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Jam Nizamuddin II: The Sultan of the Samma dynasty

The tomb of Sultan Jam Nizamuddin, also known as Jam Nindo, is currently undergoing restorative work at Makli - Photo by Madeeha Syed

Driving through the largest necropolis in the world — the historical Makli graveyard in Thatta — is like driving through different eras of ancient history: great kings representing several dynasties are buried here as along with great saints, scholars, philosophers and common men.

As we reached the far end of the Makli graveyard, we found an area that was more restored and preserved than the rest. Men laboured away with machines and tools at a beautiful, intricately carved tomb that was completely different from the others.
This tomb belonged to Jam Nizamuddin II or, as he was popularly known, Jam Nindo — one of the greatest rulers of Sindh and the Sultan of the Samma dynasty.

Jam Nizammudin II reigned from 1461 to 1509 and, along with Sindh, ruled portions of Punjab and Balochistan as well. His rule is known as the golden age of the Samma dynasty as it is during this time that the legacy of the dynasty reached its peak.

He was known for his progressive ideals and his was a peaceful rule. He was a deeply religious man and was known for his pleasant disposition. His kingdom was based on strict Islamic rule where the welfare and safety of all was of paramount concern; travellers could pass through his land without being harmed. After his succession to the throne, he travelled with a large army to Bakkhar, rooting out troublemakers and robbers who had made the life of his people difficult.

Jam Nindo spent much of his time in discourse with learned men of his time. He was known as a seeker of knowledge. It is said that Jalaluddin Rumi sent two of his pupils, Mir Shamsuddin and Mir Muin, to Thatta to arrange for his asylum. When Jam Nindo came to know of this, he sent Rumi’s pupils back with a generous amount of money for travelling expenses and instructed them to return with Rumi immediately. He then ordered spacious, comfortable homes to be prepared for Rumi to live in. Unfortunately, by the time Mir Shamsuddin and Mir Muin reached Persia, Rumi had passed away.

During the latter part of Jam Nindo’s rule, a Mughal army from Kandahar under Shah Beg Arghun tried to invade parts of Jam Nindo’s empire. Under the command of his vizier, Darya Khan, Jam Nindo sent a large army to Halukhar (Duruh-i-Kureeb back then) near Sibi and defeated the army — killing Shah Beg Arghun’s brother, Abu Muhammad Mirza in the fight. The Mughals retreated immediately and they never made another attempt at invasion as long as Jam Nindo ruled the area. Jam Nindo passed away soon after.

The Sindh Samma Welfare Organisation recently paid tribute to Jam Nindo on his 503rd death anniversary last year. Sindh Minister for Culture, Sassui Palijo, announced on the occasion that the Urs of Jam Nindo would be officially organised by the Sindh Culture department this year.

The elaborate and intricate carvings on the tomb of Jam Nindo are symbolic of Hindu architecture in the Gujrati style with a slight influence of Mughal imperial architecture. There is no dome on the tomb; the walls stop at the springing lines — a horizontal line between the springing of the arch. The tomb has been constructed with painstaking detail and is breathtaking to behold.

In contrast, there is a simple, unadorned tomb nearby that the locals say belongs to a pious woman whose prayers protected Thatta from invasion for as long as she was alive and after whom the graveyard was named: Mai Makli.

Behind the tomb you see wide patches of lush green — vegetation that has grown on what once used to be the bed of the River Indus when it still ran through Thatta and when Thatta was a major commercial and cultural hub of the Subcontinent

The cemented graves of the husband and son of Noori Jam Tamachi - Photo by Madeeha Syed

[ To view a complete set of photos of Jam Nizamuddin II's tomb click here ]



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January 15, 2012 | Categories: DAWN, Images On Sunday, The Review | Leave A Comment »

‘Brought to life’ online

Sajid Ghafoor

They say that some of the greatest art comes in the most difficult of times. With rampant piracy, an almost non-existent infrastructure that supports music and a greater socio-political (not to mention economic) upheaval in the country which makes it harder for full-time musicians to make a consistent living or perform in open, large-scale concerts – one can safely say that these are difficult times in music.

And yet, it is these same conditions that have seen the emergence of bands and artistes such as The Poor Rich Boys, Beygairat Brigade, Yasir and Jawad and Zoe Viccaji among the many others who continue to make their mark on the current music scene. Where all of the above-mentioned artistes have been featured on local TV networks at one point on another, their real following and exposure lies online. When released, their songs and videos have spread like wildfire, creating a buzz on social networking websites and earning them followers abroad as well.

Known for their pioneering work in both music and video, Peshawar’s much-loved duo, Sajid and Zeeshan, has recently begun releasing its second album online. The boys have begun releasing two songs from their latest album, The Harvest, every week on their website www.sajidandzeeshan.com and www.reverbnation.com/sajidandzeeshan. At the time this article went into print, they had released videos of two songs, Walk on Air and Start with a Scratch along with audio files of Good Old Days, Start with a Scratch, Walk on Air, Black as White, The Clue, Brought to Life and Cause and Effect with approximately six or seven more songs pending release.

