[Column] Poetry of the heartbeat: The world of Iranian genius percussionist Mohammad Reza Mortazavi
Column en Iran Percussion![[Column] Poetry of the heartbeat: The world of Iranian genius percussionist Mohammad Reza Mortazavi](/../assets/images/column-mohammad-reza-mortazavi.webp)
1. Introduction
Text: mmr｜Theme: Carefully follow his path from his upbringing to the present, exploring the core of his innovation, philosophy, collaboration, and experience he brings to listeners.
Mohammad Reza Mortazavi is a rare percussionist who fundamentally reinterprets traditional Persian percussion instruments in modern musical expression. His performances are not just a display of rhythmic technique, but are accompanied by a deep spirituality that sometimes induces a trance, inviting the audience on a physical and conscious journey. In this sense, his activities are important in creating new musical horizons that go beyond the binary oppositions of ““traditional music and experimental music,” ““East and West,” and ““past and future.’’
2. Early life and origins
Mortazavi was born in 1978 (or 1979) in the ancient capital of Iran, Isfahan. His parents have a musical background and warmly watched over his interest in music at a young age.
At the age of six, he began learning tombak (“tombak” in English, tonbak or zarb in Persian). He took lessons with a traditional tambak player, but after only a few years his talent was recognized as surpassing that of his teacher, and there is an anecdote that at the age of nine, his teacher admitted that he could no longer teach him.
At the age of 10, he won his first victory in the Tambak competition held every year in Iran. Since then, he has continued to win and become known throughout the country as a young talent. During this period, his relationship with musical instruments in his life went beyond a mere hobby and grew into the core of his identity.
3. Traditional musical instruments called tambak and duff - their meaning and background
His main instrument, the tombak, is a traditional percussion instrument that forms the core of Persian music. It has a goblet-shaped body and is made by tapping the leather surface with the hands or fingers, giving it an extremely rich tone and expressive power. Through a variety of playing techniques, the tambak has a history of establishing itself not only as an accompaniment instrument but also as a solo instrument.
The Daf is a large frame drum, sometimes with metal rings or bells, and is a traditional musical instrument that also has celebratory and ceremonial uses. Mortazavi not only performs with tambacks, but also with duffs, and has developed solo and collaborative performances that take advantage of the characteristics of each.
The reason behind his selection of these traditional instruments is not just a return to folk instruments, but a strong will to deeply explore the essence of instruments and derive unknown expressions from there.
4. Adolescent talent and training
Despite his competitive success throughout his childhood, Mortazavi was more than just a winner. At the same time as he mastered traditional playing techniques, his inquisitive mind turned to questions such as ““Why is the tamback played this way?” and ““Are there any sounds that have not yet been used?”
He began his own research without being bound by existing teachings or customs. We carefully observe and practice the physical interaction between the body and the instrument, such as the different parts of the skin, the resonance of the torso, the use of fingers, the position of the palm, and the application of nails and joints. This brings out new sounds that were not present in traditional music.
He also became a teacher at a young age. There is also a record that he taught younger students from around the age of 12. Teaching gave him the opportunity to verbalize and organize his own skills, which became a virtuous cycle that led to further evolution.
5. Innovation: 30+ new striking/finger techniques
Mortazavi’s most notable accomplishment is more than 30 self-developed striking and finger techniques. This was not just a new artistic style, but an innovation that fundamentally expanded the physical possibilities of the tamback instrument.
Specifically, the approaches include:
- Using different points of attack: Attacking areas that traditional players do not use, such as the center of the leather, the rim, and the body (wooden part).
- Diverse parts of the hand: The player’s entire hand is considered a musical instrument, including the fingertips, joints, nails, palm, root of the thumb, and other parts that are considered taboo.
- Polyrhythmic approach: A technique that allows multiple voices (layers) to sound simultaneously within the same instrument. This allows ensemble-like performance by just one player.
- Dynamic Range: From extremely quiet touches to explosive blows, freely control the strength, tempo, and density of the sound.
