Right in line with my passion and zeal for anything BQP, i've pasted an article below which I wrote this past weekend after attending their CD release party. Happy reading!
New York Diary | Humanity’s best bridge-builder
Despite all the smear tactics and propaganda that we encounter through the world’s mass media outlets regarding Pakistan, the country has still been fortunate enough to be home to millions of hospitable, compassionate people who strive to make this world a safer, better place for all. I could go on and on with the names of Pakistanis from the world of finance to art, from architecture to science, from fashion to films, who have certainly made a marked difference in the lives of their fellow citizens, but more importantly, whose impact can be felt by people across borders, in faraway lands.
It is in such times that I cannot help but be saddened by the absence of the great singer, late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. It may have been 10 years since his untimely death, but for those of us who were enraptured by his musical genius, it seems just like yesterday. Thankfully, his memory has been kept alive by countless musicians and non-musicians alike, and it is these people to whom we owe much gratitude. In this day and age, music can do, and has done, a great service to the cause of peace, unity and harmony. But it is indeed a pleasant surprise when the ones who carry the torch forward do not understand the language the song is sung in.
This is what enthralled me most the first time I went to see the Brooklyn Qawwali Party (BQP) perform in late 2005. None of the 14 or so band members understood Urdu, or for that matter, the taal and raags being used, yet they still managed to keep the essence of Nusrat’s music alive as they played their string, percussion and wind instruments with fervour and enthusiasm that night many months ago.
BQP has since come full circle now, having released their first CD consisting of four songs: Mustt mustt, Mann kunto Maula, Beh haad ramza dhasdha, and Allah hoo. Needless to say, the songs energise and captivate the listener, but what continues to amaze me is how experiential their concerts can be, much like when Nusrat performed. None of the band members has seen him live or in person, yet each performs with the same gusto and zest that a Sufi soul performer would.
As I sat in the audience and listened to trumpeter Jesse Neuman introduce the group at their CD release party a few nights ago, I was humbled and elated. Here were some regular, all-American folks who happened to listen to his music and have now become not only diehard fans, but also propagators of Nusrat’s noble message. “We are honoured to be able to bring Nusrat’s music to you; music that is centuries old and that, we hope, will live on for centuries to come,” Jesse said to a crowd full of people.
Nusrat sang of love for God, for the beloved and for humanity around us. He has touched the lives of millions all over the world. I remember growing up listening to his music and watching countless foreigners, who could not understand a word of what he sang, yet they were in a deep trance and understood that something so compelling could only take one to a higher plane of existence. The words meant nothing, the experience everything.
As BQP’s music makes its way into the hearts of thousands of New Yorkers, one can only marvel at the fantastic job the group is doing to bring the richness of Sufism and Pakistani music to mainstream America. We in South Asia are quite familiar with this heritage, but what to say of those who are only familiar with images of terror suspects? I am honoured that in a post-9/11 world where Pakistanis aim to build alliances and relationships with the rest of the US, they have allies and partners that are doing just as good a job as any ambassador can.
Whoever said building bridges was an engineer’s job?
Showing posts with label Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Brooklyn Qawwali Party - finally out with a CD
I thought it would take a lifetime, but alas! BQP is out with a CD consisting of four energetic and lively tunes. Perfect exercise or morning walk music, as well as for a night out with friends or just something in the background at work.
Buy it here!
Thursday, January 25, 2007
My article: Nusrat's legacy lives on
My article on Nusrat Fateh Ali's tribute event is copied below. Many of you may not know who Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is, but back in South Asia, he is a legend, who unfortunately, passed away in 1997. He was a musical genius and was a real trailblazer and pioneer when it came to fusion music. He's worked with Eddie Vedder (of Pearl Jam) and Peter Gabriel among many other artists.
Nusrat’s legacy lives on
As I rediscover the roots of my Pakistani heritage, I try to fathom what it was those ancient sufis from the Middle East and South Asia wanted to tell us. Their stories are compelling, but how could they have survived centuries of warfare, of a history not written by them, but which they shaped so skillfully? It is in these moments that Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and his qawwalis come to mind, taking me to another world. Unfortunately, God also took Nusrat from us to another world 10 years ago: 2007 marks Nusrat’s 10th death anniversary.
Pakistanis have a penchant for celebrating the lives of those who they hold in high esteem, and tributes to musical legends have been quite the norm these past few years, especially since Noor Jehan’s passing away in 2000. But it is especially unique and heart-warming to see non-Pakistanis, especially those who reside in the West, not only pay him respect but do so because of the inspiration his music and voice provided.
