All Pakistan Music Conference comes to a close

Audience agrees that the finale should have belonged to Ustad Naseeruddin Sami instead of Ashwini Deshpande

Maheen Sabeeh
Karachi

Change of venue

The 5th annual All Pakistan Music Conference, held in Karachi finally came to a close with some fantastic performances but not without mixed feelings.

The yearly event that is held at the beautiful and rustic venue that is the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) had been shifted to the Indus Valley School of Architecture this year due to security reasons.

APMC – Karachi Chapter Chairman Jamil Syed had stated that due to the events of April 9, the venue was moved since NAPA has a location that is vulnerable to violence. The usual-three day’s extravaganza of classical music was shifted to two days and it all happened at the last minute.

There were consequences. Quite a few artists were unable to perform because of the shift from three days to two days.

On the plus side, because the venue was an art school, a lot more youngsters, some of whom one usually sees at rock concerts were present.

As far as performances go, the best of the night was Ustad Naseeruddin Sami. Flanked by his two sons, Rauf Sami on harmonium and Abu Nasar on Tanpura with Ustad Shabbir Hussain on tabla, Ustad Naseeruddin Sami once again proved why he is still one of the best classical singers around.

A regular performer at the APMC, he went onto perform for almost an hour and a half without a break and performed beautifully. Ustaad Naseeruddin Sami is someone who breathes life into raags that are old, dated and rarely heard by people. And for someone with such an incredible voice, he is a humble and soft spoken man. And when he sings, he is powerful yet soulful. This is not someone who can be compared to the likes of Sabri Brothers. His biggest feat, he can take a single word and stretch it in directions one can hardly imagine. And that voice… practice make perfect but his heart rending voice is God-given. There is a soft haunting quality to it and a purity that makes it heavenly. For classical music lovers, he is a living legend.

Classical music is somewhat always mystical and Ustad Naseeruddin Sami with his animated singing and with the unpredictable nature of his raags is perhaps one of the best performers APMC had put out this year. And it was because of how senior and superior in terms of skill he is that one found it rather strange that he was not asked to sing the finale. 

Of all the four performers, it was this man who deserved to be the finale but instead it was Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, out from India who was the last and final act of the night. 

She herself was on sitar while Seema Sharodhkar and Vishwanath Sharodhkar accompanied her on harmonium and tabla respectively. There is no denying that she was in fact very good. However, neither is she a Farida Khanum and not even a Shubha Mudgal. But she was still the finale. No doubt Karachi gave her a thunderous applause and appreciated her performance that included some raags as well as bhajans, but it has to be said that she should’ve come before Ustad Naseeruddin Sami, if for no other reason that at least because of his level of seniority and skill.

The other two performers were also fantastic. Ustad Salamat Hussain on flute whose melancholic notes hit right at the heart and Kamal Sabri, another performer from India, who can make Sarangi weep and joy through his sheer power over the instrument, was equally enthralling.

 

Disappointed fans…

It is strange to imagine a 75-year-old and a 21-year-old, both enjoying the same form of music as far as most genres of music go. If this happens at a rock concert, one is just stunned.

But when it is classical music, it is no longer a surprise. The older generation is pleased as youngsters in capris and tees are walking around, trying to grasp the real nature of classical music and a nod of acknowledgement from the older generation is welcoming. No longer do they frown when young girl is tip-toeing in the front, looking for a corner to sit.

Over the years APMC has managed to slowly bridge the divide.

But there are still some problems. The cancellation at the last hour was odd but understandable. The situation was such that certain safety measures had to be taken. That said, APMC is a learning ground for most young people who don’t know much about classical music. But if even they can pick out faults, it is certainly a surprise.

“Why is Ashwini Bhide the finale,” commented a 23-year-old Shafiq at the event. “What is with this craze with the Indians? This is All Pakistan Music Conference and Ustad Naseeruddin Sami should have been the final act of the night. I’m seriously disappointed. “

“Last year Farid Ayaz Qawwal and Farida Khanum were here. This year there are four performers, two of whom are from India. I have no problem with them but shouldn’t we pay more attention to our own performers,” questioned Nida, 22.

