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Music Of The World Mar 2 2024
Kutay Derin Kugay
World music radio program on Açik Radio in Istanbul Music-of-the-World-Istanbul-March-2-2024 On this Saturday at 5 pm Music of the World Istanbul on Acik Radyo 95.0 FM will feature a much-appreciated vocalist Najma Akhtar with music from her successful albums, Pukar, Forbidden Kiss and Rishte. Najma Akhtar, a British born, singer, songwriter, composer and actor has achieved a place in world music history as one of the true pioneers of uniquely fusing Western and Eastern musical styles. She has recorded many solo albums and is credited in crafting a new musical genre, in which Jazz nuances are blended with the Ghazal (Urdu ballad) and Sufi (Devotional poetry) repertoires. Her ground-breaking and innovative debut album, ‘Qareeb' (Closeness), remains one of the most important world music albums ever recorded catapulting Najma into the World Music arena. Even though her music has remained rooted in the Ghazal and other traditional music of her ancestral home, her versatility as a writer and composer can be seen through a vast diverse body of work & artistic collaborations with some of the world’s most influential and credible musicians. Her music encompasses, Ghazal, Sufi, World, Jazz, Asian Underground, Delta Blues, Psychedelia, Rock, Western Folk, Celtic, Sufi, North African Blues, Irish Celtic nuances and more. Her bi-lingual Indian vocals create a beautiful marriage between the East and the West that is utterly compelling. She has received universal critical acclaim including, David Fricke (Rolling Stone) who praised her ‘effortless artistry and emotional daring‘ and The Observer which described how ‘The pure soaring arc of Najma’s voice remains above emulation’. By Introducing subtle Jazz nuances to the traditional genre of the Ghazal (South East Asian poetic Urdu ballad) and Sufi styles, Najma, established herself as a pioneering vocalist, achieving a place in World Music history by creating a new musical genre. Her versatility can be experienced through her work that range from her traditional / jazz Ghazal albums to recording an album of Bollywood songs by the late, Indian film composer S. D. Burman, 'Forbidden Kiss' to the various collaborations and projects that she has been involved in. This iconic pioneer’s presence on the World music scene has led to waves of inspired Asian artists of Indian decent following in her footsteps. Summer 2009 saw the release of ‘RISHTE’ (Relationships, Emotional bonds and Love), on the Harmonia Mundi /World Village label. In this album Najma has collaborated with the renowned Grammy nominated New York based guitarist, Gary Lucas, who is known for his work with Captain Beefheart and the late Jeff Buckley. Using the blues, rock, psychedelic sounds and Indian influences, ‘RISHTE’ stands out as another milestone in terms of crossover music. The eclectic experiences, richness and musical sensibility of both artists have brought to life a unique and soulful album. Reviews for Rishte were brilliant worldwide. Najma’s stunning arrangement & vocal performance of blues legend Skip James' classic, 'Special Rider Blues', was overwhelmingly positive, singled out by critics, providing her with the initial inspiration for ‘RISHTE’ ‘Fariyaad’ 2008 translated as ‘A plea to the creator’, was recorded and produced in Paris by Serge Glanzberg. Musicians from very diverse cultures and backgrounds were used, adding even more multiculturalism and continued to cross over into the jazz world; this time incorporating Mediterranean influences and instruments with Najma's soulful, classical, Indian voice as the centre-piece. The album was enhanced by contributions from some remarkable musicians, including Steve Coleman (saxophone), Olivier Louvel (guitarist/Saaz player), Felix Sabaleco (drums). ‘Vivid’, 2002, a collaboration with the film music composer Richard Grassby-Lewis, Najma described this as ‘Indian Gothic’. Combines elements of Indian, Arabic and Western classical orchestral arrangements with dark electronic overtones, delivers a hypnotic cutting-edge album. In 1996, Najma released ‘Forbidden Kiss’, a beautiful tribute album to legendary Indian composer S.D. Burman, equivalent in South Asia to George Gershwin or Irving Berlin. On this tribute, Najma collaborated with Chris Rael from the New York City group Church of Betty. Najma's third recording, ‘Pukar’ (Calling You), was released in 1992 and includes a mix of Persian, Indian and African instruments further expanding her repertoire. The title track was used in a Fuji Bank television commercial in Japan, where sales of "Pukar" reached upwards of 50,000 copies. Najma's follow up to ‘Qareeb’, ‘Atish’ (Fire), released in 1989, reached #4 on Billboard's World Music Chart and combines several musical styles, including ‘Qawwali’. In 1987, Najma released her first recording in the UK with Triple Earth, ‘Qareeb’ (Closeness). Universally acclaimed ‘Qareeb’ was a ground-breaking recording and a first of its kind in the World Music area, as it was a unique fusion of Jazz and ‘Indian Ghazal’. Najma has also collaborated with many of the world's most influential musical artists including, Jah Wobble, ‘Take me to God’; Andy Summers, ‘The Golden Wire’; Philip Glass, ‘Liquid Days’; Steve Coleman, ‘Black Science’; Jethro Tull, ‘Dot Com’; and Stan Harrison ‘The Optimist’; Carol Grimes, Basement Jaxx, Maartin Allcock and many others. Najma appeared with Robert Plant and Jimmy Page on their MTV unplugged special singing a rendition of “The Battle of Evermore”. This was recorded and released as a DVD and album titled ‘No Quarter’. She made several guest appearances on their ‘No Quarter’ world tour. Najma’s earlier live performances were described as brilliant. Having extensively toured in Europe, North America