“Zeeshan (Parwez) and I discussed it and we decided we wanted our music to spread everywhere. The best way to do that would be to release it online, for free and in episodes,” said Sajid Ghafoor, the singer, songwriter, guitar and harmonica player. “We tried to go with The Musik but by then things had gotten delayed and they couldn’t give a definite release date. And this album has been ready for quite some time. The album is still in the process of being released with one new track every Wednesday and Saturday.”

Most of the songs released by the band so far sound very upbeat, a slight departure from the previous album, One Light Year at Snail Speed. “I tried to put in more flavours and different perspectives. But it’s inherently about the same thing – the self and fighting with the self. I tried to compose some of the songs differently and I challenged myself that way – lyrically, in the composition and singing style as well because (laughs) doing Black as White wasn’t easy,” he added. The song has the artiste rapping in the beginning.

The band has also collaborated with musician and producer Louis ‘Gumby’ Pinto on a song in the album. It is their first official collaboration with any artiste. Zeeshan had worked with Gumby in Coke Studio and back then they had discussed the possibility of a collaboration. The song is called Desperation.

“But it’s not from a negative point of view – it’s about how to fight it,” said Sajid, “This song is slightly different. It is one of my oldest songs – I wrote it during the times of Still.” Still was an underground band Sajid Ghafoor formed in 1990 with his brother, guitarist and producer Sarmad Ghafoor. Other members of the band were Ziyad Qamar and Ahmed Tamreez.

Does he think Sajid and Zeeshan, as a band that successfully broke out into the mainstream media from Peshawar, is responsible for encouraging newer music to emerge from the city? “I have no idea, maybe some, but you can’t take the credit for all of them. So far what I’ve heard shows talent and a will to do more.”

On a concluding note, Sajid added, “Although, I’m still waiting for boys and girls from Quetta to come out and make their voices heard.” Indeed.

Zeeshan Parwez

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January 15, 2012 | Categories: DAWN, Images, Images On Sunday | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Big, bold and beautiful

Winter in Karachi is almost synonymous with running a wedding marathon. With non stop nuptials dotting the calendar in the winter holiday season, the trends that are keeping up with winter season in the metropolitan city can be seen at the various weddings functions that are held. As a coastal city, however, Karachi does not experience an extreme climate – winter in Karachi is chilly but almost never too cold to consider making separate winter clothes for or one in which people can wear heavy layers. A person once commented he was surprised at seeing women dressed in thin cotton and lawn in Karachi with hardly any layering for winter.

Big bold colours in bright red, parrot green, aquamarine, sunflower yellow, eggplant purple and cobalt blue were visible almost everywhere. This isn’t the season to hold back. Colours in a bright array were used in clothes. Full, heavy pleats have given way to lesser pleating, mostly restricted on the front. The A-line shape in shirts is still very popular and there was a certain amount of colour and print blocking in winter clothes.

Using different fabrics to provide panels to clothes also turned out to be a very popular choice among most of the city’s residents. After a while though, this look tended to become incredibly monotonous and not all of the combinations in the panelled outfits complimented each other.

This winter moderately-pleated Peshwas shirts with golden or silver gota and embroidered lace in several layers donned the hemlines. Introduced a while back, the chooridar pajama is still proving to be very popular. Nowadays, popular shopping malls such as Aashiyana, Gulf and even Sunday bazaar has ready-made, fixed pleated chooridar tights in their shops for customers in a variety of colours.  A simple black or white from these can be worn with most shirts eradicating the need to get one made for each outfit.

But the chooridar pleats are not restricted to the pants alone. Half to full chooridar pleated sleeves are proving to be increasingly popular as well. These often require a lot of fabric and can be difficult to get into but they aesthetically compliment the chooridar pants that are usually worn to accompany the outfit.

Since winter is relatively moderate in Karachi – these clothes can be worn with a light shawl. A long version of the bolero is also proving to be very popular and can be worn on any outfit, with the liberty of keeping the bottom open, showing anything and worn any time. The trend of wearing short boleros and seems to have died down.

Come 2012 and the silhouette of the current-day Peshawas and/or kameez is expected to become slimmer and smarter. After the tents that have dominated the trends for the past several years it will be good to see some economy of fabric in the following year. Eventually, even the shirt lengths are expected to become shorter but there is still time for that. Having said that, this winter season in Karachi is all about celebrating using deep, rich colours and minimal layering for the winter.

