TEHRAN – Iranian vocalist Alireza Qorbani and the Oscar-nominated Indian singer Bombay Jayashri collaborated on a single named “Jete Nahi Dibo” (“I Won’t Let You Go”), which was released last week.

This is a new single from “The Voices and Bridges”, U.S.-based Iranian santur virtuoso and composer Ehsan Matoori’s upcoming global full-length album.

Iranian director Omid Ainechi has made a video for the song released on YouTube at the same time. 

“The Voices and Bridges” will arrive July 16 via Bright Shiny Things.

In a report published by the Broadway World Music, Matoori said, “‘Jete Nahi Dibo’ is the story of my own suffering of being far from the love of my life.

“This story dates back to 9 years ago, at the time when so many difficult moments happened in my life. I was tired, frustrated and felt I could no longer live in my own country. 

“The only thing that made me want to stay was the person I loved. But, one night I felt I was in a hurry to leave… and after a few hours I found myself at a destination I had never been to. But, I had left my heart behind.

“I had nightmares every night saying to myself, ‘I wish you hadn’t gone. I wish I hadn’t let you go.’ But my body was gone, and my soul and heart were left there.

“This contradiction in life and all the moments when you want to be where you are not, made me feel suffocated.

“A few years later, when I decided to start ‘The Voices and Bridges’ project, one of my aims was to capture moments of my own migration. 

“I felt that perhaps I could express a part of my life as an immigrant in this project. 

“In ‘Jete Nahi Dibo’, the storyteller is the girl I loved. She is pleading with me not to leave, but I have made up my mind. In this music, you see the end of beauty. But in reality, my story was different.”

“Nazanin”, another single from “The Voices and Bridges” was released in July 2020. The track features vocals from Qorbani and Qaiser Nizami from Kashmir.

American cellist Mike Block, Iranian musicians Ali Montazeri, Hesam Nasseri, Milad Mohammadi and Meisam Marvasti, and several other musicians from across the world have contributed to the piece, which will be released in the near future.

Earlier in July 2019, Matoori, Qorbani and the New York-based Argentinean mezzo-soprano Solange Merdinian recoded the single “El Sueño” at Sheed Records as part of the project.

Photo: A poster for the single “Jete Nahi Dibo” (“I Won’t Let You Go”). 

MMS/YAW