?A mother's single tear is a pearl of love, joy, sorrow, and even strength that is eternally crystallized in the great sea of life that can forever captivate hearts, move mountains and call onto its children to return home from beyond the seas?
Shant Esho was born in Baghdad, Iraq. He began singing before he could walk, and his earlier music inspiration came from international Iraqi artists Kathem al Saher and Haitham Yousif. His emergence into the Assyrian musical stage did not begin until he set foot in his adopted homeland Canada, where he became enthralled by legendary Assyrian artists Sargon Gabriel, Ashur Bet-Sargis, Emanouel Bet-Younan and others.
Shant is beautiful from head to toe, suggest his poses. But the 5?9? handsome artist remained a mystery to his fans due the unconfrontational cover photos of his first album release ?Yimi Yoni,? (my mother, my dove, Assyrian), leaving a lot to the imagination of the faithful followers of this once ?Assyrian Superstar? finalist, produced by Yousip Bet-Rasho (Chicago, 2006).
The dual-song titled album ?Yimi Yoni,? both songs written by Dawod Barkho, is nothing short of a smooth merge of ballads, Turkish, Indian and Assyrian folklore dance and chant sounds of ?Raweh.?
But piecing this album together was no easy task. Yet, the international travel of it was worth the wait. From the sounds of the chorus, joining the artist were Josef Hassado, Ashur Neesan, Dooley Drums and Sanharib Ashure, to the luminous Indian sitar, the cries of the Turkish ba?lama, to the superb arrangements of Sanharib Ashure, before it was digitally encoded on a compact disk.
Further amplification of the album came from Amir Younan who would not be the prince that he is (hence the name), if he did not systematically write songs about kings, swords and castles. Though we love you, ?Amoree?!
Of course, no mission is every accomplished until Chicago has had its say. The big surprise is the artist?s collaboration with longtime Chicagoan song writer Nashat Younan whose words feathered tracks 4 and 5, after years of absence from teaming up on soundtracks.
The rendition of the applaud of Shant?s fans is savored for the last track ?Yimi,? as the artist hails his first love, his mother, placing her on a much-deserved golden pedestal. In fact, all titles of this 8-track album are dedicated to the deity of women. My own personal favorite is fourth track ?Koul Gashaqyatee.? Shant, we "soft" feminists appreciate it!
Most recently, the singer-songwriter produced his runner-up single ?Idleleh B?Talbinakh,? arranged by Shirak Tatosian.
Shant calls to fan support of the Assyrian song in an effort to safeguard the Assyrian language and culture. Shant is deserving of applaud, worldwide!
For more information, visit the artist?s Facebook page.
Artist: Shant Esho
Album: Yimi Yoni
Arranged by: Sanharib Ashure for Innana Studio, Sweden
Produced by: Shant Esho
Year: 2011
Sources: Chicago Tribune, Shant Esho
Article by Helen Talia, MBA, CPA (Chicago)
November, 2012
Shant Esho was born in Baghdad, Iraq. He began singing before he could walk, and his earlier music inspiration came from international Iraqi artists Kathem al Saher and Haitham Yousif. His emergence into the Assyrian musical stage did not begin until he set foot in his adopted homeland Canada, where he became enthralled by legendary Assyrian artists Sargon Gabriel, Ashur Bet-Sargis, Emanouel Bet-Younan and others.
Shant is beautiful from head to toe, suggest his poses. But the 5?9? handsome artist remained a mystery to his fans due the unconfrontational cover photos of his first album release ?Yimi Yoni,? (my mother, my dove, Assyrian), leaving a lot to the imagination of the faithful followers of this once ?Assyrian Superstar? finalist, produced by Yousip Bet-Rasho (Chicago, 2006).
The dual-song titled album ?Yimi Yoni,? both songs written by Dawod Barkho, is nothing short of a smooth merge of ballads, Turkish, Indian and Assyrian folklore dance and chant sounds of ?Raweh.?
But piecing this album together was no easy task. Yet, the international travel of it was worth the wait. From the sounds of the chorus, joining the artist were Josef Hassado, Ashur Neesan, Dooley Drums and Sanharib Ashure, to the luminous Indian sitar, the cries of the Turkish ba?lama, to the superb arrangements of Sanharib Ashure, before it was digitally encoded on a compact disk.
Further amplification of the album came from Amir Younan who would not be the prince that he is (hence the name), if he did not systematically write songs about kings, swords and castles. Though we love you, ?Amoree?!
Of course, no mission is every accomplished until Chicago has had its say. The big surprise is the artist?s collaboration with longtime Chicagoan song writer Nashat Younan whose words feathered tracks 4 and 5, after years of absence from teaming up on soundtracks.
The rendition of the applaud of Shant?s fans is savored for the last track ?Yimi,? as the artist hails his first love, his mother, placing her on a much-deserved golden pedestal. In fact, all titles of this 8-track album are dedicated to the deity of women. My own personal favorite is fourth track ?Koul Gashaqyatee.? Shant, we "soft" feminists appreciate it!
Most recently, the singer-songwriter produced his runner-up single ?Idleleh B?Talbinakh,? arranged by Shirak Tatosian.
Shant calls to fan support of the Assyrian song in an effort to safeguard the Assyrian language and culture. Shant is deserving of applaud, worldwide!
For more information, visit the artist?s Facebook page.
Artist: Shant Esho
Album: Yimi Yoni
Arranged by: Sanharib Ashure for Innana Studio, Sweden
Produced by: Shant Esho
Year: 2011
Sources: Chicago Tribune, Shant Esho
Article by Helen Talia, MBA, CPA (Chicago)
November, 2012