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January 1, 2012 | Categories: +021 KHI, DAWN, Images On Sunday, Profile | 1 Comment »

[Annual Issue] “2011: The year of intrigue” > Music

New acts that emerged from limited fame onto the national stage in 2011

> NORTH’S BEST-KEPT SECRET
ISMAIL & JUNAID

Junaid Javed and Ismail Khan - photo by Madeeha Syed

With over 800,000 hits on YouTube and an ever-growing fan base, it’s safe to say that Ismail and Junaid are probably at the moment one of the biggest music acts in the country – and most of the country (minus the province they hail from), till recently, was unaware of them.

Their debut single, Qarar (Peace), was recently awarded the title of the second best Pashto song after Bibi Shireen by the Pashto Cultural Society. Several local artistes have released their own covers of the song and the band enjoys a considerable fan base in neighbouring Afghanistan, Pashtun communities in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. Their second single, Ranra (Light), also became a hit soon after its release solidifying the band’s place on the pop music scene in Pakistan.

The two unassuming college boys, Ismail Khan and Junaid Javed, who formed the band a couple of years ago, never imagined that the response that their music would garner when they were recording it. They are currently in the process of working on an Urdu single (working title: Raat), a new age Sufi song based on the poetry of Rehman Baba and an attan (traditional Pashto folk music) which will incorporate all of the 15 dialects of Pashto.

> A NEW DIVA IS BORN
MEESHA SHAFI

Meesha Shafi - photo by Fayyaz Ahmed

She is Pakistan’s example of a triple threat: Meesha Shafi is a successful model, a popular singer and has now added acting to forte. As the former lead singer for the well-known percussion based band, Overload, she the nation tapping their feet and singing along to her rendition of Alif Allah Chambay di Booti (in collaboration with Arif Lohar) in the third season of the music show, Coke Studio. She was undoubtedly one of the biggest stars to come out from that season.

As if that wasn’t enough, she has recently bagged a role in a film by Hollywood director, Mira Nair. Nair is currently working on an adaptation of Lahore-based author, Mohsin Hamid’s book, The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Meesha Shafi plays the role of the protagonist’s sister and will be starring in the film alongside well-known names such as Kiefer Sutherland, Kate Hudson, Riz Ahmed, Om Puri and Shabana Azmi.

> ARMED AND FABULOUS WITH THE SUGARCANE OF LOVE
SYMT

Farhan Ali, Haroon Shahid and Hassan Omar of Symt

Symt‘s most well known single is a cover of Naseebo Lal’s famous song, Pyar di Ganderi. This Lahore-based band, composed of Haroon Shahid, Hassan Omar and Farhan, is not only entertaining where music is concerned, but they also look good doing it!

Having been on the music scene for several years now, their growth has been slow and steady. And this year, they were one of the featured bands performing at the Lux Style Awards ceremony. They have already bagged an endorsement by the international clothing brand, Levi’s and have also been a part of their Levi’s unplugged sessions music project. One of their other popular singles includes an original song called Zamana, which was incidentally their first official recorded release.

> PASHTO GOES POP!
YASIR & JAWAD 

Jawad Iqbal, Wali Aurakzai and Yasir Khan

More popular outside of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa than they are in the province they call home, Yasir and Jawad (and Wali) broke on to the Pakistani mainstream music scene by being featured on the music reality show, Uth Records, earlier this year.

Hailing from North Waziristan, Orakzai Agency and Mardan, they released their debut single, titled Reidi Gul on the show. The song was based on the poetry of one of Pashto literature’s most popular poets, Khan Abdul Ghani Khan, introducing his work to those unfamiliar with the language. The band is currently working on their debut album with another Peshawar-based musician, video director and music producer, Zeeshan Parwez.

Bilal Khan

> THE DARK BROODING BLUES
BILAL KHAN

He had the nation crooning to his debut single, Bachana, for a very long time before making an appearance on the music show, Coke Studio, earlier this year. He has over a 150,000 fans on the social networking website, Facebook, and the number of his fans continues to increase.

Bilal Khan released his second single, Tu Kya Hua, on Coke Studio thereby solidifying his brand of brooding, bluesy as his very own signature. He released his debut album, titled Umeed, recently and considers the Pakistani bands Junoon and Noori as the kind of music he grew up listening to – though his own music happens to be of a very different flavour.

Bilal Khan continues to enjoy a cult audience and performs regularly in schools and colleges across the country.
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December 31, 2011 | Categories: +021 KHI, +042 LHR, +091 PSH, DAWN | Tags: , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Peshawar underground

The spotlight is now on Peshawar’s budding music scene

Unbeknown to the rest of the country, from being a place unknown for its pop music, Peshawar is quietly and slowly emerging with its own local music scene. There are newer and newer bands coming out in the city, which are giving their own twist to conventional forms of pop and rock music, planting the seeds for a whole new chapter in the pop music history of Pakistan. The work that is being done is exciting, novel and experimental and in the process of establishing its own unique identity.

