“It’s been almost 15 years that we [have been] working together, so there is a very deep relationship between us,” he shares. “[Estuary] is based on the many different journeys that we had along the way.”

A meeting place

Tabassian was 11 years old when he first heard the setar at a concert in Tehran, Iran. A traditional Persian instrument, this long-neck lute is played by plucking its strings – the number of which has varied.

“Setar in Farsi means three strings because the original instrument had three strings, but a musician added a fourth string by doubling the third one,” he explains. “It has a very soft, delicate but powerful sound.”

He soon began learning the instrument with the concert’s musicians. Now known as the master of setar, Tabassian sees the instrument as a cornerstone of Persian music. He notes that statute depictions of the instrument have been found in archaeological sites dated to 3, 500 years ago.

“Setar is one of the main instruments of plucked instruments in Persian classical music culture,” he shares. “It’s a very, very old instrument, but it has always been alive in Persian musical culture.”

The musician adds that the same instrument family can be found in other countries around the Middle East and the Mediterranean. His musical ensemble Constantinople was founded with the goal of connecting different musical cultures.

“It’s a meeting point between different cultures, different music, different periods,” he adds. “All the projects I make with this ensemble are based on this idea of a musical meeting.”

The upcoming Vancouver concert extends these encounters with the idea of an estuary – a meeting place between river and sea. Estuary also shares stories about the journeys that Tabassian and Cissoko have taken, both together and individually.

“The first bridge is this bridge between our instruments and our musical cultures, West African and Persian,” he says. “[The concert] is again a junction point between music, between nature and music, and between human beings.”

Improvising with audience

For Tabassian, these journeys have taken multiple forms: imaginative, physical and musical. Combining their musical traditions requires an openness to understanding each other – one that begins by careful listening.

“Once we have this openness and this way of hearing each other, we just have to establish a dialogue,” he explains. “And the [deeper] you get in the conversation, the more interesting it becomes, and more details can unfold.”

Estuary is Tabassian’s and Cissoko’s third project together. Tabassian notes that their familiarity with each other has only made their collaboration “more fun,” as they can challenge the other and further push their dialogues. The kora and setar masters will also be joined by percussionist Patrick Graham – who Tabassian describes as the “glue of all things.”

“He has this mastery of percussion, but also mastery of complementing his colleagues,” the musician shares, adding that Graham has been playing with them for many years. “He knows exactly where to bring every sound and every beat to make everything fit together and make it strong.”

The trio’s strong understanding of each other allows for improvisation on stage. Tabassian also sees the audience’s presence as playing a role in their improvisation; he notes that past participants have described their music as “healing.” The musician is looking forward to engaging with the “fantastic” Vancouver audience again – using his love of traditional instruments to bridge the past and future.

“We are human beings, and as a human being, having a consciousness of our heritage and our past is key for a better future,” he adds. “As a musician, when we play with instruments that have a history, a story, and a large heritage, it brings the music much deeper.”

For more information, see www.earlymusic.bc.ca/events/estuary-ablaye-cissoko-constantinople