The Fes Festival of Sacred Music (Part Two)

This is the second part in Rob Weisberg's report on the Fes Festival of Sacred Music. To read part one, go here.

The Festival comprised five outdoor stages, and one performance space at a quarry overlooking the city. There were two venues set aside for ticketed events and three venues which hosted the free "Festival in the City" shows. The idea of these recently added performances is to make it possible for locals, many of whom earn 1/20 of a typical European wage, to experience this epic event.

The main stage of the festival is the Bab Makina courtyard, where the opening night events took place and features a vintage 1886 Makina gate which used to serve as the main entrance to the Royal Palace in Fes. The adjacent compound is a huge, whitewashed space bordered by the city's original walls. The stage is under the gate and seating goes straight back -- A long way back. These are the most expensive concerts, and the crowd comprises Europeans and wealthy Moroccans. Interestingly, the Europeans complained that the Moroccans don't employ western concert rules of conduct -- they talk on cell phones and to each other, but many New Yorkers who are regulars at Joe's Pub will find this none too shocking...

Notable shows at Bab Makina:

The Kadiria and Mawlawiya Brotherhoods (Turkey) performing the Ayin-i Djem ceremony. Basically, these are the whirling dervishes and their musicians. Whirling dervishes are a must for any good sacred music festival, like the Gregorian choir and Sufi Qawwali ensemble that also performed this year. The slow turns are tantalizing, and the Bab Makina offered excellent vantage points to view the spectacle, even from great distances. The music is intense and powerful, usually with an a capella choral root, upon which a potent dirge of instrumentation is gradually added. We're told this was the first public performance of this particular ceremony, although public performances of other Turkish Sufi rights are not unusual.

We won't get into Sufism 101 here but the Sufis are a mystical sect of Islam, very open-minded, very into music. Their musical manifestations vary: in addition to the Turkish style, which involves choral singing and traditional instrumental accompaniment, there is something similar (but dervish-free) in Morocco similarly attached to local chapters or Brotherhoods. The music can gain intensity, but it is usually quite stern in character. On the other hand, Pakistani and Indian Sufi music, know as Qawwali, is quite different in that it is a more freewheeling and overtly ecstatic affair.

And speaking of that, Akhtar Sharif Arup Vâle Qawwâls also put on a great show at the Bab Makina,  although Qawwali is performed sitting down and they seemed a bit low on the big stage. They also did a free set for the masses at the Bab Boujeloud. This group rocks out in the big buildup / crescendo-y / uptempo style established in the last generation by the late great Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Party, Sabri Brothers, and various other groups that took Qawwali music out of the temple and onto the road. Then again, variants of Qawwali have long been heard in Indian and Pakistani movie soundtracks too. In India, it can be a short road from sacred to secular.

In recent years, the festival has booked some non-sacred acts on the main stage. We weren't thrilled with two of the three secular acts this year - Johnny Clegg (big in France, and that influences the booking) and Tania Maria (ditto, I guess). But Angelique Kidjo wasn't a bad choice. I had just interviewed her a few weeks ago and she told me this was only her second trip to Morocco. She took the opportunity to give an inspirational pan-African-unity speech during her set (in French) that got the crowd going. Now I know we shouldn't be too earnest in this space, but it was rather touching to hear this speech on the African continent. She also engaged in her ritual custom in which she invites children in the audience on stage to dance towards the end of the show. Abundant good vibes.

As I said, the Bab Makina has good sightlines, and is an outdoor space that offers temporary  indoor-outdoor seating. But somehow, it maintains a weirdly formal and bourgeois vibe, and that doesn't work that well for electric bands like Kidjo's, or for compact formations like the Qawwali ensemble. But it does work for orchestral performances and the best fit was a concert by three female singers: Sonia Mbarek, Beihdja Rahal, and Fadwa El Malki singing Arab-Andalous Songs of the Maghreb with a full Andalucian orchestra. This is the elegant and powerful music that comes out of the great Andalucian tradition of mid millennium (the previous one, that is) Spain and Morocco. Women, by the way, were well-represented at the festival this year. All three were solid singers, but Sonia stole the show.

The second spotlight stage is at the exquisite Batha Museum garden. This vintage 1870s former summer palace for the royals is a beautiful place to see music. There is a fairly small seating area, with the stage underneath a huge Barbary oak tree, birds chirping throughout the concert, and a beautiful courtyard
garden extending behind the musicians. The Museum courtyard has classic Andalucian design: beautiful doors, tiles, and woodwork. These were ticketed events and dominated by European, especially French-speaking tourists and media, though there were some Moroccans as well.