Images on Sunday puts the spotlight on some of the most prominent acts – from folk, fusion, rap and metal – that are in the process of breaking through from the northern capital of Pakistan.

Ismail and Junaid

Junaid Javed - photo by Madeeha Syed

From the new wave of pop music from Peshawar, Ismail and Junaid definitely reign on top. Along with their increasing popularity, however, they perform sporadically and shy away from making too many public appearances.

They first made their debut on the media in January 2010, and have to their credit, runaway hits like Qarar (peace) and Ranra (light). Ismail Khan, who is the main singer songwriter in the band, hails from a family with a political background from Charsadda and met Junaid Javed while they were still in college. Junaid’s family settled in Peshawar after his grandfather, a businessman involved in the textile export industry, moved there. He began playing the guitar when he was 15 years old and is the backing vocalist and co-composer of the band. They first began jamming together when they were in their second year of college.

They’re passionate about promoting and creating awareness about their culture and heritage; and in renewing a sense of pride among the youth when in their cultural identity. As university students they’re not completely focused on their music, but having said that, they do have several projects lined up which include an Urdu song whose working title is Raat, a song based on an eminent Pashto poet, Ameer Hamza Shinwari’s (Hamza Baba) poems titled Pakhwa, and an attan that would incorporate 15 dialects of the Pashto language.

Ismail Khan: putting Pashto on the music map - photo by Madeeha Syed

Khumaryaan

This is perhaps one band from Peshawar that does the most live performances and not surprisingly so; their music may be completely instrumental, but it has a wonderful element of fun, fusion and heritage that keeps listeners engaged and tapping their feet – whether by listening to their music through their videos on YouTube or live at a concert.

Khumaryaan (people engaged in a state of intoxication) is composed of Farhan Bogra on rabab (who is also the frontman for the band), Aamer Shafiq on guitars, Shiraz Khan on zeer baghli (an Afghani hand drum, similar to the djembe from West Africa) and Sparley Rawail on guitars. They have recently begun featuring Hammad Baig on keyboards as well.

Some of their more popular numbers, accessible via recorded live performances hosted on YouTube, includes their most recent release, an original composition by the name of Bela. Other popular originals include Khumaar (intoxication) and Tamasha (ruckus). Their performances of Qataghani, mystic music that originates from the Heart province in Afghanistan; Sheenay (blue eyes), a composition that takes its roots from Gilgit-Baltistan and a cover of Babu Laley by one of Afghanistan’s most recognised singers, Sadiq Fitrat Habibi (popularly known as Nashanas) are also well-admired by audiences.

Farhan Bogra, Shiraz Khan, Sparlay Rawail and Aamer Shafique of Khumaryaan

Yasir and Jawad

Jawad Iqbal, Wali Aurakzai and Yasir Khan

They made their debut on the mainstream media via a music-based reality TV show, Uth Records, and had the nation humming to their composition of Reidi Gul – a song whose lyrical content was based on the poetry of one of Pashto literature’s most popular contemporary poets, Khan Abdul Ghani Khan.

Founder members, Yasir Khan plays the rabab and hails from North Waziristan whereas Jawad Iqbal who plays the rhythm guitar is from Mardan. The third featured member of the band, Wali Aurakzai, their popular lead singer, is originally from the Orakzai Agency.

Between their appearance on Uth Records and now, Wali Aurakzai was recruited into the Pakistan army. He managed to record several songs prior to his recruitment and continues to perform with the band whenever he can. Jawad Iqbal tries to step in for him as a vocalist whenever the band performs in his absence.

The 2 Dees

Aly Mannan and Dilawar Qazi: using music to dispel stereotypes - Photo by Madeeha Syed

Ever heard of Pashto rap? If not then you can always look towards The 2 Dees – a rap-based outfit whose songs have lyrical content both in English and Pashto. They are Dilawar Qazi and Aly Mannan (Dr Crack) and are quite popular in Peshawar’s underground music scene.

One of their better-known tracks is Techno 69 – a number destined to become a clubhouse favourite with its feet-tapping desi beats and catchy lyrics. Their versions of Numb/Encore by Linkin Park and Ghetto by Akon, to which they add their own lyrics and musical flavour, are considered their audiences’ favourite songs for them to perform.

They have recently released a video for the song they are most known for, We love you KPK, a narrative about the struggles and the beauty of their beloved province. The song, a version of which features Farhan Bogra on the rabab, is an attempt to decry popular stereotypes associated with the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Asad and Jamshaid

Guitar virtuosos: Asad Ali Khan and Jamshaid Ali Khan

They’re only 17 but the skills they display in their guitar playing are well beyond their years. A musical collaboration seemed only natural as Asad Ali Khan and Jamshaid Ali khan also happen to be twins, but along with working together on music, they are also actively engaged in their own independent music projects. They produce their music by themselves as they’ve set up a music recording facility at home.

