| Origin: | Iran |
| Genre: | Iranian's Traditional Music |
| Instrument: | Tanbour |
| Years Active: | Since 1980 |
| Current Members: | Kaykhosro Pournazry, Tahmoures Pournazeri, Sohrab Pournazeri |
The Shamss Ensemble is a musical group that performs traditional Sufi and classical Iranian music with the Tanbour, Daf (frame drum), Ney and various other percussion instruments.[1] The group was founded by composer Kaykhosro Pournazeri.[2] His sons Tahmoures and Sohrab are also members of the group.
Pournazeri formed the Shamss Ensemble with a vision of bringing back the lost art of Tanbour through compositions that fused the Tanbour with other traditional classical mode instruments.
He invited fellow musicians who were familiar playing such classical pieces, they eventually became a popular musical ensemble in Iran.[3] Initially, the group performed under the name of Tanbour-e-Shams, but adding traditional and Kurdish music to their performances, they took the name of the Shamss Ensemble.
The Shamss Ensemble has performed at over 300 international venues and was on tour in the United States in 2008 during the month of October.[4] [5]
Over the years, there have been more than fifty players and singers, the majority of whom were Pournazeri's students. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, women were banned from performing solo in front of men—that includes singing or playing any instruments. Only recently, women have been included as vocalists and players of the Tanbour.
| Albums | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Album | Released | Composer | Singer | Tracks | |
| Whirl of Divinity | 2018 | Kaykhosro Pournazeri | - | ||
| Raindrops | 2014 | Kaykhosro Pournazeri, Tahmoures Pournazeri,Sohrab Pournazeri | Alireza Ghorbani | 12 | |
| Tanbours Chant | 2012 | Kaykhosro Pournazeri, Tahmoures Pournazeri,Sohrab Pournazeri | Alireza Ghorbani | 14 | |
| Hidden in Heart | 2012 | Kaykhosro Pournazeri, Tahmoures Pournazeri,Sohrab Pournazeri | Hamidreza Norbakhsh | 11 | |
| Motreb-e Mahtab Rou | 2007 | Kaykhosro Pournazeri | Shahram Nazeri | 6 | |
| Nishtiman | 2001 | Kaykhosro Pournazeri | Najmeh Tajadod,Maryam Ebrahimpour, Neda Khaki | 8 | |
| Legend of Tanbour | 2001 | Kaykhosro Pournazeri | Shahram Nazeri | 8 | |
| Mastan | 1999 | Kaykhosro Pournazeri, Tahmoures Pournazeri | Bijan Kamkar, Najmeh Tajadod,Maryam Ebrahimpour | 7 | |
| Heyrani (Perplexity) | 1996 | Kaykhosro Pournazeri | Shahram Nazeri | 6 | |
| Voice of Endearment | 1983 | Kaykhosro Pournazeri | Shahram Nazeri | 6 | |