Tag Archives: Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

Freelancers Union

Testimony at Freelancers Union Hearing @ City Hall (NY), 2016

Date: February 29, 2016
Subject: Testimony of Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi (founder of Musicians for Musicians)
In support of the Freelance Isn’t Free Act before the New York City Council Committee on Consumer Affairs In Relation to Establishing Protections for Freelance Workers

 

Speech Content:

“February 29, 2016

I’m Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi, founder of the musicians’ non-profit organization Musicians for Musicians, Inc (MFM).

At Musicians For Musicians, we believe that a musical career is a respected profession.
Our membership is composed of musicians from all genres, backgrounds and skill levels from opera singers to composers to recording artists. We’ve come together as a group to encourage musicians everywhere to stop working for free.

Music provides significant value to human life and yet skilled practitioners of music go largely unrecognized and grossly underpaid. There is a common assumption that insists that because an individual chooses to pursue music or the arts, he or she should expect to struggle to make a living. Meanwhile, every day, musicians log long hours at various gigs, providing texture to daily events that many of us take for granted.

And yet, musicians are frequently treated as an expendable commodity, while others profit from their work. This is a huge systematic problem in the music industry. This is unacceptable and must stop…enough is enough!

Musicians for Musicians is a business league aimed at helping its members understand their passion as a business as well as an art. MFM believes that musicians deserve the same respect, representation and opportunities that all professionals enjoy.

According to a 2015 Freelancers Union study on nonpayment, 79% of musicians face nonpayment. All too often, the band is the last contractor to get paid after a big event, the singer finds that the hours she spent learning and practicing a piece aren’t billable, or someone assumes that musicians will just work for free.

Finally, it should be noted that almost all of MFM’s members also take on side-gigs to support their music careers. This makes the “Freelance Isn’t Free Act” doubly important to musicians who may also face nonpayment in what may be perceived to be a more “steady” pursuit.

All this said, MFM seeks to empower musicians to realize the true value of their work to raise their standard of living and provide adequate working conditions in collaboration with other labor organization such as Freelancers Union. In working together in solidarity, we can improve conditions for musicians as well as other freelance workers.”

The Tehran-Dakar Brothers (2005 – 2011)

In 2005 Sohrab, who calls himself later SoSaLa, started the Tehran-Dakar Brothers (TT-DB) in Tokyo with the Senegalese sabar player Wagane N’Diaye Rose who is the son of the famous sabar player Dou Dou N’Diaye Rose.

After moving to New York in 2008 Sohrab re-started TT-DB, with Massamba Diop (on talking drum and music director of Baaba Maal) and Mar Gueye (on sabar, a relative of Dou Dou’s)) who are also both from Senegal. (In December he recorded 5 tracks with them at Brooklyn’s BC STUDIOS.)

SoSaLa added many new NY musicians in order to keep his TT-DB fresh and energetic which is based on composed-improvised songs.

Fueled by improvisation, SoSaLa blends original melancholic melodies, and those of his native Iran, with Persian, African and African-American rhythms. His music molded by his international background. Altogether, he calls his music nu world trash, because his music is not just about entertaining people, but also to make them aware of social and political issues.  Every song tells a deep story about people’s life, their struggle and their misfortunes. From the stage he loves to speak with the audience and also asks for participation. 

He sings and performs spoken word in Farsi and English. And his lyrics are very direct and don’t show any poetic expressions. In fact, you can hear some dada-istic influences in his “Sprechgesang.” He wants to challenge the imagination of the musicians and the audience as well. On one hand he is very funny, but on the other hand very serious or angry. Why? Because he cares for people and can’t stand when people terrorize other people.

In addition to Massamba Diop and Mar Gueye following musicians have joined Sohrab:

Damon Banks (b), Swiss Chriss (dr), Derek Nievergelt (b), Alejandro Castellano (g), Kurt Dahlke (electronics), Satish (electric tr), Sylvain Leroux (fula flute), Piruz Partow (electric tar), Ladell Mclin (g). April Centrone (dr & per), Doron Lev (dr), Lukas Ligeti (dr), Al McDowell (b), John Kruth (electric mandolin), Brandon Ross (g), Michael Wimberly (djembe & dr), Lucas Jeanrichard (vibraphone), Jean-Marie Collatin-Faye (djembe) and Sheikh Tairou M’Baye (sabar). and many more.

2008

THE Tehran-Dakar Brothers at BC STUDIOS, December 1, 2008

The line up is: Masamba Diop (on tama/talking drum), Mar Gueye (on sabar) and Sohrab (on sax).

2011

The Tehran-Dakar Brothers @ MICHIKO STUDIO’s (NY), July 9, 2011   

The line up: Sohrab (sax and vocal), Alejandro Castellano (guitar), Michael Wimberly (djembe & drums), John Austria (piano) and Lucas Jeanrichard (vibraphone).

The Tehran-Dakar Brothers Performing “Persian Flamenco” @ Zora Art Space, March 6, 2011

The line up is: Sohrab (sax and vocal), Doron Lev (drums), Alejandro Castellano (guitar), Derek Nievergelt (bass) and Piruz Partow (electric tar).

The Tehran-Dakar Brothers (Brooklyn, NY) at Zora Art Space (NY) Jan 8, 2011. Performing Sad Sake

The line up is: Sohrab (sax and vocal), Doron Lev (drums), Alejandro Castellano (guitar), Satish (electric trumpet) and Sylvain Leroux (fula flute).

2010

The Tehran-Dakar Brothers performing “Vatan Kojai?” @ Coco 66, NY, Sep 5, 2010

The line up is: Sohrab (sax and vocal), Piruz Partow (bass, electric tar), Swiss Chris (drums, djembe) and Alejandro Castellano (guitar).

The Tehran-Dakar Brothers performing “Look At My Face” @ The Local 269 NY, July 12, 2010

The line up is: Sohrab (sax and vocal), Derek Nievergelt (bass), Swiss Chris (drums) and Alejandro Castellano (guitar).

THE TEHRAN-DAKAR BROTHERS perform WELCOME NEW IRAN @ Nublu Feb 23rd, 2010

The line up is: Sohrab (sax and vocal), Derek Nievergelt (bass), Swiss Chris (drums) and Alejandro Castellano (guitar).

2009

THE TEHRAN DAKAR BROTHERS play JA-JOU-KA @ Le Poisson Rouge NY Nov 16,2009

The line up is: Sohrab (sax & voc), Swiss Chriss (drums), Derek Nievergelt (bass) and John Kruth (on an ancient Egyptian clarinet, a low d penny whistle and a Gibson mandocello from the early 1900’s).

THE TEHRAN-DAKAR BROTHERS Live at the GERSHWIN HOTEL in NY Aug.8TH, 2009

The line up is: Sohrab (sax and vocal), Lukas Ligeti (drums), Ladell Mclin (guitar) and Al MacDowell (bass)

THE TEHRAN-DAKAR BROTHERS at THE STONE (NY), March 11, 2009

The line up is: Sohrab (sax and voc), Damon Banks (bass), Brandon Ross (gui), Jean-Marie Collatin-Faye (djembe) and Sheikh Tairou M’Baye (sabar).

2007

The Tehran-Dakar Brothers with Chiha (Tunesis) @ The Baron (Tokyo), December 2007)

The line up is: Wagane N’Diaye Rose (on sabar), Sohrab (on sax) and Chiha (on vocal).

2005

The Tehran-Dakar Brothers @ The DOO BEE FES (Tokyo), November 2005

The line up is: Wagane N’Diaye Rose (on sabar) & Sohrab (on sax)