Roshi

Roshi featuring Pars Radio...Born in Wales to Iranian parents, Roshi Nasehi is a singer-songwriter performing her own evocative songs alongside some of the Iranian songs she was brought up listening to. Her own songs reflect her origins, influences and experiences in a personal and unique way accompanied by unusual piano or keyboard arrangements - the songs are reflective, melodic and quirky - her voice airy and tender but possessed of an inner power. When she interprets Iranian song it is in a personal style bringing a contemporary twist combined with an authentic understanding of context and language. She plays regularly at some of London’s most exciting venues often with her band Pars Radio. In the past year alone, she has performed several times at the legendary Klinker club, at music events hosted by Kabarett Speilraum including South London’s Speil and Musenight at the Rivington Gallery in Shoreditch, at MusicBrut at Battersea Arts Centre: an evening devoted to 'outsider' music, curated by sound artist Mark Webber, Gobsmack at Spitz and Toiletronica in Surrey. She is also in demand as workshop leader working on a variety of projects. Recent appointments include Guest Artist with the London Philharmonic Orchestra's Open Ear Ensemble. This lead to a performance at the spirit level of the Festival Hall (Dec 07). A request to perform at her friends' wedding in Martha's Vineyard during the summer of 2006 turned into a mini tour of some of the East Coast's most eclectic clubs, including, The Teabag Variety Hour in Chinatown and Brooklyn based Catharsis@Cattyshack, hosted by cult singer-songwriter Athena Reich and featuring acclaimed songstress Amy Kohn. On her return she put together Pars Radio: a unique collaboration, essentially between herself and prolific sound artist Graham Dowdall (aka Dids, Gagarin). Graham has spent the last 2 decades on the experimental fringes of music -making avantrock, electronica , free music etc and working with underground legends including Nico, John Cale and Pere Ubu. He currently makes electronica as Gagarin. Pars Radio also features cello contributions from avant performer Richard Thomas and classical cellist Rachel Threlfall. It's an unusual sound world combining Roshi's intimate singing style , Dids-Gagarin's experimental electronic powers and haunting string layers to create a unique genre-crossing, exotic, folktronica landscape. The band's debut E.P will be coming out in 2008 on Dids-Gagarin's own GEO label. In Jan/Feb 2007 Roshi and Graham-Dids-Gagarin presented 'Swimming with Rachid Khan' at the Museum of London. This piece interweaves Iranian and original material and was specially put together as part of the museum's excellent belonging exhibition. Plans are underway to tour this piece in 2008.