Qawwali

One of the many ways I've been busy procrastinating from studying for my exams is by listening to/watching qawwalis on youtube. Aziz Mian Qawwal seems to have made a major impression. My current favourite is 'Teri Soorat Nigahon' which isn't a hard-core qawwali as such, but its one of his more famous ones. Here's the video, in which the late Mr. Aziz Mian is looking particularly scary: [now lets see if I've figured out how to embed videos properly yet!]:



Of course every qawwali session should start with a proper invocation, and 'Man Kunto Maulla' fits the bill. This is a super-charged, high-octane version from Aziz Mian's earlier days. Alas the sound quality leaves a little to be desired, but when it really gets going, one can't help but be swept along:



My wife prefers this somewhat more sedate version by Farid Ayaz and Abu Muhammad Qawwal (the sons of Munshi Raziuddin who was a truly awesome qawwal). This performance appears to have taken place outdoors in Lahore before some very stoned-looking diplomats and has an introduction by ex-PCB chief Shehryar Khan in English. Even the qawwals look cold.



Later in that same performance came this version of 'Merey Baney Ki Baat Na Poocho' (unfortunately incomplete in this video). The qawwals seemed to have warmed up somewhat, having shed their sherwani coats, and are in fine form. I particularly enjoy some of the poetry they interject here as well.



We were fortunate enough to see them perform these live after my brother's wedding at his in-laws' place. Witnessing a qawwali live is very different from seeing a recording. I don't think anyone has quiet mastered the art of really capturing the sheer expansive range of sound, though as recording technology develops in the music industry in Pakistan, I'm sure matters will improve. Some of the best existing recordings of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan are still those that he made in a studio for French Radio in the late 70s.

And for those who like to mix a little jazz with their qawwali I came across this video of a jazzy rendition of 'Dum Must Qalandar' played in a Brooklyn club. Funny. Compare it to the Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan version its based on (again poor sound recording, but some nice tabla work).

IZ

Very Short Stories

What with exams and things, I haven't really been able to cultivate this blog as carefully as I should. Mea culpa. To make up for it I shall post up a short story I wrote:

The blog stagnates. No one cares.

Hmm. To clarify matters, I should mentioned that it is a very very short story, limited to six words. Like these that Wired magazine asked science fiction writers to write.

IZ

The Book Challenge

Those who are wont to notice such things may well have noticed that the Zokuto metre has now been set to reflect a target of 75 books. Setting myself a challenge of reading 65 books in the year was looking to be far too easy so I have upgraded to... THE 75 BOOK CHALLENGE!!!

Its still a bit of a cop out though as I'm still waaaay ahead of the required book-read-rate! If I was not such a wuss I would go for the 100 book challenge....

Hmm. Let me get done with my exams and we'll see.

IZ

Ancient Computers and More on Banksy

Here's a lengthy piece on Banksy in the New Yorker. Interesting.
Also in the New Yorker is an article on what some archaeologists believe may have been the first computer in the world, discovered on a shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea. Also Interesting.

IZ

Book: The Devil's Game

Now here is a book to look out for. It chronicles the American campaign to promote Islamic fundamentalism in the middle east since the 50s, wanting to use it as an ideological weapon against 'godless communism'. I think I'll get right on to amazon and order it today.

IZ

Kryptonite Discovered!

So a new mineral has been discovered that matches the fictional chemical make-up of kryptonite. Only its not green. And it will probably be called Jaderite since it was discovered deep underground in a Serbian mine at a place called Jader.

Its effects on superman is unknown.

IZ

Fatima Kazmi

Here is a link to the online art gallery of Fatima Kazmi. A lot of her work is on wood, where she works with the natural grains of the wood, letting them shape her paintings. Unfortunately the full visual impact of this is lost to a certain extent when viewed as photographs online. It still makes for interesting viewing though.

IZ

Edit: Oh, and in the interests of full disclosure: Fatima is married to my cousin, Ali