Global Mashup: Middle Eastern Rock Meets Western Swing
May 17, 2025 - 7:00 PM
DATE: Saturday, May 17
TIME: 7:00 PM Dance Lessons, 8:00 PM Concert
General Admission: $25 Adults / $20 Seniors and Students w/ID / $18 Members
Experience an unforgettable night of powerful music, cultural fusion, and storytelling as two groundbreaking artists take the stage: Mehrnam Rastegari, the internationally acclaimed Persian musician and composer, and Queen Esther, the genre-defying force in Americana and Black roots music.
Mehrnam Rastegari: Chogan blends Persian classical traditions with rock and modern fusion, reimagining the sound of the Kamancheh for global audiences. A master instrumentalist, film score composer, and founder of both her traditional Persian ensemble and Middle Eastern rock band Chogan, Rastegari brings centuries of sonic heritage into bold, contemporary conversation.
Queen Esther, hailed as “the unknown queen of Americana,” digs deep into Black Southern roots to reclaim and reshape the narrative of American music. Her genre-blurring style draws from jazz, blues, swing, alt-country, and Black folk traditions, creating an electrifying mix that is both timeless and fiercely original.
Together, these two visionary artists share a stage for the first time, weaving stories across cultures and generations. This one-night-only event is a celebration of identity, innovation, and the unifying power of music.
Don’t miss this extraordinary evening of musical brilliance and cultural connection.
Mehrnam Rastegari
Mehrnam Rastegari is an award-winning Persian musician, film score composer, singer, violinist, and master Kamancheh player. Renowned for blending Persian music with rock and modern fusion, she explores innovative ways to introduce microtonal music to wider audiences. Her international performances include the Bill Gates Goalkeepers 2024 event with Grammy-winner Jon Batiste and appearances at top festivals like GlobalFest, WOMEX, Pitchfork, and Fajr.
A certified master of the Kamancheh, Rastegari is a Global Musicians Workshop alumna and has collaborated with the World Music Institute, CTMD, and TEDx. She has composed scores for over 10 films, with awards from the Melbourne City Independent Film Awards and nominations at the Japan Kadoma Festival. She’s part of the New York Arabic Orchestra and contributed to the Assassin’s Creed soundtrack.
Born in Iran in 1991, her musical journey began at age 11 with Tombak, then Violin, before dedicating herself to the Kamancheh. Inspired by fusion and world music, she studied under masters like Imamyar Hasanov and Ardeshir Kamkar. Her work emphasizes cultural connection through sound.
Mehrnam leads the "Mehrnam Rastegari Traditional Persian Band" in NYC and founded the rock-Middle Eastern group "Chogan," blending original compositions with folk influences. She continues to champion tradition and innovation in Persian music, mentoring young artists across the region.
Queen Esther
Queen Esther is a genre-defying vocalist, songwriter, actor, and playwright, described as “the unknown queen of Americana” (Feedback, Norway) and “a Black Lucinda Williams” (Vanity Fair, Spain). Raised in Atlanta and rooted in Charleston’s Lowcountry traditions, her work fuses Black Southern heritage with Americana, blues, jazz, and alt-country, creating a rich, reclamation-driven soundscape.
She toured internationally as frontwoman for projects led by her mentor, guitar legend James “Blood” Ulmer, including his iconic band Odyssey. Her artistic reach spans theater, performance art, swing, alt-rock, and spoken word, and she’s a member of SAG-AFTRA, Actors’ Equity, Dramatists Guild, and the Recording Academy.
With five acclaimed albums under her label EL Recordings, including Gild The Black Lily (2021) and Rona (2023), she continues to gain global recognition. Her TED Talk on the Black roots of country music has resonated widely.
Recent highlights include her role in the 2023 Joe's Pub Working Group, a WP Theater playwriting residency, a Lincoln Center headliner performance, and the alt-country album Blackbirding, supported by a NYC Women’s Fund grant. She’s currently a playwright-in-residence at WP Theater and part of the Keychange US Talent Development Program.
