A Nostalgic Evening

I stepped out into a rainy afternoon and evening of pure nostalgia. Who better to take along than Mr. Nostalgia himself! Bayram and I attended a reception in honor of Nasser Rastegar-Nejad. Do you know him? I didn't until tonight. He is a musician and a poet. He has written scores of songs for old time Iranian singers. His lyrics for Mahtab, Vigen's first song, introduced first our parents and then my generation to Vigen's music. He has written songs for Delkash, Pouran, Elaheh, and Mehrpooya. Do you remember the song, Shab bood biyaban bood, which first Pouran and then Fereidoon Farrokhzad sang? He wrote the lyrics for that song.

The MC was Manoocehr Sakhaee, and in between the introductions, he sang his old songs for us. Several talented singers and Shahrzad Dance Company's dancers also performed. It was a fabulous evening. I will write something about it on Iranian.com soon, when I have access to the video clips of the event and can also show Mr. Rastegar-Nejad's fascinating slide show, in which he has been photographed with tens of old time Iranian singers, musicians, poets, and cultural figures. I am so glad to see Iranians honor an artist when he is still alive and can participate in his lifetime's achievements' celebration. Mr. Rastegar-Nejad, now 68, has donated his personal library of musical books, instruments, and memorabilia to Encyclopaedia Iranica Foundation, and Dr. Ehsan Yarshater's personal note in this regard was read. It was a great evening. Old time music still rings in my head blisfully. I am so lucky.