Javed Bashir finds Pakistani talent incomparable

Singer talks about his Bollywood ventures and new music albums.

LAHORE:

When you listen to his soulful voice, high notes and powerful alaaps and raags, you can’t stop yourself from imagining him seated on a quilted mat, twirling and moving his fingers as he sings his heart out. Owing to his Godsend singing ability and training under Ustad Mubarak Ali Khan, Javed Bashir undoubtedly has one of the most coveted voices in the world.

Hailing from a family of qawwals, it is not surprising that classical music is Bashir’s forte. However, his ability to straddle classical and pop and rock music makes the versatile singer a cut above the rest. “I have been one of the busiest artists [in the industry] because I manage many aspects of my music,” Bashir says, in reference to his qawwali as well as his career with sufi rock band Mekaal Hasan Band (MHB).

Having sung four songs for commercial Indian cinema — Tera Naam Japdi Phiran (Cocktail), Piya Tu Kaahe Rootha Re (Kahaani), O Re Khuda (Rush), Murabba (Bombay Talkies) — Bashir is happy that his fifth Bollywood song, Mera Yaar in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, has released this week. He says that Mera Yaar has a spiritual ring to it, something that will connect with the listeners.



While his work in India has become prolific, he is not shy to admit that the music is essentially commercial. But at the same time, he feels that he treats such opportunities as a platform where musicians of Pakistan and India can make music in collaboration.

Having worked with renowned music directors such as Pritam and the trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Bashir still feels that the talent back home is unparalleled. “Pakistan has the best talent when it comes to male singers. But you have to respect the female singers too, such as Lata Mageshkar, that India has produced.”

The singer does not have far-fetched plans to sing in Bollywood movies, despite believing that the medium has produced great singers and musicians. “The rise of Bollywood has opened doors for Pakistani artists,” says Bashir. “While the Pakistani music industry has collapsed due to a number of reasons, Bollywood provides a platform [to the artist] to connect to a wider audience.”

Bashir credits Rahat Fateh Khan’s fame to Bollywood saying, “There was a time when Rahat and I would do tours and do small shows [in Pakistan]. But look at him now … how famous he has become and it is all because of Bollywood.”

Along with bagging playback offers from Bollywood, the singer is back with the front man of MHB, Mekaal Hasan. He rejoined the band in 2012 after briefly parting ways. “Mekaal and I knew that we would have to schedule the band’s [recording and touring] dates according to my schedule,” he says. Bashir confesses that after the release of their second album, Saptak, he felt that his role in the band was being compromised; he couldn’t simultaneously manage his solo career with the band’s commitments. “Things started to pile up after Saptak. I felt I couldn’t do justice to the band.”

Following his departure from MHB in 2010, he started to work on a small project as part of his solo career. However, with some time on his hands, he has compiled three albums which will be released soon. One of the three albums, Dholna, is a tribute to ghazal maestro Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. He did not speak about the other two untitled albums, but said he wants to show the audience different shades of his musical spectrum through his work. The singer is in talks with record labels for the release of his projects.

“The album on Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is very close to me. The audience will see the input that I have put in the album without losing the essence of my vocals,” explains Bashir, adding that this is the first time he has recorded ghazals.

Currently, he is working on MHB’s upcoming album and reveals that the band is expected to release a single in July. “The track will be fresh, but we are going to keep the band’s signature style intact,” concludes Bashir.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 7^th, 2013.                                                                                          

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