Six Degrees recently released one of ZAMAN 8's songs on its Emerging Artists series, digital-only compilations. Their track, produced along with talented saxophonist Hafez Modir was one that caught my ear most clearly. It was such an unexpected fusion of jazz instrumentation with Middle Eastern and South Asian sounds that it's almost hard not to think this is the future of near Eastern jazz.

1. Surya
2. Ketu
3. Sukra
4. Sani

The sound isn't as frenetic as some modern jazz can be. The moods are laid back, the horns are played energetically, but mellow, and the sounds, sometimes brought from the American jazz world are blended seamlessly with those of the musician's Iranian roots. This completely instrumental music is worldly, but don't simply call it "world" music; it's more than that.

ZAMAN 8's first EP called "Suryaghati EP 1" is the first of a two part album being presented as two separate EP's. Though their style may change with the nature of their collaborations, when it comes to the work ZAMAN 8 have done with Modir, if you do any measure of exploration into the worlds of jazz and Middle Eastern music you really need to check them out.

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