DATE: Saturday, May 17
TIME: 7:00 PM Dance Lessons, 8:00 PM Concert
General Admission: $25 Adults / $20 Seniors and Students w/ID / $18 Members
Experience an unforgettable night of powerful music, cultural fusion, and storytelling as two groundbreaking artists take the stage: Mehrnam Rastegari, the internationally acclaimed Persian musician and composer, and Queen Esther, the genre-defying force in Americana and Black roots music.
Mehrnam Rastegari: Chogan blends Persian classical traditions with rock and modern fusion, reimagining the sound of the Kamancheh for global audiences. A master instrumentalist, film score composer, and founder of both her traditional Persian ensemble and Middle Eastern rock band Chogan, Rastegari brings centuries of sonic heritage into bold, contemporary conversation.
Queen Esther, hailed as “the unknown queen of Americana,” digs deep into Black Southern roots to reclaim and reshape the narrative of American music. Her genre-blurring style draws from jazz, blues, swing, alt-country, and Black folk traditions, creating an electrifying mix that is both timeless and fiercely original.
Together, these two visionary artists share a stage for the first time, weaving stories across cultures and generations. This one-night-only event is a celebration of identity, innovation, and the unifying power of music.
Don’t miss this extraordinary evening of musical brilliance and cultural connection.
Mehrnam Rastegari
Mehrnam Rastegari is an award-winning Persian musician, film score composer, singer, violinist, and master Kamancheh player. Renowned for blending Persian music with rock and modern fusion, she explores innovative ways to introduce microtonal music to wider audiences. Her international performances include the Bill Gates Goalkeepers 2024 event with Grammy-winner Jon Batiste and appearances at top festivals like GlobalFest, WOMEX, Pitchfork, and Fajr.
A certified master of the Kamancheh, Rastegari is a Global Musicians Workshop alumna and has collaborated with the World Music Institute, CTMD, and TEDx. She has composed scores for over 10 films, with awards from the Melbourne City Independent Film Awards and nominations at the Japan Kadoma Festival. She’s part of the New York Arabic Orchestra and contributed to the Assassin’s Creed soundtrack.
Born in Iran in 1991, her musical journey began at age 11 with Tombak, then Violin, before dedicating herself to the Kamancheh. Inspired by fusion and world music, she studied under masters like Imamyar Hasanov and Ardeshir Kamkar. Her work emphasizes cultural connection through sound.
Mehrnam leads the "Mehrnam Rastegari Traditional Persian Band" in NYC and founded the rock-Middle Eastern group "Chogan," blending original compositions with folk influences. She continues to champion tradition and innovation in Persian music, mentoring young artists across the region.
Queen Esther
Queen Esther is a genre-defying vocalist, songwriter, actor, and playwright, described as “the unknown queen of Americana” (Feedback, Norway) and “a Black Lucinda Williams” (Vanity Fair, Spain). Raised in Atlanta and rooted in Charleston’s Lowcountry traditions, her work fuses Black Southern heritage with Americana, blues, jazz, and alt-country, creating a rich, reclamation-driven soundscape.
She toured internationally as frontwoman for projects led by her mentor, guitar legend James “Blood” Ulmer, including his iconic band Odyssey. Her artistic reach spans theater, performance art, swing, alt-rock, and spoken word, and she’s a member of SAG-AFTRA, Actors’ Equity, Dramatists Guild, and the Recording Academy.
With five acclaimed albums under her label EL Recordings, including Gild The Black Lily (2021) and Rona (2023), she continues to gain global recognition. Her TED Talk on the Black roots of country music has resonated widely.
Recent highlights include her role in the 2023 Joe's Pub Working Group, a WP Theater playwriting residency, a Lincoln Center headliner performance, and the alt-country album Blackbirding, supported by a NYC Women’s Fund grant. She’s currently a playwright-in-residence at WP Theater and part of the Keychange US Talent Development Program.