Music producer Faisal Rafi agrees with this young lot and stated, “Last year it was Shubha Mudgal and this year it is Ashwini Bhide. She was good but Ustad Naseeruddin Sami is extraordinary. He is someone who people love and is treated like royalty outside with people including Indians touching his feet. He should have been the final act but he wasn’t which is simply sad.”

APMC is a fantastic effort. It is the one-event that has entrance for free, giving everyone a chance to witness classical music in all its glory. It gives a platform to our greats and is a chance for the young-old generation to come together.

That said, APMC has to start paying attention to our greats in the truest sense. An Indian performer is welcome but preferential treatment should be avoided. This is not an event about star power but classical music in its finest nature. And when someone like Sami Sahab is the playlist, snubbing him is certainly not the route to take.

There is hope still. Faisal Rafi and Shahi Hasan, the two men who have taken it upon themselves to make sure that our classical music, our real heritage is preserved were both present at the APMC, making records of APMC performances.

And even more exciting for us is that they are both working on Indus World Project that includes some our great singers. And one of them is Ustaad Naseeruddin Sami. In a conversation with Instep Today, Faisal Rafi explained the reasons, “Do you realize how old some of our artists are? They are our real heroes, some of whom are still living in dire conditions. They are renowned world over for their performances but here there is not even a proper record of our great musicians.”

Still under production, through this project, youngsters will discover the music that belongs to their soil. And with Shahi Hasan and Faisal Rafi backing up the project, we can expect nothing less than brilliance.

Music Q&A

10 questions with Adeel

Instep: Were you always interested in music?
Adeel: I got my first keyboard when I was in class 2. Later on I was studying to be a doctor. But I could never concentrate so I decided to pursue it full-time.

Instep: ‘Meray Haniya’ released a while back…
Adeel: I have been trying to get the album out. I was desperate to make a video but all the major directors never had time. They always told me to wait. Hammad then made the video for ‘Haniya’. I was then releasing the album with Sadaf but it was shut down and all the stock came back. Now finally I have struck a deal with Fire Records.

Instep: Your record is also out in India. How did that happen so soon in your career?
Adeel: Fire Records introduced me to people at Tips. They heard the album and signed me.

Instep: You’re also singing for an Indian film?
Adeel: Yes, it’s called Juggar and features Manoj Bajpai and Urmila Matondkar. Tips is also involved with the movie.

Instep: Is there a deal in your contract with Tips to sing for movies. Atif Aslam also released Meri Kahani via Tips and we all heard him sing for Race, which is also Tips. A pure coincidence?
Adeel: I can’t speak for Atif but as far as I’m concerned there is no clause that binds one to sing for an Indian film. That said, Tips promotes its artists and film music in India is huge.

Instep: Are you looking to sing as a playback singer in Bollywood or follow in the footsteps of Atif and Strings who’ve sung for Indian films but also have proper videos to their credit?
Adeel: I’ve always wanted to be a playback singer. I don’t mind not having videos as long as I can sing decent songs.

Instep: There are lots of musicians/producers involved in Koi Chehra…
Adeel: Yes. Ali Mustafa is one. Ali Zafar recommended Shuja Haider. Faakhir recommended working with Shani so Koi Chehra has quite a few people.

Instep: What would you say is your inspiration in music?
Adeel: I’ll be honest. I am not into gora-type music like Led Zeppelin. I used to watch Amitabh Bachchan films as a kid. And here was this man who would like beat up 10 guys and jump from a mountain and he didn’t have a scratch. I’ve always been fascinated by Indian cinema so my inspiration is more of Mohammed Rafi and Sonu Nigam.

Instep: You’ve also been performing in India.
Adeel: Oh yea! It’s incredible actually. Indian pop barely exists so Pakistani music is loved in India. The venues are bigger, lighting and sound is excellent. I’ve also played for some private gatherings. One was for an NGO by Kapil Dev and another one Sangeet party by the Gandhi family. It was so much fun. It was like a total party.