- Resonance operation: Controls the resonance of the body and designs the aftertaste when hitting. In this way, the “reverberation” of the sound that remains after a single hit is used as an element of expression.
These techniques have also faced conservative criticism from some traditional masters. However, rather than denying tradition, Mortazavi remained determined to explore its depth and potential.
6. Departure and turning point in Berlin, Germany
In his early 20s, Mortazavi reached a turning point in his career. At the age of 22, he performed for the first time in Germany (Munich) and attracted strong interest from European audiences. His success paved the way for him to move his base of operations to Germany.
Eventually, he established a base in Berlin and began his activities on the international stage in earnest. Berlin was Mortazavi’s encounter with experimental music, electronic music, and performance art, and became the city where his artistic explorations accelerated.
In 2003, he won the RUTH Award, Newcomer Category out of over 600 competitors. This award sealed his international recognition.
In 2010, his dream became a reality when his solo performance was held at the Berlin Philharmonie. In the same year, he released the album “Green Hands”. For him, this year was a symbolic turning point, as his musical identity, standing between tradition and experimentation, became clear to the world.
7. Analysis of major works and music world
Mortazavi’s discography is a map of the evolution of his explorations. Below, we will delve deeper into each of his major works to decipher his musical vision and technique.
7.1 “Green Hands”
Released in 2010, this album is a symbolic departure for Mortazavi. Although it is a solo performance using only traditional instruments (tamback/duff), his technological innovation and sound design are already clearly imprinted. Each track features delicate, multi-layered rhythms that make full use of fingers, palms, and nails, giving the listener the illusion that a single instrument has multiple voices.
What is noteworthy is that his style of hitting is not only fast, but also very dynamic. The resonance of a quiet touch, the sharpness of a strong blow, and the smooth gradation between them. Every time his hands slide over the leather surface, hit the wood of the body, and his fingers bounce with their nails, different tones intersect in a layered manner, creating a strong presence.
Also, the recording/mixing of this album cannot be ignored. When his percussion instruments are recreated in space through a microphone, their echoes and reverberations are vividly captured, creating a soundscape that feels like listening to a microcosm.
7.2 “Codex”
"”Codex”’ is one of Mortazavi”s attempts to further systematize and write down (encode) his own technical language. The fusion of traditional playing methods and his own innovative playing methods has progressed further, and the song structures have been highly elaborated. He does not simply improvise, but presents the listener with the time and rhythm designed as a piece of work.
This album is very precisely structured in terms of the selection of hitting points, the periodicity of the rhythm, the balance between repetition and change, and it feels like the performer’s own internal dialogue is being externalized as it is.
7.3 “Transformation”
"”Transformation”’ is an important work that shows the spiritual deepening of Mortazavi”s artistry. This album has been widely featured in his media coverage, and the process of his philosophical exploration and physicality opening up as sound can be clearly seen.
This work includes performances using not only tombacks but also duffs and other acoustic objects. He presents music not as a mere sequence of rhythms, but as a process that transforms time itself, creating a trance-like experience for the listener.
7.4 “Ritme Jaavdanegi”
The album, released on the Latency label, reflects a deep exploration of Mortazavi’s core theme of jaavdanegi. The title comes from the Persian word for “rhythm of eternity,” and the song has a structure of continuous repetition, circulation, and subtle changes.
Critics have cited his view that ““unlike a metronome, the human pulse is flexible and not fixed.’’ This theme is also evident in his live shows, where he places importance on creating a “common pulse” with the audience.
7.5 “Prisma”
Released in 2022, this album represents a further expansion of Mortazavi”s music. According to Flussbad”s performance information, in addition to the tomback and duff, various sound objects have been introduced, including a bird whistle, small marimba, kalimba, and small cymbals. This expands the range of tones and enables a more three-dimensional and spiritual spatial expression.
Through this work, he has elevated his performance style to a fusion of “minimalism + multi-layeredness,” placing more emphasis on exploring the blank spaces in the sound and the balance between silence and resonance rather than the brilliance of technique.
