Engaging L.A. groups mine improvisational traditions

Two gifted world music groups from Los Angeles, the Arohi Ensemble and the Lian Ensemble, appeared at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre on Sunday in a program serving as a warmup for an unprecedented summer tour of Iran and Europe.

The Lian Ensemble’s music -- original compositions written and improvised in classical Persian style -- was engaging on its own terms. Less apparent was an aspect of the ensemble that will appear far more innovative in the concerts scheduled for Tehran, Shiraz and Esfahan than it did at the Ford: the rare presence of two female musicians, tar (lute) player Pirayeh Pourafar and santur (zither) player Mahshid Mirzadeh. And whatever reaction they may receive during their appearances in an Islamic country, their virtuosic performances (as well as the compelling compositions that each contributed) were vital to the ensemble’s performance.

Equally important, the singing of Siamak Shajarian brought the poetry essential to Persian music vividly to life, especially during the segments when his pliable voice was applied to the complex melodic ornamentations characteristic of Persian style.

But the evening’s most startling moment took place during a percussion interlude featuring Houman Pourmehdi, David Johnson and Randy Gloss, in which frame drums, tonbak, daf, cajon and bass drum were spontaneously blended into an extraordinary collection of rhythms and timbres.

The Arohi Ensemble, opening the concert, was led by multi-string player Paul Livingstone through a series of works gathering together aspects of Indian classical music, Middle Eastern music, Spanish music and jazz. Energized by the strong electric mandocello work of Anand Bennett and the flute and saxophone efforts of Pedro Eustache, the performance made a convincing case for the links between the world’s great improvisational traditions.