As a duo, they have previously performed at a Peshawar Musical evening at Fast University, Kuch Khaas in Islamabad, a music festival in Kaghan and most recently at Nishtar Hall. Asad and Jamshaid work on a diverse range of music ranging from pop, rock and electronica and sometimes fuse all three genres. They predominantly perform their own original instrumentals, along with several covers, often swapping roles when it comes to playing guitar (between playing lead or rhythm) or will play the exact same thing together.


Others music acts

It’s a healthy sign for the community when members of the youth chose to express themselves through creative mediums. Apart from the bands mentioned above, there are others who are also contributing their share to music in Peshawar. One of these is a group that does rap music in English and Pashto by name of Fortitude. The band members are Shahkar Alam Khan, Shumail Alam Khan and Mustafa Kamal and they’re best known for their feel-good song,Time Paas.

A singer, songwriter, actor and filmmaker, Naseer Afridi recently released a song in collaboration Shahab Qamar (from a band called Avid) called Rise on your broken knees. The song comes under the genre of Nu Metal which incorporates other types of music such as hip hop and grunge with elements of heavy metal.

The rock band, Avid (along with its band members Naseef Maqsood, Shahab Qamar, Imran Ahmed and Faisal Durrani) have been making waves with their song, Sarey Mil Kay, a song they’ve dedicated to the people who lost their lives in the on-going War On Terror.

‘You’re not a rockstar, but you can see yourself up there’ – King of self 

Zeeshan Parwez and Sajid Ghafoor - photo by Fayyaz Ahmed

“At least now I don’t feel that frustrated anymore,” said Sajid Ghafoor, singer songwriter, composer, guitarist and harmonica player for the popular Peshawar-based band, Sajid and Zeeshan, that emerged to national acclaim in 2006, “and the reason is that there are lots of musicians out there now from Peshawar. Whether they’re good or bad, they’re trying. It would be brilliant if music paves the way for greater artistic expression in our area. And that is something which is being done right now.”

Yasir and Jawad is currently in the process of recording their debut album at Zeepar Studios with Zeeshan Parwez. Most of the lyrical content in the album is focused on heritage poetry, predominantly that of the band’s favourite, Khan Abdul Ghani Khan. Yasir and Jawad are keen on reviving an interest in Pashto literature through their music.

Asad and Jamshaid consider another Peshawar-based music duo, Sajid Ghafoor and Zeeshan Parwez, as one of their biggest influences in music. “I believe Asad and Jamshaid are highly talented individuals, and to some extent, they remind me of my hyper self when I was in my teens!” said Zeeshan Parwez, who has also worked with the band on a project; he added that, “in a short time they’ve learned a lot. Peshawar needs them – musicians who continue to make music actively. I wish them luck in their future endeavours but above all, all I can advise them that I advise countless others is that their academics come first and after that their music.”


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November 12, 2011 | Categories: DAWN, Images, Images On Sunday | 10 Comments »

Tomb raiders: Guarding the dead

The caretaker of Chowkandi, Allah Dina - Photo by Madeeha Syed

[ See "Ancient art at Chowkandi" a photo essay on the tombs at Chowkandi ]

On the outskirts of Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi, lies a treasure trove for archaeologists and historians alike — the Chowkandi tombs. The tombs at Toti Chowkandi (literal meaning: four corners) were named after Malik Tota Khan, a Kalamati tribal elder who is also buried there. The site predominantly contains tombs that were built for the Jokhio and Baloch tribes between the 15th and the 18th century.

Chowkandi is located 30kms from main Karachi. Once we’re inside, a man with greying hair and a bushy beard, wearing a chequered turban and dhoti walks towards us with the help of his cane. Allah Dina, the caretaker of Chowkandi, has been working here for the past 34 years.

He takes us through each and every tomb, painstakingly pointing out its characteristics while at the same time stressing on the importance of its preservation. “This is our history, this is what we leave behind after we go,” he says. You can tell his attachment to the place runs deep. He even pointed out the curious pattern the ants in the area had traced and the little highways they had built on the rocky terrain of the site.

Allah Dina also keeps an album in which he’s pasted newspaper clippings and photographs sent to him by reporters and visitors (both foreign and local) alike.

“

Allah Dina sits in front of some of the tombs at Chowkandi - Photo by Madeeha Syed

While going through the photos in the album, you can see a young Allah Dina smiling back at the camera and how, as the album progressed, he’s aged over time — his warm smile being the one constant feature on his face. The tombs themselves have been intricately carved into unique designs that can also be found on the printed ajraks of Sindh. Each tomb was designed in a way as to provide a clue to the identity of the gender of its occupant — a tiny turban on top of the tomb represented the males whereas the females have jewellery carved on theirs. “Every single grave over here has a unique design,” said Allah Dina, “there are different things carved on each grave — from a sword, turban, jewellery to ajrak patterns — nothing is repeated.” The carvings on the tombs were also very similar to the ones on the graves in Makli, Thatta.

