SALIM GHAZI SAEEDI

Salim Ghazi Saeedi's third solo album is an amalgam of stylistic details, incorporating elements from jazz, world music and metal into a context that probably isn't too far away from avant-garde in sum. Fairly challenging material that should interest those with a taste for progressive rock that strays outside of many conventional borders, yet without abandoning them completely. Those with a soft spot for Persian and oriental touches probably something of a key audience amongst those.

Salim Ghazi Saeedi's second solo production "Human Encounter" appears to be something of a paradigm shift for this artist, taking a sharp left turn away from art rock and progressive metal into the jazz universe. And documents how intriguing compositions can be when acoustic bass, piano and percussion are used in an efficient and fairly innovative manner, and how well suited eastern oriented acoustic guitar motifs are in supplementing this core foundation too I might add. A highly intriguing disc to my ears, but I suspect that one needs a prior interest in jazz or this artist to be swayed by its charms.

If you enjoy the thought of encountering compositions with distinct influences from the Middle East and Iran, blending classical music, folk music and rock, spiced with a few metal touches, Salim Ghazi Saeedi has created a must-have CD in the shape of "Iconophobic". Always seeking, always adventurous, experimental and challenging, his creations may not be the most mainstream-oriented around, but are also far removed from the avant-garde parts of any musical universe. Highly recommended, particularly to an open-minded art rock audience.