I have mentioned Brooklyn Qawwali Party (BQP) numerous times in this column space, but this time around, it is someone else I am going to be praising: Fabian Alsultany of GlobeSonic Entertainment. GlobeSonic Entertainment is a full-service international music organisation heavily involved in producing shows, festivals and artist relations and consists of Fabian along with a powerhouse of talent in the form of Bill Bragin, director of Joe’s Pub at the Public Theatre, and photojournalist/yoga instructor, Derek Beres.
Fabian’s bio is impressive to say the least. His experiences have taken him all over the world and have helped nurture in him a respect not only for diversity, but also for bridging the gaps he saw in cultures. Coming from a Hispanic and Arab background meant that Fabian was already accustomed to bridging these gaps, but it took Nusrat’s music for him to steer in a very different direction professionally and musically.
I spoke to Fabian briefly before an event he and his other colleagues at GlobeSonic organised to commemorate Nusrat’s 10th death anniversary. BQP and another ghazal maestro, Vishal Vaid, were set to transport the audience into another world, and I wanted to talk to Fabian personally about what his motivation and vision was for this and other similar endeavours.
“Nusrat changed my life,” says Fabian. He was tired of seeing the negative images of the Muslim world splashed on TV screens all over the world and saw Nusrat’s music as a way of bridging the great divide between the Western and Muslim worlds. He saw that Pakistan in particular, and the Muslim community in general, was getting such negative press, which needed to be countered. What better way than through music?
GlobeSonic Entertainment hopes this is the first of many such endeavours all over North America. Qawwali and ghazal music has rarely been witnessed and experienced outside of cities and states where South Asians are present in large numbers like New York, Chicago and the Bay Area/California, but with this endeavour, and the success it enjoyed in its first night in New York, the future is indeed bright. The message needs to be passed on, especially in times where Muslims are vilified for believing in the same things their Christian and Jewish brethren believe in.
Nusrat may have passed away a decade ago, but as is clearly visible, his musical genius continues to inspire musicians all over the world. The audience at the concert that night consisted mostly of South Asians, but there were enough non-South Asians present for me to rest assured that his legacy was clearly not only for us; others should know about the cultural bridge he built, which Fabian and his colleagues are now helping others to cross as well. The king has died, but he has left behind several vicegerents. And boy, are they making him proud!
Nusrat’s legacy lives on
As I rediscover the roots of my Pakistani heritage, I try to fathom what it was those ancient sufis from the Middle East and South Asia wanted to tell us. Their stories are compelling, but how could they have survived centuries of warfare, of a history not written by them, but which they shaped so skillfully? It is in these moments that Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and his qawwalis come to mind, taking me to another world. Unfortunately, God also took Nusrat from us to another world 10 years ago: 2007 marks Nusrat’s 10th death anniversary.
Pakistanis have a penchant for celebrating the lives of those who they hold in high esteem, and tributes to musical legends have been quite the norm these past few years, especially since Noor Jehan’s passing away in 2000. But it is especially unique and heart-warming to see non-Pakistanis, especially those who reside in the West, not only pay him respect but do so because of the inspiration his music and voice provided.
I have mentioned Brooklyn Qawwali Party (BQP) numerous times in this column space, but this time around, it is someone else I am going to be praising: Fabian Alsultany of GlobeSonic Entertainment. GlobeSonic Entertainment is a full-service international music organisation heavily involved in producing shows, festivals and artist relations and consists of Fabian along with a powerhouse of talent in the form of Bill Bragin, director of Joe’s Pub at the Public Theatre, and photojournalist/yoga instructor, Derek Beres.
Fabian’s bio is impressive to say the least. His experiences have taken him all over the world and have helped nurture in him a respect not only for diversity, but also for bridging the gaps he saw in cultures. Coming from a Hispanic and Arab background meant that Fabian was already accustomed to bridging these gaps, but it took Nusrat’s music for him to steer in a very different direction professionally and musically.
I spoke to Fabian briefly before an event he and his other colleagues at GlobeSonic organised to commemorate Nusrat’s 10th death anniversary. BQP and another ghazal maestro, Vishal Vaid, were set to transport the audience into another world, and I wanted to talk to Fabian personally about what his motivation and vision was for this and other similar endeavours.
“Nusrat changed my life,” says Fabian. He was tired of seeing the negative images of the Muslim world splashed on TV screens all over the world and saw Nusrat’s music as a way of bridging the great divide between the Western and Muslim worlds. He saw that Pakistan in particular, and the Muslim community in general, was getting such negative press, which needed to be countered. What better way than through music?
GlobeSonic Entertainment hopes this is the first of many such endeavours all over North America. Qawwali and ghazal music has rarely been witnessed and experienced outside of cities and states where South Asians are present in large numbers like New York, Chicago and the Bay Area/California, but with this endeavour, and the success it enjoyed in its first night in New York, the future is indeed bright. The message needs to be passed on, especially in times where Muslims are vilified for believing in the same things their Christian and Jewish brethren believe in.
