plus support by Megan Nic Ruairí
Nava is a Dublin-based quartet exploring the musical cultures of Ireland and Persia. It is comprised of banjoist Paddy Kiernan, guitarist/bassist Niall Hughes, and Iranian born brothers Shahab and Shayan Coohe, on santoor, and tombak/tar/clarinet respectively.
March 2022 saw Nava release their third studio recording, “Toranj”, following up from 2017’s “Tapestry” and 2019’s “Sojourns, Volume 1”.
The album sees them incorporate a wider array of musical influences to their Persian-Irish foundation, incorporating Turkish music, Indian Classical, modal jazz, Scandinavian folk music, and a traditional piece inspired by the Baloochestan region of Iran.
The album’s title “Toranj” is Farsi for the central point of a Persian rug’s design, where the various patterns all meet. It’s reflective of the creative vision that drove the project; of an innovative, adventurous group of musicians weaving their influences and instruments into a rich sonic tapestry, charting a confident next step in the development of this unique ensemble.
Megan Nic Ruairí is a singer-songwriter from northwest Donegal telling stories of romanticized love and self-exploration. Nic Ruairí embodies a massive sense of pride for her Irish heritage despite being born in London. Her Irishness resonates confidently in her compositions without swaying far from a unique contemporary sound. You can clearly sense a patriotic love for the Irish language and poetry which enriched her young life in Donegal.