.


JBIN: What is your background in music?
ALI: Everything I've learned comes from observation, practice, and a little help along the way from great musicians.


JBIN: Who would you site as musical influences ?
ALI: I'm a big fan of American music. From Jazz, Blues, Folk, Rock n' roll, to Spirituals, Country, Gospel and the good pop. The list is too long to attempt and write. American music speaks to a big part of my soul and my sound is based around it but I also love world music. Iranian traditional, and good Pop. Arabic
music form the entire Mid East. Indian and African music. Good Classical music. I try and take it all in and interpret it my way using an American template. I have been inspired by Jeff Buckley. I have always admired his voice. I also loved that he could sing Nusrat Fateh Ali khan songs with ease. He was a true voice and an original. - www.jeffbuckley.com