Notable concerts on the Batha Museum stage:

Parissa and Dastan Ensemble: They rocked the house as they often do. They're kind of into Persian speed-folk, albeit in a formal way, and they really go for the big climaxes. But beyond the performance, there was much talk about the fact that Bono and The Edge from U2 were present, who as I mentioned in part one were in town doing some recording with Brian Eno. Somehow, I didn't spot them at the concert! The U2 blog says they have lately been very much taken by Middle Eastern and North African music, adding that it's going to be the next big thing for European and American musicians to, um, exploit. Well, I said exploit, they didn't. Anyway...

Aïcha Mint Chighaly (Mauritania): I've heard Aïcha with acoustic instrumentation on CD, but this time the band, though still sitting on the ground as per tradition, plugged in. Aicha played the typical women's
instrument, the beautiful ardin harp-lute. But her brother Jeich Ould Chighaly swapped his tidnit (long narrow lute) for a baby blue electric guitar. Not unlike what the North Malian Tuareg group Tinariwen has done, except that Tinariwen switched out even more traditional instruments with guitars. (An even closer stylistic cousin perhaps is the sit-down guitar-augmented Tuareg roots group Tartit, who have also played in New York.) Mauritanian music is known for heterophony, which basically means that the musicians aren't required to follow the melody directly. As a result, the guitar seem rather noodly, but Derek Bailey fans ought to sit up and take note.

In the evening, I was able to pick up an AM station from the disputed territory of Western Sahara featuring music of the Sahraui people, which also features some great electric guitar work set against traditional rhythms. I didn't see any Moroccan groups working this angle directly at the festival, but I picked up CDs by a Berber electric group called Oudaden that completed the guitar link from Southern Morocco to the Western Sahara to northern Mali.

Curro and Carlos Piñana (Spain) with the Diapason Quintet (Cuba), who performed a flamenco mass: This isn't the first time this concept has been rolled out, and some of the music was a bit polite for me. (If I played it on WFMU I would probably be hauled out to the parking lot and shot). But the vocalist was great and there were some truly powerful moments.

Coro Gregoriano de Lisboa (Portugal): A Gregorian chant ensemble based out of a student-group in Lisbon. Very Fes Festival-y, and their conductor wore a groovy black sorceress outfit.

Vasumathi Badrinathan (India): Classical music of South India that features Carnatic vocals. Great stuff, she's a wonderful young singer with incredible range and ornamentation. The instrumentation for this style is cool: drone, mouth harp, flipped-over-and-inverted violin, and hand percussion. The sound fit in nicely in the venue, as did many other performances.

Waed Bouhassoun (Syria) + Nâdira Pirmatova (Uzbekistan): More great female vocalists and a nice intimate performance for final day of Batha Museum concerts.

Bab Boujeloud Concerts:

These free events were held nightly at 6:30 in a massive adjacent compound contained by ancient stone walls and archway entrances, with a charming view of the old city in the hills as you looked away from the stage. One of our favorite restaurants, the Kasbah, is right next to this gate and right next to that, a great  CD / cassette store. Passing through the gate to the concert area, you walk through market food stalls and a lively flea market.

The Boujeloud stage has a massive PA, audible for the equivalent of ten city blocks. Some of the concerts were free repeats of performances by artists who'd also played ticketed shows, but there was also Moroccan music not featured in the sacred part of the schedule and I found this most interesting. Highlights included the hybrids of traditional music, like Gnawa, the popular Mauritanian and sub-Saharan rooted music with elements of rock and jazz. The crowds were large, 90 percent Moroccan, and comprised families of all ages, even though there was no formal seating. There were a few stone landings where folks sat, but a lot of grandmas just stood on the dusty ground with their grandkids on their shoulders. This was also vendor central, with the ubiquitous tea-water men who haul around animal-skin flasks and a re-usable glass for customers (you can take their photos but you've got to buy something or at least make a donation), the balloon man, and the cookie man, who was typically pushy but in a pleasant way. Peanut flavor vs. coconut was the hot debate issue.

I liked both.

Click here to read the third and final part of Rob's report on the Fes Festival of Sacred Music. To listen to a special Fes-Centric edition of Rob's Transpacific Sound Paradise radio program, go here. The photographs featured in this series were taken by Catherine Bendayan, Richard Gehr, Katie Gentile, Hicham Tazi, and Rob Weisberg.

Comments

[Listener Tom]

Debate? What debate? The peanutbutter cookies won hands down.

