J. Ralph has debuted the music video for “Dust & Ash” — his original tune penned for the documentary The Voice of Dust and Ash, which has been shortlisted for the Best Original Song Oscar in 2023.
The feature directorial debut of Iranian-American filmmaker Mandana Biscotti tells the incredible story of the monumental artist and humanitarian, Maestro Mohammad Reza Shajarian. When Iran’s ayatollah banned music and performances in the entire country, instruments and records became contraband, and artists were exiled, imprisoned and executed. While the government crushed human rights and self-expression, Shajarian risked everything to confront the regime, singing truth to power and uniting the country in a chorus of millions strong.
While Ralph alone wrote the song “Dust & Ash,” he performs on the track with nine-time Grammy winner Norah Jones and Shajarian’s daughter, Mojgan. The original idea was to have Maestro Shajarian himself sing on the track, though he tragically...
The feature directorial debut of Iranian-American filmmaker Mandana Biscotti tells the incredible story of the monumental artist and humanitarian, Maestro Mohammad Reza Shajarian. When Iran’s ayatollah banned music and performances in the entire country, instruments and records became contraband, and artists were exiled, imprisoned and executed. While the government crushed human rights and self-expression, Shajarian risked everything to confront the regime, singing truth to power and uniting the country in a chorus of millions strong.
While Ralph alone wrote the song “Dust & Ash,” he performs on the track with nine-time Grammy winner Norah Jones and Shajarian’s daughter, Mojgan. The original idea was to have Maestro Shajarian himself sing on the track, though he tragically...
- 1/12/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Before he started working on the song, “Dust and Ash,” for the documentary, “The Voice of Dust and Ash,” J. Ralph had never heard of Iranian musician Mohammad Reza Shajarian. He first heard about him from a very notable source. “It was actually Sting’s daughter, Fuschia Sumner, that turned me on to the project. She’s one of the producers and she said, ‘I gotta show you this trailer. I think you’d be really great to get on board,” he tells Gold Derby during our recent interview (watch the exclusive video interview above).
The experience of hearing Shajarian for the first time was nothing short of an eye-opener for him. “It’s this incredible revelation when you get to experience something of this magnitude. His heart and his humility and his talent is something that you very rarely get to see.”
See over 200 interviews with 2023 awards contenders
“The Voice of Dust and Ash,...
The experience of hearing Shajarian for the first time was nothing short of an eye-opener for him. “It’s this incredible revelation when you get to experience something of this magnitude. His heart and his humility and his talent is something that you very rarely get to see.”
See over 200 interviews with 2023 awards contenders
“The Voice of Dust and Ash,...
- 1/12/2023
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
The Film Academy has unveiled its 15-track shortlist for the Best Original Song Oscar in 2023, which marks a confluence between new and established hands.
Buzzy first-time entrants to the overall Oscars field included chart-toppers Rihanna, Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift, who have been recognized for their respective contributions to the songs “Lift Me Up,” “My Mind & Me” and “Carolina” from the films Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me and Where the Crawdads Sing.
Related Story Oscar Shortlists Released In 10 Categories: ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’, ‘All Quiet On The Western Front’ Top Mentions Related Story International Feature Oscar Shortlist: Pakistan Makes Cut For First Time With 'Joyland'; No Major Snubs Related Story All That Baz: How Baz Luhrmann's 'Elvis' Tells The Truth Behind...
Buzzy first-time entrants to the overall Oscars field included chart-toppers Rihanna, Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift, who have been recognized for their respective contributions to the songs “Lift Me Up,” “My Mind & Me” and “Carolina” from the films Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me and Where the Crawdads Sing.
Related Story Oscar Shortlists Released In 10 Categories: ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’, ‘All Quiet On The Western Front’ Top Mentions Related Story International Feature Oscar Shortlist: Pakistan Makes Cut For First Time With 'Joyland'; No Major Snubs Related Story All That Baz: How Baz Luhrmann's 'Elvis' Tells The Truth Behind...
- 12/21/2022
- by Matt Grobar and Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
When protests broke out in Iran in 2009 over the fraudulent presidential election, one of the country’s leading artists stood up against the regime and its violent repression of demonstrators. Vocalist Mohammad Reza Shajarian recorded a song with lyrics addressed to government militias attacking people in the streets: “Lay down your guns. Come, sit down, talk, hear. Perhaps the light of humanity will get through to your heart.”
With mass protests again flaring in Iran in recent months—perhaps the most serious challenge to the fundamentalist regime since the Islamic Revolution of 1979—Shajarian’s example and solidarity with the people remain as vital as ever.
Shajarian’s life and the unique stature he attained in Iranian culture are explored in the Oscar-contending documentary The Voice of Dust and Ash, directed by first-time Iranian American filmmaker Mandana Biscotti. The director’s father had been friends with Shajarian—or “Ostad” as he is often called,...
With mass protests again flaring in Iran in recent months—perhaps the most serious challenge to the fundamentalist regime since the Islamic Revolution of 1979—Shajarian’s example and solidarity with the people remain as vital as ever.
Shajarian’s life and the unique stature he attained in Iranian culture are explored in the Oscar-contending documentary The Voice of Dust and Ash, directed by first-time Iranian American filmmaker Mandana Biscotti. The director’s father had been friends with Shajarian—or “Ostad” as he is often called,...
- 12/12/2022
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
This story about “The Voice of Dust and Ash” composer J. Ralph first appeared in “The Race Begins” issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.
For more than 20 years, J. Ralph has been making music as a wide-ranging composer, producer and recording artist, but he’s also carved out a specific identity in film: He’s a documentary composer and songwriter. He’s written scores and songs for a string of nonfiction films ranging from the Oscar-winning “Man on Wire” and “The Cove” through “Hell and Back Again,” “Finding Vivian Maier,” “Virunga” and three for which he’s been Oscar nominated for his songs: “Chasing Ice” in 2012, “Racing Extinction” in 2015 and “Jim: The James Foley Story” in 2016. He was the first songwriter ever nominated twice for documentaries, and his three nominations edge out the two for Diane Warren, the only other songwriter with multiple doc noms.
“Documentaries are where I’ve focused almost my entire career,...
For more than 20 years, J. Ralph has been making music as a wide-ranging composer, producer and recording artist, but he’s also carved out a specific identity in film: He’s a documentary composer and songwriter. He’s written scores and songs for a string of nonfiction films ranging from the Oscar-winning “Man on Wire” and “The Cove” through “Hell and Back Again,” “Finding Vivian Maier,” “Virunga” and three for which he’s been Oscar nominated for his songs: “Chasing Ice” in 2012, “Racing Extinction” in 2015 and “Jim: The James Foley Story” in 2016. He was the first songwriter ever nominated twice for documentaries, and his three nominations edge out the two for Diane Warren, the only other songwriter with multiple doc noms.
“Documentaries are where I’ve focused almost my entire career,...
- 12/2/2022
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
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