Unfortunately, several months ago, some of the tombs were vandalised by miscreants in an effort to uncover an alleged treasure buried by the Kalamti tribe in their tombs. “A lot of damage has been done. I would have preferred they put a bullet through me instead of harming the tombs,” said Allah Dina sadly, “I spoke to the media. Our directors came to inspect the place. The police don’t know whom to catch. What can they do anyway? It was dark when it happened and this place is open from all sides.”

Restoration work in underway but a trip to the tombs reveals that that is not the only threat to the place: there is no boundary wall keeping potential grave robbers and thieves out. “Anybody can just walk in. This place is very vulnerable to anyone who wishes to harm it,” said Allah Dina.

The approach to the site is littered with trash and squatters increasingly populate the surrounding area. Commercialisation is also increasingly encroaching on the area right outside Chowkandi — not only leading one to miss the location from the main street but also displaying the indifference being shown to an important heritage site. That is a disturbing revelation considering that Chowkandi is an important and established heritage site in Pakistan. While leaving the tombs and the ancient people buried in them, Allah Dina had one last thing to say: “save this place”

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November 6, 2011 | Categories: DAWN, Images On Sunday, The Review | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Left, right, dance

With three musical productions under her belt, Nida Butt (The Producers, Chicago and Mamma Mia) decided that her latest musical would have an original music score.

The fact that she recently got married to singer songwriter and musician Hamza Jafri from Co-VEN made creating original music for the play all the more possible. The soundtrack of Karachi, the Musical has been composed and arranged by Hamza Jafri, who is also the main guitar player in the songs.

The singers featured in the soundtrack include Faraz Lodhi, Rubya Chaudhry, Ameer Ali and Asfhaq Hussain Babar. The choir includes Abdul Qayyum, Nabiha Fahim, Sumair Ahmed Khan, Sam Sattar and Sara Daud. The lyrical content is by Faraz Lodhi.

The soundtrack was recorded, mixed and edited by Faisal Rafi at Silent Music Inc. Nida Butt and Waqas Bukhari have produced the soundtrack.

Other musicians who have contributed to the soundtrack include Mansoor Ahmed (violin), Danish Manszoor (keyboards), Sheraz Riaz (table) and Joshua Fernandez (drums).

Out of six songs in the official soundtrack of the musical, four stand out for being catchy, entertaining and most importantly, for being memorable. These include the opening song of the musical, Lyari, a tribute to the troubled area of the city and its many fascinations — it talks about gang culture and its hard life. The song creates an atmosphere of suspense and drama; and has a catchy melody and simple, easy-to-understand lyrics.

The eponymously titled song Karachi is a tribute to the city. Listen to the lyrics a little carefully and one can’t help but feel that Karachi in the song sounds like a larger, slightly more diverse version of Lyari itself. The musical composition of the song, however, is very different and is more up-tempo. It is an almost ironical take on the city while naming some of its signature localities such as Burnes Road, the picnic beaches, etc. The song also contains cheeky political puns such as “Phir bhi ho asli ya jaali, degree degree hai” (whether real or fake, a degree is a degree).

With an ’80s nostalgic air about it, Left Right Jab, is the song the protagonist trains to with his coach. The song opens with a fun bass line that adds to the funk soul and groove of the whole composition. The atmosphere is contagious and one could almost feel her arms inadvertently throwing punches in the air as the singer sings “Left right jab. Block block hook. Hil bhi ja, tu kahin kabhi na ruk.” (even if they move you to the side, don’t ever stop).

The song Aik Se Dus which features Rubya Chaudhry is one of the more catchy, romantic songs here. It has an old, classic Bollywood element to it and has the makings of a great shaadi song. Some of the lesser memorable numbers include Aaye Re Mein Aaye and Babu Bhai.

Hamza’s signature dark, at times broody guitar playing and composition can easily be identified. Having said that, it has none of the moodiness sometimes associated with Co-VEN’s songs. There is also a very strong nostalgic filmi element to the music — not surprisingly since the whole point of the exercise is that it must be acted out. Overall, the soundtrack is an excellent good effort that listeners will cherish.

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November 6, 2011 | Categories: DAWN, Images, Images On Sunday | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave A Comment »

Teaching the language of classical music

Yousuf Kerai (on tabla) and Shehroze Hussain (on sitar) - photo by Madeeha Syed


KARACHI, Oct 23: The classical music tradition in South Asia has evolved over thousands of years to a point where music itself can be spoken in a language, which contains its own complex nuances, lifts listeners’ feelings and therefore is ascribed a certain colour, time and even season that most appropriately described those feelings.