[BrianTurner]

Awesome report, Rob!

[sabiha]

www.qawwalniazi.com
[email protected]
[email protected]
Manzoor Ahmed Khan Niazi Qawwal, renowned and famous name in Sufiana and Traditional Style of Qawali, belongs to a family of musicians whose history starts from the advent of Islam and arrival of muslim sufi saints in the sub-continent.

When Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti (Khawaja Gareeb Nawaz) settled in Ajmer and served his entire life to propagate Islam, apart from the others, his beloved mureeds and Sama’s Khwa’n, Mian Nigahi and Mian Dargahi were also accompanied him.

Later, with the intention to spread teachings of Islam in the entire sub-continent, on instructions of Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Aulia (Mehboob-e-Elahi), Hazrat Amer Khusrou modified the Sama’a – traditional from of Zikr-e-Elahi – and named it Qawali He arranged a group of his tewelve youngs pupils and imparted the art of Qawali to them. He designated Mian Sa’mat, decendend of Mian Nigahi and Mian Dargahi and also mureed of Mehboob-e-Elahi, as the leader of this elite group Later on this group become famous as Qawal Bachchay afterwards Qawal Bachcha Gharana of Delhi or Delhi Gharana.

This family claimed further fame through Al-Haj Mir Qutub Buksh Who was the royal tutor and court musician of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last mughal emperor. Khan Sahib was conferred the titles of Tanrus Khan and Aitamad-ul-Mulk from the Royal Court.
Manzoor Niazi is the grandson of Khan Sahib. He was born in Delhi (India) in 1922 and took his initial training in music from his uncle Haji Suleman Khan.

Manzoor Niazi began giving performances, publicly as well as at shrines of Sufi saints all over the sub-continent, from the very tender age of eight years and within no more than twelve years he became popular in the entire Indian Peninsula. His fame spreaded in those days when the word of mouth was the only available media for propagation of any event or news.
In 1937, at the programme being arranged by Pakistan Association, Bombay Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah Decorated him as Bulbul-e-Deccan.

Being the descendent of Tanrus Khan he was attached with the Court of Nizam of Hyderabd which he continued till 1954.

In 1964, when the first test transmission of PTV went on-air, Manzoor Niazi was given the honour to perform live, immediately after the President of Pakistan’s inaugural speech. Later on, when PTV was formaly established, he was again given the honour to perform from al the centers of PTV including Dhaka.

In 1965, he was invited to perform at President House in a function which was attended by MNAs, top ranking dignitaries and eminent personalities.

He has the honour of being the first Pakistan Qawal who went abroad to propagate Islam and its traditions and exhibited his Qawali there.

The year 1970 saw him visiting Iran,Iraz,Afghanistan, Kuwait, Eden and Saudi Arabia where he once again proved his command over the art of Qawali and acclaimed admiration from the elite and the general public.

There prevails a prohibition on music in Islam and Saudi Arabia, being the custodian of the Holiest Places of Islam-Khana e Ka’aba, Masjid-e-Nabawi and the birth place of prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him), is a contry where performance of any sort of music is strictly prohibited. During his trip to Saudi Arabia, Manzoor Niazi had a legthy debate with the Imam of Masjid-e-Nabawi and by giving concrete Islamic historical evidences he proved and convinced him that Qawali is one kind of music which is not forbidden in Islam for the first time in the history of Saudi Arabia, A musician was allowed to perform live in Saudi Arabia and the biggest of al hounours which Manzoor Niazi holds is that he performed live right in front of Masjid-e-Nabawi with all his musical instruments and the audience included the Members of Royal family, high government officials, dignitaries, press reporters and a large number of Saudi, Pakistani and Indian people. This event was being given major coverage by all the leading newspapers in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and all other muslim countries. Furthermore, during the same tour, he also presented Qawali in front of King of Iran which was recorded by Madina Televiision as well.

In 1974, Manzoor Niazi exhibited the Sufiana kalaams of Hazrat Amir Khusrou during his 7th centennial anniversary which was jointly organised by Pakistan, India, Iran and Central Asian States (then USSR). The agenda of the anniversary celebrations included a detailed coverage of every aspect of the life and impact of this gigantic saint on the culture and music of the Sub-continent.

