The Quarantine Tapes: A week-day program from Onassis LA and dublab. Hosted by Paul Holdengräber, the series chronicles shifting paradigms in the age of social distancing. Each day, Paul calls a guest for a brief discussion about how they are experiencing the global pandemic.

On episode 196 of The Quarantine Tapes, Paul Holdengräber is joined by Arman Naféei. Paul and Arman discuss Los Angeles, influences, Arman’s new podcast, and much more in a lively and enthralling episode.

Arman launched a music podcast a little over a year ago, Are We On Air. He explains the podcast’s origins and structure before Paul turns the tables on him to ask Arman one of his own classic interview questions. In this fascinating episode, Arman breaks down his unique title of directeur d’ambiance, talks Hugh Hefner’s jazz record collection, and more.

Arman Naféei is the host and creator of culture podcast Are We On Air and Directeur d’ambiance at the Chateau Marmont in LA. After a chance meeting at Jay Joplin’s White Cube Gallery in London, Arman Nafeei was handpicked by André Balazs in 2010 as the Music Director of all of his properties including The Boom Boom Room at The Standard Hotels, Sunset Beach in the Hamptons, celebrity favourite Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles, and the Chiltern Firehouse in London.

In 2013, Arman launched StudioNeu, a creative agency specializing in Music direction, Sound Design, spatial strategies and cultural programming. Here, Arman has worked with a wide range of clients in the cultural sector. Ranging from Nile Rodgers’ “Freak Out Lets Dance” Festival to the weddings of both Gwyneth Paltrow and Heidi Klum. StudioNeu has also helped to define the sound identities of Fashion houses such as Giorgio Armani, Moncler, Chanel and Prada.

In 2020, Arman launched Are We On Air. The interview series was launched in April during the first lockdown to share some inspiring stories and sounds with the world and since then developed into a cultural audio magazine with some incredible personalities giving an intimate glimpse into their musical taste, creative process and entertaining stories. Arman plans to spend 2021 between LA, Berlin and Milan, developing Are We On Air further, delving into the on-screen realm, as well as spearheading several music direction projects for fashion brands in Milan.

LINKS:

• “Nessun Dorma” from Turandot by Puccini, sung by Luciano Pavarotti
• Teddy Pendergrass
• “If I Ever Feel Better” from United by Phoenix
• Patti Smith & Paul Holdengraber LIVE from the NYPL
• Dizzy Gillespie: “Dizzy on the French Riviera“
• Ariana Papademetropoulos

ARE WE ON AIR: areweonair.com

Hafez: poetryfoundation.org/poets/hafez

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