The evolution and nuances of South Asian classical music were discussed by two young classical musicians, Yousuf Kerai and Shehroze Hussain, at The Second Floor on Saturday evening. Mr Kerai and Mr Hussian also displayed these nuances by playing tabla and sitar, respectively.

As a singer and tabla player, Yousuf Kerai learned how to sing and play the harmonium from the time he was eight years old. He learned how to play tabla from Ustad Khursheed Hussain before moving to the United States to pursue his college education. He is currently an academic supervisor at Haque Academy and continues to deliver lectures on South Asian classical music as well as host classical performances.

Shehroze Hussain on the other hand acquired his skills on the sitar and in singing from his father, Ustad Sajid Hussain, who himself is a respected sitar maestro. He was interested in music at a very young age and continues to perform at various venues in Pakistan.

Beginning the lecture by introducing his instrument, Shehroze Hussain related that the sitar was an 800-year-old instrument said to have been invented by Amir Khusro, the 13th century Sufi poet from northern India.

According to him, sitar currently has six major strings on the top (modified from the original one having three) and 11 strings on the lower side which aren’t played, but which resonate with the sound created by strumming on the major strings.

Mr Kerai mentioned that various stories were associated with the origin of the tabla though none of them had been proved.

One of the stories included a duel between two drummers in the olden times on a two-headed drum called the ‘pakhwaj’. A dispute caused one to damage the other drummers ‘pakhwaj’ resulting in a truncated version of the instrument that evolved into the tabla.

The duo educated the audiences in discovery of the different major notes that exist in South Asian classical music, how the relationship between them was determined and how they evolved into raags or combinations of the major notes as we know them today.

They explained the relationship between rhythm and the various manners in which musical notes that can be sung or played on the sitar either conformed to the rhythm prescribed to it or how the same notes could also determine it.

They revealed that Pakistan’s national anthem was composed in a mixture of predominantly Raag Bilawal with Raag Peeru.

They also performed a medley of the different kinds of music from various parts of South Asia by fusing a Pahelvi tune from Kashmir, a Rajasthani Raag Mund, a Kalavati tune from Bangladesh to more recognisable numbers that included the tune of Dana Pe Dana to that of Dam Must Qalandar Must among others.

The artists also played a complete classical set, which included gath (introduction), druth (where the piece picks up tempo) and jhala (the fastest portion of a classical music set), earning a thunderous applause from the audience towards the end of it.

They even displayed the versatility of each raag in Indian classical music and how it has been used by showing how Raag Aimen was used in a ghazal, a pop song by Fuzon, Aankhon kay saagar, and a classical bandish, Aari ali piya bina.

Raag Bilawal was also performed through which they showed variations of the same raag to different rhythmic patterns.

Newspaper view: (click for larger image) 

October 24, 2011 | Categories: +021 KHI, DAWN, The Metropolitan | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

‘Walk on air’ for ‘The harvest’

Zeeshan Parwez and Sajid Ghafoor - Photo by Fayyaz Ahmed

It’s been four long years since the duo that broke out of Peshawar to make their mark on Pakistan’s pop music scene released their debut album [read Instant Karma an detailed, introductory interview of the band from 2007] . After several award nominations (and winning some too!), a unique musical style that became their signature and having released popular songs like King of self, My happiness, Freestyle dive and Have to let go sometime, Sajid and Zeeshan are back with their second offering: The Harvest.

Speaking about his band’s second album that is due to be released soon, Sajid says, “The harvest is about the learning experience. It is the second step forward from the first album, One light year at snail speed (OLYASS)”

“From the seed to the growth to the harvest – it’s the whole process,” he elaborated, “what you have is not only the end result but also the whole process of how you get there. We are all a product of our environment, without a state of play, nothing that be achieved.”

He is quick to point out that the difference between OLYASS and The harvest is that “there is a change in composition. I’ve pushed myself a little more, tried to keep the same feel but experiment a bit as well.” That was evident in a music video they released six months ago, featuring a song from their new album,Walk on air. Having said that, there are similarities as well, “in song writing, the theme is the same: self growth, self development, making everything right and basically learning how to take responsibility for most of the things that go wrong in your life – starting from the self.”

When their debut album was being launched, Sajid had mentioned that he had written most of the songs a long time before they were due to be released. Is that the same for the songs in this album? “Except for two songs, the whole album has fresh content. I am not going to mention which ones because that’s for others to find out what those two songs are,” he responded, adding that “I’ve tried to go abstract and but have left enough room for others to interpret the songs in their own way if they chose to.”

Between releasing the first album four years ago and now, what has changed? “The first album was different because we were fresh out of eggshells; we didn’t now what was going on or how we were going to do it,” said Sajid, “this time we knew. At the same time we didn’t let that dictate our artistic expression”

Towards the end of talking about The harvest, Sajid mentioned that when OLYASS was released, his parents had still been alive. “Before the second album was completed, I lost both of my parents,” he related, “I think, this album is different that way as well – the way I felt, how and the intensity of it has changed.” He’s dedicated The harvest to both his parents but even within that body of work, there’s a song he wrote especially for them: I hope we remain.

