Begin with a base of classical Persian vocal training. Add touches of nomadic transience from the Middle East and Europe to the mix. Finally, toss in an immigration to Los Angeles and a teenage fondness for rock ‘n’ roll, and you have the cultural melting pot that collectively makes up Mamak Khadem’s distinctive sound.
Born in Iran, Khadem is at once new and old, weaving Persian poetry with a variety of absorbed styles that have together formed brilliant, refreshing fusion music. Her solo debut, “Jostojoo” (“Forever Seeking”), is a testament to her bold artistic exploration, acting as a cross-cultural and cross-generational intersection. This weekend, Khadem will bring her worldly experiences to the Getty Center for the annual Sounds of L.A. concert series.
The series aims to showcase the rich cultural makeup of Los Angeles.
“The goal is to highlight the cultural diversity of L.A.,” Getty programming coordinator Sarah McCarthy said. “We branched out to bring world-class artists that reflect the various cultural groups that make up Los Angeles. And so it’s really a celebration of the cultural diversity of our city.”
Series curator Sabrina Motley echoes McCarthy’s sentiments, adding that the series encompasses traditional as well as modern approaches.
“(The series) was really meant as a way to explore the city’s rich musical heritage,” Motley said. “It was a way to connect the local to the global as well as traditional art forms with contemporary art forms because these things are very fluid.”
To that end, Khadem’s diverse sound, along with her worldly travels, makes her an ideal representative of a variety of cultures, perpetuating the series’ goal of spreading diversity and sharing culture.
“I think she helps people connect to the home that they came from and connect them to the home that they live in now in a really unique way. (The concert) is also an opportunity to help people know about music that they may not be as familiar with,” Motley said.
Moreover, Khadem’s ability to strike a perfect balance between traditional and contemporary music puts her in a unique position to bridge the gap between the two styles for seasoned and inexperienced listeners alike.
“The one hundred percent pure traditional music was what I originally wanted to learn,” Khadem said. “But after living outside of Iran, living in the United States, being introduced to many different cultures, and many different types of music here in Los Angeles, I understood that because I was living abroad, one hundred percent pure traditional music did not make sense to me.”
Yet Khadem’s artistic direction was not simply a forced compromise brought about by her immigration. Rather, it is the byproduct of an impressive sponge-like absorption of cultural and personal influences. Her current solo work, for instance, is largely shaped by her previous partnership in the cross-cultural fusion band Axiom of Choice.
This cross-cultural theme presents itself throughout Khadem’s work. As a result, her album often sounds like a virtual passport.
“These are sort of melodies or partially motifs that I have collected through my travels through different regions ““ in Iran and also countries like Greece, Turkey and Armenia. … I was just traveling through these regions, and ultimately it turned out to be a journey that sort of ended up in a CD as a collection of music from all these places I went to,” Khadem said.
Still, Khadem’s range of influences isn’t limited to her travels. In fact, she attributes her growth as a performer to her work on scores for film and television series including “Battlestar Galactica” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”
“That was somewhat of a breakthrough for me, because it allowed me to use the knowledge that I had, that I’d learned, but at the same time be creative and be able to use more of my emotion and be more expressive about what was actually needed for that scene … Since then, I tend to visualize things more when I’m singing, and that really helps a lot in terms of being able to express as a storyteller,” Khadem said.
Khadem has since taken these collective influences and become a Los Angeles world-music staple, appearing in esteemed venues such as Skirball Cultural Center and Los Angeles County Museum of Art. In addition, Khadem now teaches her craft throughout Los Angeles to a variety of students.
In a move that is a microcosmic example of Khadem’s artistic philosophy, even her students find a way into her performances. For her performances at the Getty, Khadem has invited a relatively novice group of students onstage with her.
“I decided I was going to have them, even though they’re not professional singers,” Khadem said. “I think the power of having all these women on stage … drumming and singing one or two songs is worth working on.”