7.6 Latest works and future prospects
His latest album, Nexus (Latency), recorded in Berlin, is an important milestone in his new direction. In this work, in addition to the acoustic hand drums he has traditionally used, he introduces effects processing and sound treatments, pushing his rhythm and language even further into the future.
As the title “Nexus” suggests, it is conceived as a work that explores the intersection of past and future, tradition and innovation, and the body and electronic acoustics, and will play a central role in future live performances, collaborations, and further recording activities.
8. Collaboration and cross-genre activities
Mortazavi has expanded his rhythm and philosophy not only through solo performances but also through collaborations with various artists and genres.
Particularly noteworthy is the collaboration with electronic/experimental music. His EPs with Burnt Friedman (e.g. Yek) explore repetitive and cyclical rhythms, fusing traditional percussion with electronic beats. This collaboration created a unique fusion of his polyphonic techniques and the structural rhythms of electronic music.
It has also been reported that he interacts with people such as Mark Fell, which proves that he has been deeply accepted by the experimental music community.
Collaboration with the performing arts is also one of his important activities. Through his collaborations with ballet, dance performances, and theater, his rhythm becomes the core of his physical expression. In fact, there are reports that he has created works with choreographers at places such as the Linz Regional Opera House (Landestheater Linz).
Additionally, he regularly appears at festivals and workshops around the world, bridging tradition and experimentation.
9. Live experience - physicality, spirituality, trance
Playing Mortazavi live is a very physical and spiritual experience. Every time his hand hits the skin, the space trembles, and the audience’s breathing and concentration are drawn into the rhythm. As he himself says, ““Rhythm is the spirit, melody is the body, and it is only when the body and spirit come together that it becomes music.’’
His playing mixes meditative, repetitive structures with fast, complex change patterns that often cause listeners to lose track of time. At the moment when the tempo slows down, the sound continues with reverberation, and these durations gradually overlap, creating resonance within the body. Conversely, when the rhythm suddenly accelerates, the audience’s concentration peaks, leading them into a kind of trance-like state.
A live experience like this is not just something you hear with your ears, but an experience that you can “feel” with your body. Mortazavi creates resonance with the audience as he performs, making them share a ““common pulse’’ at each moment. The process has a ritual-like aspect that connects the instrument and the person, the performer and the audience.
10. History of criticism, awards, and recognition
Mortazavi has received international recognition for his skill, artistry, and innovation. In 2003, he won the RUTH Newcomer Award. He has also received a lot of interest from the media, and his style and philosophy have been featured in various outlets such as Germany’s Deutschlandfunk, Pitchfork, Hardwax, and Boomkat.
In particular, Pitchfork drew attention to the flexibility of human pulses and the improvisational nature of the rhythms he played, and described it as ““music that embodies humanity and the plasticity of time.’’ Hardwax and others have praised the sonic precision and spiritual depth of his more than 30 new techniques.
Also, their physicality and spirituality are often emphasized in live reviews. Drummerszone and others have described in detail the striking points, hand parts, and resonance operations he uses, noting that his hands appear as if they were playing a “sound system.”
These evaluations demonstrate that he is not just a skilled performer, but also a highly regarded musical thinker and philosopher of rhythm.
11. Philosophy/Spirituality: Rhythm, Time, Consciousness
When discussing Mortazavi’s music, what is more important than his technique is his philosophical perspective. He sees rhythm not just as time divisions or grooves, but as something deeply connected to spirit.
His repetitive structures are reminiscent of meditation, and his treatment of the sustain and resonance of sounds sways the listener through time. Cycles of tempo, subtle shifts, changes and simultaneous persistence - these are all ways for him to ““sculpt’’ time, and are devices for transforming the space into a realm filled with spirituality.
He also regards resonance with the audience (co-pulse) as an important element of performance. At his live performances, the audience is not just a listener, but a co-creator who participates in the rhythm generation of the scene. He builds a rhythmic dialogue between himself and the audience, creating a sense of “community” even when playing alone.
In this approach, one can sense a deep will to overcome dualities such as tradition and modernity, body and consciousness, individuality and resonance, and stillness and dynamism. His rhythms are not just exhibitions of technique, but emerge as philosophical practices that question the meaning of self-inquiry, community, and time.