Instep: What’s next on your agenda?
Adeel: I’m planning on releasing the video of ‘Ki Jaana Main Kaun’ aka ‘Disco Bullah’. In mid-April, I have a tour of America coming up. If things settle down here further, I would love to perform all over Pakistan. I love performing here, especially girls’ colleges (smiles). They are always very supportive.

– Adeel was talking to Maheen Sabeeh

Love tangled in dance!

Adeel came in the spotlight with the upbeat dance-pop ditty ‘Haniya’. His debut album, Koi Chehra, however, is patchy at best. Instep takes an inside look… By Maheen Sabeeh Artist: Adeel Album: Koi Chehra**1/2 Adeel ‘Haniya’ Chaudhry sprouted on the music scene somewhere between late 2005 and early 2006. With his highlighted hair, a love for chunky metal, shades and the works, Adeel from day one fitted the bill of a pop star in the making. The debut single from this young lad was indeed promising. Drawing influences from techno and house fused with pop, the single sounded fresh for an industry that has suffered tremendously due to saturated pop (or lack of it) and dark brooding rock that is all over the place. Adeel’s entry in the music scene seemed interesting enough. ‘Meray Haniya’ is cheesy, no doubt. But it has that same dance feel to it that previously one has heard from Omer Inayat with ‘Tenu Ley Kay Jaana (You’ve Got Something)’ as well as bands like Bombay Rockers.
The single was a sign of what his debut record, Koi Chehra would contain. It is a record that is filled with juicy eclectic numbers and is heavily influenced by dance-pop as well as soft pop. But does it work? Partly. Koi Chehra thematically is a love album. There is falling in love; heartbreak, missing a beloved in all its glory. It is easy to split this album in two sections: (a) dance-pop and (b) soft pop. And no, this is not the same dance-pop as Madonna but more like N Sync, a little bit of Britney Spears and a déjà vu of Atif Aslam from his days of Doorie remixes.
First for dance-pop… On the same wave length as ‘Haniya’, there is ‘Ki Jaana Main Kaun’ aka ‘Disco Bullah’. It’s peppy, it’s energetic to the core with a recurring beat, some ’spacing’ sounds. ‘Disco Bullah’ is a club banger. And no, this is not penned by poet Baba Bullah Shah. The only line used from the great poet is “Ki Jaana Main Kaun”. The rest is written by Adeel himself. As far as the meaning goes, the track is about self-identity. And then there is ‘Pyar Tera’, yet another song creating enough sound to fill up a dance floor. But unlike ‘Meray Haniya’ that in its essence is catchy and ‘Disco Bullah’ that is inspired, ‘Pyar Tera’ is just chaotic. The lyrics also don’t help. “Pyar Tera Zindagi Hai Meri/Yaar Mera Zindagi Hai Meri’ – it is just a clichéd tune. Even as the song has enough meat to fall in the category of ‘dance-pop’, it sounds commercial, like any one of those numerous remixes one heard on Atif Aslam’s Doorie.
‘Aja Ho’ is slightly better as far as sound goes. And perhaps a decent video might even make it popular. But beyond that, there is nothing noteworthy about this number either. It is better than ‘Pyar Tera’ because it is not forceful but the music, in spite the beats and hooks, sounds like a number done to fit the wedding season. There are some studio effects but they are overcooked. Lyrically it goes, “Aja Ho/Akhiyan Meray Hosh Te Chain Urakey/Naja/Aja Ho…” – there is nothing interesting to make one want to listen to it again. This is the same fact that plagued Zoheb Hassan’s Kismet. That record too tried to thrive on the new age sound of dance/house/techno but it wasn’t done intelligently enough. Here we have the same problem. Pop is often referred to as ‘washed down hip-hop’. And that is because unlike hip-hop, which is musically very experimental, pop often sounds like a cheap imitation unless you’re someone like Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince or even Moby who has fused various genres like ambient rock, dance-pop and house into one genre that is now his signature. To simply use a beat and few effects and hoping for it to work is as moronic as underestimating your audience/listeners. And if that audience is familiar with dance-pop from around the world, then