and Asia, and headlining on Jazz & World Music stages at numerous festivals including Reading, Glastonbury, Lille and The Palestinian Jazz Festival in Jerusalem she was also part of many Peter Gabriel's WOMAD tours too. Najma has had many incredible highlights in her career, but one that is most special to her, is being asked by Nina Simone’s management to perform with her at the London Dominion Theatre for a two-night engagement. Music from her albums have been used in film, theatre and TV documentaries . A song that she recorded with Jah Wobble, titled “Raga,” was heard in Robert Altman’s film, ‘Pret a Porter’. Najma's voice can also be heard on other motion picture soundtracks too, including Hanif Kureishi's film, ‘Sammy and Rosie get Laid’, ‘People I Know’ starring Al Pacino and Kim Bassinger. In 2002 Najma collaborated with composer and musician Steve Beresford to write a 13 song soundtrack for ‘Bollywood Queen’, the British-Bollywood film directed by Jeremy Wooding and in 2008 also co-wrote a track for the sound track of the film ‘Brick Lane’. As an actor, Najma made her debut at London's prestigious National Theatre in their production of ‘Haroon and The Sea of Stories’, adapted from the Salman Rushdie book and directed by Tim Supple. Najma was invited by Theatre Melange to compose, sing and act in their production, titled, 'Cinnamon Veil'. In 2002 Najma wrote, composed and acted in a Tara Arts production called ‘Journey to the West’ at the Haymarket Theatre in Leicester, England. In addition to her live theatre credits, Najma played a lead role in a United Kingdom Urdu TV drama production, ‘Kismet Road’, seen on Asian television in 2000. Najma’s latest album, ‘FIVE RIVERS’ , whether, duo / trio format or 5 piece band, presents music in which she explores the synergies that resonate with her Indian - British roots by connecting vocal expressions of requited love through the waterways of voice, poetry and music. This album encompasses a plethora of genres from World Jazz, Rajasthani, Delta Blues, Psychedelic, Rock, Western Folk, Celtic, Sufi, North West African Blues, to Irish Celtic nuances with the traditional Ghazal and includes imaginative interpretations of compositions by Tim Buckley, Tim Hardin, Bryan MacLean and Donovan. ‘FIVE RIVERS’ is merely an extension of Najma’s pioneering work. Najma adds a psychedelic sound to her list of eclectic influences on her 2009 'Rishte' album with Grammy nominated guitarist Gary Lucas. Using the Blues, soft rock, psychedelic sounds and Indian influences ‘RISHTE’ stands out as another milestone in terms of crossover music. The eclectic experiences, richness and musical sensibility of both artists have brought to life a very unique and soulful album. The reviews were brilliant worldwide. In particular, Skip James', 'Special Rider Blues' was singled out by critics for Najma’s stunning arrangement & vocal performance. The overwhelmingly positive reviews of 'Special Rider Blues' provided the initial inspiration for "FIVE RIVERS". Najma and Gary have been fans of each other’s work for many years. Gary's enormous admiration of Najma's artistry developed when he first heard her 1989 critically acclaimed album "Atish”. Najma became an admirer of Lucas’s after hearing Jeff Buckley's "Grace" album. After their meeting in London, Najma and Gary instantly decided they wanted to collaborate on a project. Some of Gary's past collaborators have been Buckley, Don Van Vliet (Captain Beefheart), Joan Osborne and most recently Chris Cornell to name a few. After mixing the album in the USA, Najma and Gary performed all their new material for first time together on May 3rd 2008 to a sold-out audience in New York. By simply using guitars, tabla, vocal and the occasional violin, ‘RISHTE’, once again, stands out as another milestone in terms of crossover music. Gary’s wizard playing incorporates psychedelic sounds, the blues, soft rock and other eclectic sounds and Najma provides the Indian influences with Urdu / Hindi lyrics and soothing sublime seductive Indian vocal melodies. The overtone of ‘Rishte’, is yet another superb collaboration of east and western ideas that open the doors to a new genre of Ghazal and the Blues. By using the southern US blues styling with the odd slide guitar or electric by shuffling rhythmic strums, bending, winding acoustic notes on guitar has an analogy and synergy with the naturally flowing Indian vocals. The cover of Skip James’s ‘Special Rider Blues’ proves that the concept, of Ghazal and Blues are connected, as the vocal styles and musicality share the same passion. By writing some songs based on the Ghazal and using some blues arrangements takes the Ghazal on another musical path that is equally mesmerizing. There is a perfect synergy. The lyrics are predominantly in Urdu, as Najma felt very strong that the exotic vocal ‘Aalaap’ or exotic waling often taken as the eastern element was not what she wanted to do. More importantly, Najma wanted lyrics on this album that would attract an audience that understood, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi and other similar dialects. As with Blues and C/W the songs tell a story and this was something that intrigued Najma, so the lyrics on Rishte also tells stories, which was a new approach to the lyrics of a Ghazal as they generally relate to a romantic notion and emotion. The arrangement of certain pieces has also in many ways challenged Najma as a vocalist and composer but she has been able to adapt and mould herself in different musical modes and has been able to move with the times. In essence the eclectic experiences, richness and musical sensibility of both artists have brought to life a very unique and soulful album; another new genre seems to have appeared, Ghazal and the Blues.
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