12. Education and workshop activities
Mortazavi is also passionate about educating the younger generation. He has held many workshops in Europe (particularly in Germany) and has taught a wide variety of participants, from beginners to experienced players of tamback, duff, and hand drums.
At one workshop (e.g. in the northern German village of Thandorf), he said, ““Music is love, and love should have no boundaries.’’ In contrast to the conservatism and ruleism of the traditional music world, he has a strong belief that music should be a place for free dialogue and exploration, and he embodies this in his teaching.
He also conducts ““Finding the Common Pulse”’ workshops at venues such as Oslo”s contemporary music festival Ultima, where he invites participants to explore the universality and inclusiveness of rhythm, from small hand-beaten instruments to rhythm generation using the body itself.
These educational activities demonstrate that his art is not just his own, but a bridge to the wider community.
13. Contemporary position and influence
Mortazavi’s activities occupy a very unique and important position in the current global music scene. He is not just a traditional musician, nor an electronic musician, nor a purely experimental musician. Rather, it traverses and connects these elements, opening up a new genre/horizon.
His performances and works have the following influences:
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Redefining traditional musical instruments/culture His technique breathes new life into the traditional instrument, the tambak, and points the way to not only preserving tradition but continuing to expand it.
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Bridge to experimental music/electronic music His collaborations with electronic music producers and his exploration of rhythm and cyclical structures make the intersection between tradition and modernity clear.
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Fusion with performance art His live performances involve physicality, ritual, and trance, and his performances go beyond mere musical performances to become physical and spatial art.
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Community and Education Through workshops, he promotes the democratization of rhythm, the transmission and transformation of traditional techniques, and cross-cultural understanding.
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Presentation of philosophical and spiritual questions His music poses fundamental questions such as time, self, community, and consciousness through rhythm, leading listeners to deep introspection.
All these elements interact to establish Mortazavi as a ““philosopher of rhythm’’ in contemporary music.
14. Conclusion: Implications for the future
Mohammad Reza Mortazavi’s journey is a journey that redefines tradition, expands technique, and creates new dialogues between rhythm and consciousness. The polyphonic sounds, multi-layered rhythms, sustain, lingering sounds, and the deep philosophy that underlies them go beyond mere performance and provide the listener with an experience that transcends time and space.
He doesn’t just preserve the classic instrument, the tamback, but transforms it for the future. In the process of transformation, music, body, community, and consciousness intersect, and new horizons open up.
The path he will take from now on is clear. Further technological exploration, new collaborations, and expansion into unknown sound spaces. However, what is more important than that is that he continues to be someone who constantly asks, ““What is rhythm?’’
Listening to his music is not just surrendering to the rhythm, but a journey to find the resonance between your own inner heartbeat and the world’s heartbeat. Mortazavi is the guide, the map, and the destination of that journey.
15. Reference chronology
- 1978/1979 — Born in Isfahan, Iran.
- 1984–1985 (around 6 years old) — Starts playing tamback.
- 1987–1989 (around 9–10 years old) — Recognized as having skills that surpassed his master’s, and won his first domestic tournament.
- 1990s — Won several championships in Iranian domestic Tambak competitions.
- Around 2001 (around 20 years old) — Already highly acclaimed both domestically and internationally.
- 2003 — Received the RUTH Newcomer Award (World Music Young Talent Award) in Germany.
- 2005 — In charge of solo performance and workshop at Total Music Meeting (Berlin).
- 2010 — Solo concert at the Berlin Philharmonie.
- 2010 — Released the album “Green Hands”.
- 2011 — Appeared at WOMEX (World Music Expo).
- 2013 — Album “Codex” released, followed by tour.
- 2016 — Album “Transformation” released (Flowfish).
- 2017 — Released EP “Yek” with Burnt Friedman.
- 2019 — Album “Ritme Jaavdanegi” released (Latency).
- 2022 — Album “Prisma” released, introducing new sound objects.
- 2025–2026 — Album “Nexus” released (Latency).
