About this Artist

Master vocalist and dotar player (lute) NOUR-MOHAMMAD DORPOUR is one of the most respected singers of mystical Sufi song fromSouthern Khorasan in theNortheast of Iran. As a bard and mystic, Dorpour has a repertoire of literally several thousand lyrics of mystic songs which he memorizes all by heart, and he most well known for his recitations of the poetry of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi, also known as Rumi. He accompanies himself on the dotar (lute).

Dorpour, a Turkman, belongs to the Naqshbandieh Sufi sect. The Naqshbandi order is notable as the only Sufi order to trace its spiritual lineage to Muhammad through Abu Bakr, the first caliph. Iranian Turkmans have been living in Iran since 550 AD, but they first began forming tribes from 750 AD onwards. They are the descendants of Central Asian Turks, who retained their ethnic identity during the Mongol invasion. They were divided among Iran, Russia and Afghanistan in 1885.

A historic 3-cd collection of Dorpours has been released in Iran.This performance marks his debut appearance outside of Iran.