The Project

Māh Ze Tār is propelled by the vision of fusing traditional eastern music with modern electronic composition as a form of cultural preservation. Each Māh Ze Tār set is uniquely dynamic- The listener can expect to hear the ancient sounds of the Sitar and Oud in one song and the timeless melodies of the Hulusi, Ney and Duduk in the next- bringing a kaleidoscope of emotions through the wide plethora of ancient sounds, mesmerizing vocals, and grooving beats. Māh Ze Tār seeks to make familiar that which seems “other” through serving the sounds of distant lands on a platter of familiar body moving bass lines and thumping grooves. Māh Ze Tār is an active performing member of Balkan Bump and has had significant musical collaborations with Desert Dwellers, David Starfire, Jef Stott, Morillo, Akriza, Nyrus and many others. Notable performances- Red Rocks, Coachella, Lightning in a Bottle, Gem & Jam, Joshua Tree, Lucidity, Symbiosis, Oregon Eclipse, Burning Man, Oregon Country Fair, Haurkaze Tokyo Festival

Maz Stands and plays mahzetar

Human Behind the Project:

Maz Karandish is a Devotee of music- A well traveled vocalist & multi-instrumentalist covering grounds from Rāga, Maqām, and Dastgāh to Harmony, Jazz, and Opera. Maz feels deeply connected to the ancient musical traditions of the east that he began learning from a very young age. As an Ethnomusicologist and a practicing Psychologist, he’s come to recognize that people in his generation have an easier time engaging with traditional music when it’s integrated with familiar rhythmic and sonic environments- thus forming his vision of preserving cultural music through fusion-oriented avenues. Maz devotes his musical time to exploring the possible weaving of Indian, Persian, Greek and Turkish music with modern soundscapes. He’s currently most interested in the integration of Indian Dhrupad and Persian Tahrir singing with electronic composition. Maz is an active performing member of Balkan Bump, has significant musical collaborations with Desert Dwellers, David Starfire, Adham Shaikh, Jef Stott, Morillo, Akriza, Nyrus, Nahlith and many others.

Past, Present, Future:

The first project, Liquid Lotus, was an illumination of the possible ways in which musical fusion inspired by Indian Raga music could be presented in a novel way that creates a deeper connection with non-traditional listeners. The second project, Reeshe (Roots), further expanded this notion but went on to reimagine nostalgic Persian melodies, based in Dastgāh and Radif, fuesd with tasteful electronic additions that create a bridge for the listener. Maz is continuing to breathe new life into the Māh Ze Tār project and is currently working on a few EP’s and Albums with a host of Global Bass Producers such as Balkan Bump, Akriza & Nyrus to name a few. Please follow his journey as he begins a series of releases in the second half of 2023!