Iranian ensemble formed by a Kurdish family of seven brothers, one sister and her son. The Kamkars were all born in Sanandaj [Sina], Iran, and were introduced to music by their father, Hasan Kamkar, who was in charge of the music division of the Iranian army in Sanandaj. The sister, Qashang Kamkar (b 1953), studied the violin and the setār and taught the latter instrument in Tehran. Houshang Kamkar (b 1947) is a composer, violinist and kamānche player. Bizhan Kamkar (b 1949) plays the tār, the rubāb, the tombak and the def and sings in Kurdish and Persian. Early in his career he played in the children’s programme broadcast by Radio Sanandaj and in the Culture and Art Orchestra of his home town; he later moved to Tehran to study music and was one of the founders of the Shaida and ‘Arif ensembles. Pashang Kamkar (b 1951) is a composer and santur player and broadcast on Radio Sanandaj for five years before moving to Tehran to continue his musical career. Arzhang Kamkar (b 1956) is a painter as well as a tombak player; Arsalan Kamkar (b 1960) plays the violin and the ‘ūd in the Tehran SO and is a composer of Kurdish and Persian melodies. Ardeshir Kamkar (b 1962) plays the kamānche and Ardawan Kamkar (b 1968) the santur. Omid Lotfi (b 1977), the son of Qashang Kamtar and Mohammad Reza Lotfi, frequently performs with his mother and uncles.
The work of the Kamkars has flourished in an environment of official hostility towards music. This is due partly to the ensemble’s interest in both Persian and Kurdish music and partly to the tolerance shown by the state for folk-based Iranian music as an alternative to the allegedly corrupting influence of Western music. Although some Kurdish nationalists have criticized the Persian influence on the ensemble’s Kurdish music, their work is very popular among Kurds both within and beyond Iran. Their concerts and recordings often include compositions associated with earlier Kurdish musicians.
Barane, Shahram SITC–161 (1993)
Kurdish Music by the Kamkars Ensemble, Shahram SITC–173 (1993)
The Kâmkârs: the Living Fire, Long-Distance 122 157 (1995)
Nightingale with a Broken Wing, Womad WSCD 009 (1997)
Kani Spei/Kanî spî [The white spring], Kereshmeh CD–110 (1999)
The Kamkars: Chant of Dreams, Quarter Tone QTCD–1004 (1999)
AMIR HASSANPOUR, STEPHEN BLUM