“Reminders”

Review by Laura Wells

          Being relatively unfamiliar with the work of musician, Reza Ganjavi, I chanced upon the Ojai Outdoor Amphitheater located some two hours north of L.A. on a beautiful early-October day.   With a hint of fall swirling in the afternoon sunlight, the cloudless blue sky and gentle mountains reminded me that it could have been anytime.  Reza was preparing for a performance. Sitting under the trees on a wooden bench, I was again reminded of the timelessness of the Fab Four’s material as I listened to pre-show Beatles’ music covering genres from trance to jazz.  The number of Beatles’ pins and t-shirt wearing audience members increased steadily.

          Dressed in a peculiarly 60’s shirt and slacks, Reza seated himself in the middle of the stage with his acoustic guitar.   The first song, “Eleanor

Rigby,” was performed in a style reminiscent of impressionism and was followed by “Yellow Submarine,” at which time Reza encouraged the audience to sing along.  He followed this with “All Together Now,” a lively but little-known work.   After three Beatles’ tunes, he sat – with a cello-like stance – to begin two instrumental pieces from his first CD by the Spanish artist, Tarrega. They sounded melodic and gentle to one who has never heard of Tarrega’s work.   He returned to the theme of the day by playing folksy “Norwegian Wood.”   The 7^th piece, “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away,” seemed to bring about a fusion between the sound of the music, the surroundings and the lovely weather.  From his 2^nd CD, Reza played another instrumental piece, “Canarios,” by Spanish composer and theologian, Sanz.   Other interesting numbers included the sweet, abridged, “Blackbird”, which was an enjoyable and enduring highlight, and “Don’t Let Me Down,” performed in a groovy way with lots of down-beat emphasis. 

          From classical guitar to timeless pop tunes and riffs by the (still) most famous band in the world, Reza demonstrated his love for the instrument, admiration for the Beatles and his joy of making music. One feature of a great artist is flexibility and that is what I saw in Reza Ganjavi's Sunday afternoon performance in Ojai. I look forward to hearing more from this wonderful artist.

(399w)