'Two beliefs on one pillow, the devil sleeps between them' or 'Love knows no boundaries'. What is true? Listening to this album by Mahsa Vahdat and Mighty Sam McClain you are inclined to opt for the second folk wisdom. The first is a singer who was born in Iran but fled to Norway and the second is a black blues singer who grew up in the deep south of the US in the turbulent 1960s. So two musicians
… who had to cope with setbacks. For both artists, music was the lifeline in difficult times. On closer inspection it is therefore not surprising that the painful voice of Mahsa fits so wonderfully with the bluesy sounds of Mighty Sam. The musical setting is modest, with a leading role for the Turkish reed flute, the ney. 'Love duets across civilizations' is the subtitle of this album. A well-chosen description, because this CD is a loving association of Eastern and Western music. (PdK)more
