Jazz chords, groove-heavy rhythms, and Iranian melodies, played on the 72-string santoor, come together in the genre-blurring musical feast of AgawDilim. Their music can transport you in an instant from a winding alley in Tehran’s bazaar to a smoky blues bar in Detroit. They are inspired by the improvisational traditions of jazz and Iranian music, distinct lineages united by real-time expression.

Ann Arbor residents Veena Kulkarni-Rankin and Babak Soleimani founded the band through a shared love of fusion music. Veena is a pianist grounded in classical training and equally at home in jazz and blues. Her first album, Lua Nova, showcases a unique synthesis of classical composition, world folk influences, and traditional narrative forms.

Trained in the Radif tradition and immersed in modern santoor techniques, Babak Soleimani weaves jazz and electronic textures into his instrumentals on two exploratory EPs: Dhow and Farewell Pond. Together with drummer Chris Pyke and bassist Frank Bennett III, they founded AgawDilim, a band created to channel their fusion-driven sound on stage.

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“This southeast Michigan band performs a mesmerizing blend of exotic world rhythms with contemporary jazz-inspired riffs.” – Ann Arbor Observer