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My Friend Hafiz is the result of musicians being inspired by a poet who was inspired by a mystic. My Friend Hafiz inspired by the poetry of Hafiz, lyrics adapted from Daniel Ladinsky's (c) 1999 Penguin Publication, The Gift: Poems by Hafiz and used with his permission by The Levins. © 2013 Copyright - The Levins/ASCAP (Sweet Peach Blossoms Publishing) and Daniel Ladinsky/BMI / Summersongs Unlimited The Levins, Ira and Julia, are a harmony-driven acoustic duo committed to making music that uplifts the soul and inspires community. Their latest recording both resonates with and celebrates the poetry of Hafiz of Shiraz. Hafiz of Shiraz, who lived 100 years after Rumi, is a Sufi mystic from the 14th century whose 'multidimensional' poetry not only prompts an internal joy that promotes peace within and without, but like The Beatles reaches people of every faith, race and country with a universal message of love. His poetry has been translated into English by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Goethe and many others but in 1996 Daniel Ladinsky, a poet and student of Meher Baba, published his first collection of Hafiz poetry which was followed up by four other collections including the 1999 Penguin Publication, The Gift. Daniel Ladinsky manages to bring Hafiz poetry into the modern age with a timeless quality that makes the very quarks in the heart shout in blissful abandonment. Although criticized for not being accurate in his translations, he points out that to translate means to 'bring across' which he does with the most wonderful results. The Hafiz-Ladinsky poems reach right into the soul and stir it up with effervescent swirling delight. The whirling dervish inside the reader goes into a state of perpetual motion when savoring these poems. About the Music: Ira and Julia, a harmony driven acoustic duo, known as The Levins, dedicated to promoting peace through sonic splendor, developed the songs with their world-folk ensemble. They began to arrange and record the music in two San Francisco studios: Different Fur and Broken Radio with engineers Chris Fletcher and Carly Benham. Chris Fletcher mixed the album which was produced by Ira and Julia and mastered at Capitol Records in LA, CA by Robert Vosgien.  Ira and Julia moved to New York and have recorded two additional songs with Mark Dann at his studios in NYC and Woodstock, NY with three beautifully talented local musicians: Daphna Mor, David Moss and Rami El Aasser. The musicians on the CD include: Ira Scott Levin- Vocals and guitar, flute on Act Great, piano on Troubled
Julia Bordenaro Levin- Vocals, harmonies, piano, keyboard
T. Hallenbeck- Cello, mandocello
Aharon Wheels Bolsta- tabla, darbukka, riqq, various percussion, Bansuri Indian flute on Sun Never Says and Forgive the Dream
Elizabeth Stuart- Zarb, shaker on Every Child, Forgive the Dream, Life Giving Sun and pennywhistle on Your Mother and My Mother
Musical guests:
Ian Kay Shields- Cajon, bongos and expressive percussion
Dina Maccabee- violin on When the Violin
Payam J. Agheli- Ney on Life Giving Sun, Forgive the Dream and Every Child.
Daphna Mor- Ney and Recorders on Old Sweet Beggar and The Chorus in the Eye
David Moss- Cello on Old Sweet Beggar and The Chorus in the Eye
Rami El Aasser- Percussion on Old Sweet Beggar and The Chorus in the Eye Album Design and Layout by Stump'd/ Brody Lowe To reach The Levins: TheLevins at yahoo.com