Jul 18, 2008

Haale: A name to remember

By Paul Freeman / Entertainment Writer

You may have difficulty pronouncing Haale's name, but once you've experienced her electrifying "psychedelic Sufi trance rock," you won't stop talking about this striking talent.

Of Persian origin, the name means "halo around the moon," and there is a celestial awe to Haale's sound.

Bronx-born of Iranian heritage, the singer-songwriter's name, Haale, is similar in pronunciation to the first two syllables of jalapeno or hallelujah. Appropriate enough, as her music is both hot and heavenly.

"My name is a little challenging. No one wants to say it, because they're afraid to mispronounce it," said Haale, adding with a laugh, "That doesn't really help with the word of mouth."

DJs play Haale's record, but many avoid saying her name, because they don't know how to pronounce it. "People listening are like, 'Good song, but who the hell was that?'"

Her first full-length album, "No Ceiling," brims with great songs. With highly literate lyrics and remarkable sounds, Haale, a prize-winning poet, mesmerizes listeners.

Thrill to Haale and her band live at a free concert on Sunday in Redwood City. The show is part of a summer-long presentation of free cultural events on downtown's Courthouse Square. Haale will also perform at San Francisco's Elbo Room on July 21 and at Santa Cruz's Moe's Alley on July 22.

She's familiar with the Bay Area, having earned a biology degree at Stanford University. Planning to become a psychiatrist, Haale was accepted to Harvard Medical School.

"Someone gave me a guitar and my life changed," she said. "It all started in my friend's back yard, under a lemon tree, in Palo Alto. I started writing songs and decided I didn't really want to become a doctor.

"I'd always wanted to be an artist, since I was a little kid. I always sang. But it wasn't really encouraged. So I got on a different path for a while, which wasn't the most fulfilling way for me to go. Luckily, I met people who helped me steer my way into music."

The new road wasn't an easy one. "The spark and desire were there, but there was also a tremendous self-doubt. I had very little experience in music. I was scared, but knew I had to do it anyway."

She began with folk rock, then immersed herself in Persian music. "It was about bringing them together," she said. "There was a slow evolution, finding a sound of my own."

Haale lived in San Francisco, played clubs, then moved back to New York. "It's a very different feeling in New York City. There's a lot of ambition. (Musicians are) very motivated," she said.

"But California is so beautiful, especially Palo Alto. The sun shines every day. You just want to go outside and hang out. I long to return someday. There are great musicians. And nature is majestic there - beaches, mountains, redwoods. Sitting and writing outside, that's where I feel most creative."

Haale's creativity resulted in David Byrne (Talking Heads) presenting her at Carnegie Hall. The Bonnaroo Festival also provided significant exposure. The "No Ceiling" album is generating much-deserved buzz.

"A lot of love went into this album. It was the smoothest recording experience I ever had. Matt Kilmer, the percussionist I've been playing with, produced and engineered it. We recorded it in my home and my parents' home. So it was all very DIY."

You'll hear connective threads among the songs. "Mystical themes are explored on this album - a spiritual movement, an emotional maturity, growth, evolution. The idea of no ceiling is that we have no real limits to our potential, in terms of what we can experience and produce," Haale said. "One can hear a struggle, in terms of getting to this point of understanding. There's always darkness. There is definitely a dark element to the music."

Yet, Haale is very aware of music's spiritual power. "What I really love are the textures and sounds the percussion allows. I used to play with a drum kit and, at a certain point, I realized it wasn't the right sound for me. The sound of the goatskin and wooden shakers - organic materials - create a warm sound that I love, this natural bed that supports the themes."

Her unusual blend of Middle Eastern and Western musical sensibilities intrigues audiences. "Their reaction is usually extremely receptive," she said. "There's a lot of excitement about it, because there's something new going on. When we play live, I'm on electric guitar and we have this cellist who plays with us, Brent Arnold, who plays this very unique way, using all these pedals. It's an interesting sound and people dig that."

Haale sings her adventurous music in both English and Farsi. "There are no borders. Language is language. We can enjoy knowing and not knowing, understanding and not understanding. It's a nice experience when you listen to a song and hear syllables that are a bit unfamiliar," she said. "It's more authentic for me, because I grew up hearing both languages."

She hopes that eliminating boundaries in music can lead to dissolving social borders. "It's a process that will happen over time. Either we will destroy ourselves or we will evolve. Breaking down barriers is possible. I don't know if it'll happen in my lifetime. Progress is slow.

"Things always happen in the arts first. Someone once said, 'Artists are antennas for the race,' which is a beautiful thought. I'll just be here, carving out that little fantasy of global cooperation in my songs. Hopefully it's uplifting to people."