trouble will brew. Another example of this ‘one-beat’ formula is the ‘House Mix’ of ‘Teri Yaad’, written by Sachin Gupta, whom we last heard composing for Atif Aslam’s Doorie. And he is up to his old, done-before, re-hashing tricks. There is just nothing original or even redeeming about this remix. While not as schizophrenic an affair as he spinned on Doorie mixes, here the arrangement is one recurring beat some noises in the background. ‘Koi Chehra’ club mix, on the other hand, is much better. While I still prefer the original, this one has scintillating studio/electronic effects that retain the essence of the song. Heartbreaking love… Moving on from dance numbers and one directly hits sad, morbid tunes. Some of them, though, are decent efforts. ‘Ek Ladki’ is one example. It is a sweet, soft song. “Meray Dil Ke Darwazey Per/Dastak Dey Kar/Chup Jaa Ti Hai/Mein Jab Us Ko/Dhondana Chahoon/Meray Haath Nahie Aati Hai/ – it is a song that instantly brings to mind teenage love. Not exactly brooding love that Ali Haider displayed magnificently last year on Jaanay Do but comes close enough. Then there is the album’s finest ballad, ‘Koi Chehra’. Here the melody is strong and that makes all the difference. As the lyrics go, “Jagta Hoon Mein Raat Bhar/Neend Aati Nahin/Yaad Uski Meray Dil Se Kyun Yeh Jaati Nahin/Ke Baat Itni Se Hai/Ke Woh Mujhe Achi Lagi” – it makes its point. And more interesting is the fact that Adeel plays with his emotions and one can hear the reflection within this solid ballad. Another fine song is ‘Kisay Awaz Do’. Introspective in words, reflecting on loneliness with excellent flute, ‘Kisay Awaz Do’ is another gem on the album. The cover version of ‘Peera Ho’ is a solid effort. While Adeel is still no match for Khalid Anum, this is in fact one of the better covers attempted. It is still soft, and just hits all the right notes. The same, however, cannot be said for ‘Teri Yaad’. There have been quite a few ‘Teri Yaad’ in the industry. Sajjad Ali, Jal, Ali Khan and Faakhir have all done one. So those are some mighty steps to follow into. Sajjad Ali’s ‘Teri Yaad’ and Jal’s ‘Teri Yaad’ are extraordinary. This one pales in comparisons. If one doesn’t compare, even then it is just average. It doesn’t stick. This album could’ve been more interesting had Adeel attempted other crazy moods of love. Noori did it lyrically and aggressively with ‘Jaa Re’ and ‘Saari Raat Jaga’ and it was fantastic, perhaps one of those rare love songs that is in-your-face, revenge meets heartbreak. It sounds a little dangerous but music is all about risks, experiments and a tad bit danger too. There is Ali Azmat’s ‘Piyaas’ off his brilliant solo record, Social Circus that is another cue on how a love song can be penned and stretched in musical ways that are stunning. Perhaps that is too much of an expectation from a young lad such as Adeel. On the plus side, even with soft, bluesy numbers, there is no dark musical direction given to the songs, which is good because Adeel can match the feel-good quality. In the end, Koi Chehra is flawed. There are some extremely weak moments and in between some equally entertaining and thrilling dance-pop and moody moments. Chances are that this record will work. It has all the right commercial elements. That said, for a debut, it should’ve had a little more character. Debut albums are not only about putting yourself out there but also about wearing one’s personality as a musical character. In this album, most of the music, lyrics and quite a few compositions are done by others such as Shani, Ali Mustafa, Sachin Gupta, Shuja Haider as well as others. So it’s not surprise why Koi Chehra is average. Adeel is not aspiring to be a pop star. His dream is to enter Bollywood as a playback singer. His idols are Mohammed Rafi and Sonu Nigam and this record will definitely help him achieve that dream. In a nutshell, for people in, out and in between love, or those interested in some desi vocals to eastern dance-pop, this is the record to get. But if you’re looking for something edgy, tripped-out, risky hypnotic musical charm, buy Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s Charkha instead. *YUCK **WHATEVER ***GOOD ****SUPER *****AWESOME