Newspaper view: (click for larger image)

October 22, 2011 | Categories: DAWN, Images, Images On Sunday | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave A Comment »

[Cinemascope] Meesha Shafi: ‘Reluctant’ and ready

originally shot for 'Paper' magazine

She won the heart of Pakistan when she sang Alif Allah Chambey di Booti alongside Arif Lohar in Coke Studio last year. By then she was already an established model, an ambassador for the beauty brand, L’Oreal, and had already made her mark in the music industry as a singer with songs such as Pichal Pairee and Dhol Bajey Ga during her stint with the percussion-based band, Overload. Life didn’t stop there for Meesha, as soon after her stint with Coke Studio, she left Overload to pursue a solo career in music and became a mom to an adorable baby girl she had with her husband (and fellow musician) Mahmood Rahman.

Just when things couldn’t get any better, she recently bagged a role in producer/director Mira Nair’s (Monsoon Wedding, Vanity Fair, The Namesake) upcoming film, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, based on the Pakistani author, Mohsin Hamid’s award winning bestselling book by the same name. Meesha Shafi will be starring alongside well-known names such as Kiefer Sutherland, Kate Hudson, Riz Ahmed, Om Puri and Shabana Azmi.

Meesha Shafi spoke to Images on Sunday about her interaction with Mira Nair, her plans for The Reluctant Fundamentalist (the film), her other acting project, what to look forward to on the music front and more.

“I went in for a screen test sometime very early last year – almost two years ago when Mira Nair was in town for casting purposes,” began Meesha, “there was no reading, no script, it was very informal, and it was more like a meeting. At the time I didn’t know what movie or what part I was being considered for. I guess the purpose was a screen test since a camera was there.”

A long wait later, she was told she had bagged the role. “I was over the moon after having met her and I had completely forgotten about the film until I got the call telling me I had been cast in The Reluctant Fundamentalist,” she related, excitedly, “I am nervous about it. Who wouldn’t be? Someone told me that that means I’m ready. I hope they’re right. My co-stars are such legends, it is a daunting thought working with them but it will be a great learning experience as well.”

Had she begun preparing for her role? “I don’t believe in having preconceived notions of what my performance will be like or having a rehearsed kind of set idea of what I’ll do. Good acting is when you can’t tell when you’re acting,” she responded, “no matter how much you rehearse, when other actors come in, the chemistry they develop with you… you can’t tell how it would work out in that context at that moment. My approach is to be familiar with the essence of the character and see how she acts in the moment. Otherwise I’m really excited to be working with legendary actors such as Shabana Azmi, Om Puri and the very talented Riz Ahmed.”

When does she begin working on the film? “The filming is already underway,” said Meeshan, “a lot of it has been shot. My shoot is right around the corner, but in many ways, my homework has begun.”

Has she had a chance to speak to Mohsin Hamid about it? “I’ve had numerous conversations with him about this project,” she responded, “interestingly enough, one doesn’t imagine being lucky enough to have the opportunity to talk to the person who conceived it all or to discuss where it all originated from with the writer first hand. We’ve also had many discussions about the person who is translating it all onto the screen. Mira Nair of course is gifted when it comes to portraying characters and their stories cinematically.” There is no confirmed release date although some speculate that the film will come out in 2013.

Speaking about her other acting projects, Meesha revealed that she will be playing a part in Bilal Lashari’s upcoming film, Waar. “It’s a local, bilingual local film and has massive production value and I think the filmmakers are aiming for an international release,” she related, adding, “The movie is going to be a visual treat.”

Taking about her role in the film, Meesha relates “I’m playing a very unorthodox character which is a big departure from how women are usually projected in Pakistani cinema. Bilal Lashari, the director, is fantastic to work with, he’s one of the very few highly qualified, trained filmmakers we have in Pakistan and working with him is refreshing to say the least. Waar is a patriotic movie with a thrilling, action packed plot!”

Meesha Shafi is back in the studio and is currently working on her album. Other than that she added that there are some other big projects in the pipeline where music is concerned but preferred to remain tight lipped about what they were.

With roles in both The Reluctant Fundamentalist and Waar, along with her own solo album as well as the projects she’s just mentioned, how does she intend to juggle all of these things together? “I found myself wondering exactly that: why and how I get myself into all of this? Why am I doing this to myself?” she laughed, “I’ve always thought of myself as a laidback person, as someone who likes to work at a relaxed pace.”

“Having said that, there are times when I do get into high gear and get down to work,” she added, “I’m in auto mode then. I guess that’s what I’m doing now.”

Newspaper view: (click for larger image)

October 16, 2011 | Categories: DAWN, Images, Images On Sunday | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

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