Performers at the concert captivated the audience with their lilting tunes. PHOTO: EXPRESS
The all-encompassing celebration of Valentine’s Day finally reached a crescendo with a concert, replete with nostalgia for the golden-voiced glories of the yesteryears. Titled “Baithak”, the event recreated the aura of a casual lounge at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts on Friday evening. The delightful hours that followed were filled with mesmerising renditions of a delectable mix of folk, classical, semi classical and folk tunes sung by various contemporary artists, offering tribute to legendary musicians.
Nauman Mirza, a disciple of Ustad Manzoor Ali, was ushered on stage in a wheelchair. Excelling in the role of a vocalist, Mirza was accompanied by Zahid Ali on keyboard, Zeeshan Haider on dholak, Nazakat Ali on harmonium, Amanat Ali on R-8 drum and Sohail Masih on tabla.
Mirza opened the show with Mehdi Hassan’s ghazal “Ghuncha-e-shauq laga hai khilney” and followed up with “Mein hosh mein tha tou”, “Dard rukta nahi ek pal” and “Sathi roya niwon jarna.” The soft, soulful melodies were achingly sentimental.
The evening assumed an uplifting mood as the young vocalist Rizwana Khan took centre stage. Trained under the Patiala gharana’s Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, she took the audience by surprise with her contagious energy and spontaneous gestures. Starting off with “Awaragi mein hadh se guzr jana chahiye”, she went on to perform “Way sab ton sohenya”, “Kalian guzara kiwain rattan kalian” and the bilingual (Urdu and Pashto) crowd-pleaser “Qarara rasha”.
In swift succession, Khadija Haider took to the stage, humming the timeless “Dil ki laggi” before progressing on to her own composition of “Dilbar mere kahan ho”, Reshma’s timeless melody “Way main chori chori” and Noor Jehan’s fast-paced track “Jadon holi jai lainde mera naam”. Haider’s distinct style and pleasant demeanour went in sync with the pop songs she rendered.
Adding the finishing touches to a magical evening, Shafaq Ali, a disciple of Ustad Wajahat Atray and Saleem Iqbal, played a diverse list of ghazals and songs from the repertoire of renowned musicians. Her mellow take on “Tu milla tou milli” was followed by “Jab se tu ne mujhai deewana bana rakha hai” and Noor Jehan’s “Mein tere sang kaisay chaloon sajna”, which was rewarded with much admiration and applause. Despite persistent requests for a “bhangra” song such as “Kala jora”, she stuck to the pre-determined playlist, performing the famous Pashto tune “Jana jana”, Farida Khanum’s “Mein pairon mein payal tou bandhi nahi” and Abida Parveen’s “Mahiya gharoli bhardi”.
Revelling in the lyrical retreat, a young man in the audience got off his seat and broke into dance spontaneously, flowing from one note to the next with effortless ease. Transcending from delicate classical dance to intense head-banging moves, he stole the show with his fluid movements emanating enthusiasm.
The continuing series of performances aims to offer music connoisseurs a new brand of traditional music from various ethnic regions across the country, celebrating diverse cultures with a well-deserved aplomb.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 16th, 2014.
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