The National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa) organised a contemporary Sufi music concert with folk and spiritual singer Arieb Azhar at its Zia Mohyeddin Theatre.
The evening, christened Qalandar Journey: Songs without Borders, showcased some of the most popular folk and Sufi songs that Arieb has been singing recently, said a press release issued byNapa.
Arieb started the concert with the well-known song, Shaam-e Qalandar. In this song, he took the composition that Nur Jehan had used and then made his own variation to it.
The next one was Bulleh Shah’s Asaan Ishq Namaaz. Then he took the audience to North America, with a song by Canadian song writer Leonard Cohen. The song was titled, Hallelujah.
The next two songs were again by Bulleh Shah: first Arieb presented was Tonay Kaaman, and the next one was Chup Kar Ke Kareen Guzaare.
Then it was time for Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s acclaimed Bol keh lub aazaad hain tere. Arieb again used a variation of the composition, this time that of Voices band from the 1980s resistance against General Zia’s martial law regime. A dhammaal, Chal Malanga, came next in line, followed by another Leonard Cohen’s song, Dance Me to the End of Love.
Staying on the theme of love, Arieb then presented Waris Shah’s all-time hit Heer. Then was the time for another dhammaal. This time, it was Must Must Barha Zabardast.
Another Sufi folk song came next, the popular Saif ul-Mulook. Arieb followed that with a Bosnian song, Emina. Another dhammaal, Dhar Ragrha, came before an Irish spiritual song, Lord of the Dance.
Arieb then presented another dhammal, Larh Lagiyan Di Lajpaal, before winding up with a Khwaja Ghulam Fareed’s kafee, Husn-e Haqiqi. Accompanying Arieb Azhar on this journey were Joshua Amjad on dhol, Akmal Qadri on flute, and Gul Muhammad on sarangi.
A full house loved the experience of journeying through this contemporary treatment of Sufi and folk music. In most of the songs presented during the evening, Arieb had brought in his own variations to the compositions. The audience at Napa loved this approach.
