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Mativetsky, Amiri & Pagé
Since connecting in 2019, this trio of accomplished soloists have been quietly worldbuilding. In the midst of three distinct and daring careers, Mativetsky, Amiri & Pagé have come together, forging a remarkable triad in which multiple musical traditions are wrung out and hung along a set of unplotted constellations. Employing rhythmically imaginative tabla, a custom-built, modulated santur and processed concert harp, they make compassionate music for worlds emerging.
Based in Montreal, the group formed through mutual connections and a shared desire to push their respective practices further. What’s immediately apparent when listening to the trio is the rich sense of cohesion; complex melodies referencing Persian classical and chamber jazz combine seamlessly with inventive Hindustani rhythms. The compositions morph and sway as if to their own internal logic, each player taking turns shepherding the sound. The results are both intense and welcoming. Santurist and cultural inventor Amir Amiri describes a central part of the group’s methodology: “The music is a project of illumination, a way-showing system. As artists, we must work in uncomfortable areas, outside what is acceptable; to push through all the terrible, uncertain sounds into the beyond, to bring the audience somewhere new. We’re in the business of empowering people.”
The music of Mativetsky, Amiri & Pagé strikes an impeccable balance, appealing equally to fans of traditional modes and those in search of more abstract sounding. Rather than chopping off the root and shooting for the stars, the players ground the group’s sound in their lifelong study of music and dedicated improvisational practices.