Adil Najam
This post was originally posted on October 19, 2006. It is being reposted with the addition of some new Qawali video clips.
As I was driving back from work tonight, I had an old Sabri Brothers cassette playing in my car. The window was down, the sound was loud. As I stopped at a red light, my head still nodding to the rhythms, I noticed that the American woman in the car parked next to me was staring at me with a rather perplexed look (Bostonians don’t often get to hear the Sabri bradraan!). She shouted over the music to ask me what type of music this was and from where. I smiled and told her. I am not sure if she heard what I said over the noise because the light turned green just then and we went our different ways.
I guess she left wondering what the beat and sound was about. I left wondering what has happening to qawalli in Pakistan today? Who are the big names out there? Are there any? Is there any Ghulam Farid Sabri, Aziz Mian, Nusrat Fateh Ali equivalent out there? I know of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, but he seems to be mostly re-rendering Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s work. Who else?
I was a qawalli fan while I was still in school; long before there was a Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and long before it was kool to be a qawalli fan. I don’t know why I was a fan; no one else around me was. I guess the beat was enticing, the stories interesting, and the qawals colorful. I suspect that those around me thought it was rather odd that I liked qawalli so much; but then, people around me have always considered me odd!
This was the era when the Sabri Brothers Qawall and Aziz Mian Qawall were at the peak of their prowess. They were both major innovators of the qawalli genre.
I guess I like qawalli for the same reason I like Johnny Cash and Waris Shah. They all have great stories to tell. And what could be more enticing than a good beat combined with a good story!
I found this video clip of this Sabri Brothers Qawall
And while we are at it here is a clip of a classical Aziz Mian performance:
Adil,
Your description evokes numerous memories of the past. I hav been a great fan of both Sabri Brotehrs and Aziz Mian. My first brush with the Qawalli genre was when I got hold of an Aziz Mian audio cassette and I got enchanted by the sheer emotional strength of the music. If you had any chance to listen to Aziz Mian’s “Allah he janay kaun bashar hai”, it is really amazing. The description of Mairaj literally takes you 1400 years back. Then there is the “Tajdar-e-Haram” and “Bhar dey Jholi meri Ya Muhammad” by Sabri Brothers, they really take your breath away. I am still a devoted fan for this genre and happy to know that other think the same way as I do.
Thanks
Ahsan
Qawaal aayenge, achchhe. Like in India, often in small towns you find such Qawwals in Urs that you really marvel at their voice and dedication. Phir daur aayega…zaruur…
Qawali and Sufi kalaam has always been very motivating to me. I can related to adil bhai as I love Abida Parveen’s music to death, when nobody else around me agrees with me.
Tumhien dillagi bhool jaani paregi
Muhabbat ki raah mien aaker to dekho
God Bless everyone from Nusrat(late)to Abida
There is nothing blasphemous about Qawwali as long as it is non religious in its content. It has good rhythm and beat to it. It is enjoyable and exciting music if that is your cup of tea or ‘katora of lassi’ if you like. Some folks don’t like it when religion and singing is mixed as one. Some will argue that qawwali has its roots in Hindu practice of singing ‘bhajan’ at places of worship. Even though enjoyable and exciting it is a very basic and primitive form of music. As part of religion it borders on blasphemy. Don’t take me wrong I occasionally enjoy some of the qawwali singing but Nusrat Fatah Ali Khan was no Pavarotti. His popularity was more of a fad than a sustainable presence in the music world. Remember Maharishi Mahesh Yogi of the sixties.
I can relate to this post in so many ways. There have been numerous nights when I would be driving home past midnight after having a sixteen hour day and “nodding” my head with the beat of a qawali; “hum ghareeboan ke din bhi sanwar jaa’ein ge.. :)” A masterpiece by Sabri brothers. It would keep me up through the long commute better than coffee. Now how did I get hooked on to this music.. you even mention that in your post. Long time ago, may be even before 92 world cup, during one sehri transmission I started listening to this same qawali and then just couldn’t stop it until it was over. It was a mesmerizing performance.