Instrumental Imagery, Vol. 3 [Import]

Mehdi (pronounced meddie) was born in Tehran, Iran, to a well-known Persian singer whose lovely voice influenced his later choice of career. Moving to New York City at the age of three with his family, Mehdi became exposed to a wide variety of musical styles. "The first piece I remember hearing as a child," he notes, "was the first movement of Mozarts Symphony #40." This led to his undertaking piano lessons at the age of five, as well as a fantasy of creating and performing a new symphonic piece in partnership with Mozart, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. By age seven, Mehdi had learned hand percussion instruments such as dumbek, bongos and the tabla. "Later, I added glockenspiel, hammered dulcimer and the santoor to my repertoire," he explains. "But my favorite instrument is the synthesizer. Technology has always fascinated me, and I love creating my own unique music samples. The most challenging part of working with synthesizers is to avoid having the music sound electronic or artificially created. So while I am competent at the more technical aspects of realizing synthesized compositions, I believe that less is more when it comes to beautiful music. I prefer to compose simple but powerful melodies that are from and for the heart."

When his family left New York for sunny Southern California, Mehdi was nine, he was then introduced to the magic of soundtracks. "The first recording I ever bought," he says, "was the theme to the film, Rocky. I can remember being especially drawn to the alternate theme, which had a very climatic string section. This music played at the end of the fight scene, just before Rocky shouts AdrianAdrian! As a kid, I was very inspired by that movie." The concept of being able to accomplish the unthinkable appealed to Mehdi, and he spent many hours a day in his room, practicing on his various instruments and composing new music. "Most of the music appearing on my first three albums has been accumulated since I was a teenager," he explains. "I have written hundreds of songs over the years. Each new recording takes me over a year to complete, as I lay down tracks for 25 to 30 songs for each, then pick the ten selections that turned out best for the final release." Mehdi has also worked on numerous recordings for international artists as a producer, arranger and programmer.

Mehdis love for the music of many cultures has been enhanced by his own travels as a Navy medic to Canada, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Africa, Australia and the Persian Gulf. Hes broadened his horizons during vacations to Hawaii, Nevada, Arizona, Alaska and Washington State, as well, but notes "Of all the places to which Ive traveled, I love California the best. It is so diverse and, because I love the outdoors, its the perfect place for me. It enhances my work, as my inspiration comes from the beauty and wonder of nature, the magical course of day and night, and the everyday celebrations of life." When not composing, recording or performing music, Mehdi goes camping, mountain biking, hiking and swimming. He also donates times to local charities including a childrens hospice, and donates a portion of proceeds from his CD sales to fight world hunger.

"Keeping fit and eating healthy is everybodys right, and also is a really big part of being a successful musician," Mehdi notes. "I play an average of 15 gigs a month and have to stay fit. I follow a strict regimen when it comes to nutrition and, while Im not a vegetarian, I do prefer fish over other meats. As a nutrition major in college, I learned how important it is to have a balanced diet for proper energy. I also meditate on a daily basis; on days that I have a performance, Ill meditate a second time just minutes before I take the stage. This helps me focus and puts me in an altered state of mind almost trance-like which helps me get deeper into my playing. Im a firm believer in natural healing, creative visualization, homeopathy, acupuncture and aromatherapy. I believe we have within us and around us all that we need for optimum health. Maybe because Ive had some near-fatal experiences Ive always valued life and well-being, that those incidents perhaps made me more aware that life is precious. If I had only one thing to tell the world, it would be to love; blessed are those who understand what miracles love can accomplish, for it is love that will make all your dreams a reality."

Quick Quotes:

"My desert island disks would be ALEGRIA by Cirque du Soleil, DARK SIDE OF THE MOON by Pink Floyd and the BEST OF THE GIPSY KINGS."

"My favorite part of being a musician is the ability to positively influence human thoughts and emotions."

"Music is my purpose in life. I feel that with music, I can make subtle but positive differences in the world; it is my purpose in life. I believe that music can influence all of humanity in a dramatic way."

"My favorite track on INSTRUMENTAL IMAGERY is Millennium Dance as it has an international quality to which people of many different cultures have responded positively. Making music that crosses barriers and boundaries is my goal."

"My dream is to eventually be able to promote concerts that feature musical artists from around the world and benefit charitable causes."

Band Members: Mehdi is a Solo Artist who hires other musicians as backup during live performances.