Qawwali night: A treat by Salamat brothers: Music that unites

Despite a low turnout due to rain, the audience thoroughly enjoyed the show.

ISLAMABAD:

Nadeem Salamat and his protégé, Haider Salamat, got together in Pakistan after twelve years to showcase their classical singing ability at the Rawalpindi Arts Council on Monday.

Both musicians, Haider and Nadeem, travelled a long way from Malaysia and the UK respectively, to perform for a Pakistani audience. Unfortunately, the rain put a bit of a damper on the audience turnout. In spite of that, the audience present thoroughly enjoyed the music.

Haider performed a few cover songs of Abida Parveen and also sang a few of his originals. His vocal range and melody was quite impressive. Even though Haider’s style is more subtle than his teacher’s, it still communicates the inherent emotions of the classical genre.

“I’m so glad to see Pakistan is providing a platform to new artists, especially for a distinctive art form like classical/qawali, which is the best form of communicating human emotions,” said Haider.

Despite having a thumb injury, Nadeem insisted that the show must go on and closed the show by singing two songs. He first covered Peer Mir Ali Shah’s poetry Dobara Jawab Do and then a Punjabi original of his own from drama Nautanki’s soundtrack.

Nadeem has composed songs for many famous TV dramas, such as Aashiana, Rahein and Bulandi and is also composing more for some of Hamayun Saeeds dramas.

Even though the audience wanted them to play more songs, the musicians called it a night to offer Maghrib prayers, giving the background of the singers an eeriness and even poetic justice.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Haider shared his story of getting a cassette of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Bakhshi Salamat from his father at the age of seven, which instantly hooked and intrigued him.

Furthermore, he said, “Malaysia is a secular Muslim country where Azaan is called five times a day, which I find very beautiful and moving.”

Interestingly, Haider and Nadeem are not blood relatives, but the Salamat family gave Haider their last name after he converted to Islam from Sikhism.

Haider’s conversion was much appreciated by those attending the event.

“I hope God will shower him with rewards and success in his musical career,” said RAC Director Naheed Manzoor during her address.

Nadeem told The Express Tribune that music is a universal language that brings people together rather than dividing them. He said he is happy that another person has joined the classical music world and not just the Islamic population.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2012.