ZÖJ is an experimental cross-cultural music duo based in Australia, comprising Gelareh Pour on Kamancheh Qeychak Alto and Voice and Brian O’Dwyer on drumkit. The duo has been creating music as ZÖJ since 2016 but have worked together in other projects since 2012. The ideals of ZÖJ are firmly rooted in true expression of inter-culturalism, specifically what it means to be from more than one place.
Gelareh Pour, a musician originally from Iran, has been studying and performing music since the age of seven. She is a master of the Kamancheh, a Persian string instrument, and has won several international awards for her work.
Brian O’Dwyer is an Australian born drummer who explores sound as connection. Working with the moment in which musician and listener impact equally through reaction and response, Brian’s approach to percussion and drumming involves incredible dynamic shift, ebbing and flowing with the various influences of the room.
Together, ZÖJ creates a unique and powerful sound that combines the traditional music of their respective cultures with contemporary experimental elements. Pour’s virtuosic Kamancheh playing is complemented by O’Dwyer’s dynamic and diverse drumming, resulting in a sound that is at once complex and accessible.
