Axiom Of Choice

Axiom of Choice, a Southern California ensemble, fuses the melodies and rhythms drawn from Persia's Radif tradition with Western sensibilities. Persia-born Loga Ramin Torkian, who serves as musical director while playing nylon-string classical guitar, quarter-tone guitar, and tarbass, guides the septet as it steadily weaves a worldwide array of influences into its singular style. Although formed inside the United States, the group stays anchored in the shared musical heritage of Torkian and his fellow Persian émigrés Mamak Khadem and Pejman Hadadi. Khadem's Arabic-language vocals keep the essence of earlier eras alive, while Hadadi—one of the leading Arabic percussionists living in the United States—supplies the inventive touch on daf, tombak, and nagada that produces the band's distinctive character. Before joining Axiom of Choice, Hadadi toured with Hossein Alizâdeh, Kayhan Kalhor, and Shahram Nazeri; he continues to divide his time between the septet and his role in the Dastan Ensemble.