Nusrat may have passed away a decade ago, but as is clearly visible, his musical genius continues to inspire musicians all over the world. The audience at the concert that night consisted mostly of South Asians, but there were enough non-South Asians present for me to rest assured that his legacy was clearly not only for us; others should know about the cultural bridge he built, which Fabian and his colleagues are now helping others to cross as well. The king has died, but he has left behind several vicegerents. And boy, are they making him proud!
Monday, January 08, 2007
Tribute to Pakistani music maestro Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - 1/18
Friends,
This event is not to be missed! Pass the word on...
Z
This event is not to be missed! Pass the word on...
Z
GlobeSonic Entertainment Presents
A Tribute to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Vishal Vaid | The Brooklyn Qawwali Party | GlobeSonic DJs | special guests
Thursday Jan 18 2007
Makor | 35 W 67th St | NYC
$15 advance | $18 doors | Free to APAP badge holders
2007 will mark the 10-year anniversary since Pakistani qawwali legend Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan passed away. His influence made a mark on a wide range of artists, including Jeff Buckley, Eddie Vedder and Perry Farrell. His forward-reaching collaboration with Michael Brook (on two Real World releases, Mustt Mustt and Night Song) was the gateway for global audiences to experience this unique, harmonium- and tabla-driven devotional music. On Thursday, January 18th, GLOBESONIC PRESENTS A TRIBUTE TO NUSRAT will feature artists influenced by this legend. Vocalist VISHAL VAID will perform vibrant, gorgeous ghazals over modern musical soundscapes alongside his ensemble. Sharing the stage will be BROOKLYN QAWWALI PARTY, who has based their repertoire on the rich Nusrat catalog, interpreting his style into a funky big-band dance formation. GlobeSonic DJs and special guests will fill the air with the magic of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
From his birth in Faisalabad, Punjab in 1948 until his passing in 1997, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan took the devotional Sufi music of qawwali to reaches unknown in the Islamic world. He was part of a 700-year familial lineage of qawwals, but the first to break it from the folk tradition of weddings, funerals and public service and to mainstream audiences through collaborations with the likes of Peter Gabriel, Eddie Vedder and Michael Brook. In his time he recorded some 125 albums, two of the last produced by Rick Rubin. That low, guttural trademark voice is beloved by fans worldwide, for having brought the sacred poetry of Rumi, Hafiz and others to an entire planet.
“Nusrat stirred the soul of millions around the world with the power of his voice,” says GlobeSonic founder Fabian Alsultany. “His voice was consumed by millions, from New York, London and Paris, and beyond. He was everywhere in the early ‘90s, helping clean the grunge from the airwaves of the mainstream establishment. Today artists like the BQP, Karsh Kale, Niyaz and Vishal Vaid are all proof of Nusrat’s influence, of how an ambassador from another culture can influence young American kids on a MTV diet. The changing face of America is represented by this great figure. His music reminds us how the beautiful terrain of Pakistan, India and Iran – the profound richness of the Islamic world – radiated through his voice.”
THE PERFORMERS
Ghazal is a Persian song form literally meaning “to hold conversation with the divine,” and VISHAL VAID is undoubtedly on of the genre's young masters. Since his first live concert was at age three, Vishal has raised passion and fury in global audiences with ths sound of his unforgettable voice. Pliant in manay styles, from classical concerts sung in Urdu and Hindi to fusion experiments with Moroccan Gnawa and electronic renderings, his voice is the ecstatic infusion of diverse sounds. The man behind Karsh Kale's three records, he has performed alongside Bill Laswell, Hassan Hakmoun, Talvin Singh and Alex Kirschner. Spurred by the timeless qawwali sounds Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan exposed the West to, Vishal is poised to start his own re-evolution. “The ghazal is another art form I’m just waiting to reinvent," he says. "I feel it coming out of world instrumentation; be it an Arabic violin, an Italian cellist, a saxophone, what have you. These are all different concepts you have to be open to.”
The Brooklyn Qawwali Party is a 14-piece jazz/world music band from Brooklyn, NY. Inspired by recordings of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, this band was founded in 2004 as an experiment: What would happen if New York jazz musicians were to play and improvise around the melodies of this qawwali great? 14 musicians large (five horns, three percussionists, guitar, acoustic bass, harmonium and three designated clappers), their exuberant sound has been enthusiastically welcomed nationally. “We wish to serve the music of qawwali, to serve the memory of Nusrat and his qawwali Party, and to serve the world a music that will be joyous and perhaps spiritually uplifting,” BQP says, true to the intent of the Sufism that inspired qawwali music. “We wish to be a vessel for the unity of mankind, on a small scale or large.”
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