Halla Bol****1/2

*ing: Ajay Devgan, Vidya Balan and Pankaj Kapoor
Directed by Raj Kumar Santoshi

Raj Kumar Santoshi is no ordinary filmmaker. Unlike most of his contemporaries, the man is about issues pertinent to the masses. His films are raw, unkempt and brash. But the message is always clear and it is the same case with Halla Bol. This flick is Santoshi’s milestone (after The Legend of Bhagat Singh).Since the film released, there have been rumours that it is based on the life of Shah Rukh Khan. That is a misconception. It is, however, about the Indian film industry and takes its inspiration from Jessica Lall murder case that threw the Indian judicial system and Indian politics into the spotlight. It is about the incorrigible apathy towards every day crimes and the effects should one attempt to speak up.The film’s protagonist is Ashfaque (Ajay Devgan), a small town man whose aspiration is to make it big in the Indian film industry. His stint with acting begins with a street theatre, which is headed by a dacoit-turned-playwright Sidhu (Pankaj Kapoor).
Ashfaque’s struggle pays off and he does break into Bollywood. And he transforms from an honest, young lad into ‘Sameer Khan’, an actor who cheats on his wife, lies about his childhood to gain publicity and sympathy and uses his celebrity to screw with other actors.But everything changes with one murder. And thus begins Halla Bol… The film is heavily inspired by Jessica Lall’s murder that took place in Delhi in 1999. Jessical’s murder involved some influential people’s kids. Testimonies were turned around, corrupt officials were bribed and threats were made and not surprisingly, the murderers were acquitted. But it was media pressure that eventually became public outcry on a massive level that led to the conviction overturn. In Halla Bol, media is not the only that fights. It is Sameer Khan. And what comes out of this story is a reflection of some serious problems in modern-day India even today. Sameer’s effigies are burnt. This is in fact what happened with Aamir Khan when he was involved with Narmada Bachao Andholan. His last three films have struggled to be screened in the state of Gujrat.Sameer Khan is made to look like a liar because when the murder takes place, it is at a Bollywood party and there are other actors who keep quiet. This plot is also driven from reality. In 2003, Preity Zinta was the only actress who had testified against Indian underworld and unlike her colleagues Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, she never reiterated her earlier testimonies. As a result, she was under Witness Protection for several months and had been advised to stay out of the spotlight for a few months. There are other sub-plots but we won’t mention them. The important thing is that it is an incredible film that does not attempt to paint a black and white picture of Urban India or its industry. Furthermore, it is the Ajay Devgan-Santoshi team up that makes it a fabulous film. The two go back to the days of the excellent The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002). Afterwards we saw films like Lajja and Khakee between these two and it is safe to say that as far as camps in Bollywood go, this one is as solid as it gets. Ajay Devgan as an actor likes to do cerebral cinema. For every You, Me Aur Hum he has done, he does three films that have something to do with the society. Over the years, his star power has been overshadowed by actors like Shah Rukh, Salman and Hrithik Roshan. And Devgan has done some mediocre work like Cash, Golmaal. In Halla Bol lies the man’s real skill as an actor. From his beginning as a young lad to the transformation into a greedy and narcissistic megalomaniac to a man whose sleeping conscious rises, it is one of Ajay Devgan’s finest performances. Then there is Pankaj Kapoor as Sidhu. Like others, Sidhu too is based on real-life man, that of Safdar Abbasi, who was the leader of street theatre, died at the hands of political goons while he was performing a play by the name of Halla Bol, back in 1989. Pankaj Kapoor is a class-act. He is phenomenal in this film and this was a major casting coup. There is no one else who could’ve done this role so beautifully and effectively. Finally there is Vidya Balan and she delivers a decent performance. This is no Parineeta but it works nonetheless. The only flaw in the film is editing. The film should’ve one been tighter and the music could’ve been better. But having said that, it is still a powerful film that makes the right statement. It is about the responsibility of media, the apathy of people, some of whom are movie stars, and is about the voice of the common man that collectively has the power to shake the system. Bravo! – Maheen Sabeeh *YUCK **WHATEVER ***GOOD ****SUPER *****AWESOME