Manzoor Niazi and his family has been continuously and regularly attached with the sufi order since last 7 centuries. The tombs of Mian Nigahi and Mian Dargahi adjacent to the shrine of Khawaja Ghareeb Nawaz. And Nigahi Dargahi Masjid at Dargah Bazar, Ajmer are examples of their spiritual affiliation. Furthermore, apart from their connection this family has been awarded with permanent rooms adjacent to the shrines of Khawaja Ghareeb Nawaz, Mehboob-e-Elahi and Sabir Pak in Ajmer, Delhi and Kalyar, for their regular services and continuous attachment with the shrines of these Sufi saints. Furthermore, in recognition of continuous connection of his family with the Sufi order of Mehboob-e-Elahi, he had been awarded a certificate of affiliation in 1981 by the decendants of Mehboob-e-Elahi.

Regards,

[email protected]

[nawab khan]

THE QADAR NIAZI QAWWAL IS A VERY FAMOUS QAWWALI SINGER AND HIS ILLUSTIOUS FATHER USTAD INAM AHMED MAHBOOB RAAGI QAWWALI SAMRAAT.IS SO GOOD QAWWALI SINGER.THE QADAR NIAZI QAWWAL HE BELONGS TO THE LEGENDRY HAPUR GHARANA.NIAZI IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DARGAH HAZRAT NIZAMUDDIN AULIA AND HAZRAT AMIR KHUSRO.QADAR NIAZI IS DARGAHI QAWWAL. THE QADAR NIAZIS 1ST PERFOMANCE AT AGE OF SEVEN.QADAR NIAZIS THREE SONS HAIDER NIZAMI.HASAN NIZAMI.AND IMRAN NIZAMI HE LEARN HIS FATHER QADAR NIAZI QAWWAL.THE QADAR NIAZI IS A RADIO AND T.V. SINGER OF :A:GRADE AND GAVE PEFORMANES IN A BIG AND REPUTED FUNCTIONS ORGANIZED BY THE SAHITYA KALA PARISHAD AND URDU ACADEMY.QADAR NIAZI HAS VISITED NUMBER OF COUNTRIES AND GIVEN THE PERFORMANES IN U.K. SCOTLAND.PAKISTAN.NEWZEELAND.SINGAPORE. SAUDI ARABIA. SPAIN.IRAN.TANZANIA.DUBAI.MUSCAT.WITH THE GRACE OF ALMIGHTY. REGARD, NAWAB KHAN. QADAR NIAZI CONTACT:698 CHANDNI MAHAL DARYA GANJ NEW DELHI 110002 INDIA.{M}09899127495.09873627495.09811304403.EMAIL: [email protected]

[moiz ayaz]

dear sir
i am singer traditional music for qawwali . my groups name fareed ayaz qawwal . fareed ayaz qawwal going to sufi tradional festival 2008 in delhi india . 27.02.08
.moiz ayaz
www.qawwal.com

[nawab khan dehelwi]

ASALAMOALYEKUM
THE QADAR NIAZI QAWWAL IS A VERY FAMOUS QAWWALI SINGER AND HI LEARNED HIS FATHER
USTAD INAM AHMED MAHBOOB RAAGI QAWWALI SAMRAT.QADAR NIAZI HAVE THREE SONS.
HAIDER MIZAMI.HASAN NIZAMI INRAM NIAZMI
QADAR NIAZI SUFIANA AND AASHQANA QAWWALI SINGER HIS FIRST PUBLIC PERFORMENCE AT AGE OF SEVEN THE QADAR NIAZI QAWWAL IS A
RADIO AND T.V. SINGER NIAZI HAS VISITED NUMBER OF COUNTRIES AND GIVAN THE PERFORMENCES IN . U.K.SOTLAND.SIGAPURE.SAUDI ARABIA.MUSCAT.
IRAN.AFGHANISTAN.DUBAI.TANZANIA.PAKISTAN
NEWZEELAND WITH THE GRACE OF ALMIGHTY.
THE QADAR NIAZI QAWWAL GAVE THE PERFORMENEC IN LATEST FILM KHOSLA KA GHOSLA THE QADAR NIAZI IS A VERY GOOD QAWWALI SINGER WE LIKE VERY MUCH.QADAR NIAZI QAWWAL CONACT AS
EMAIL:[email protected]
{PH}09899127495.09873627495.09811304403.
HOUSE NO.698 CHANDNI MAHAL DARYA GANJ NEW DELHI.2 INDIA
REGARD:NAWAB KHAN DEHELWI

[nawab khan dehelwi]

the qadar niazi qawwal is very famous qawwali singer and his sons haider nizami
hasan nizami imran nizami is a very nice qawwali singer contact as
email:[email protected]
{ph}09899127495.
09873627495.
09811304403.

[anmol]

hi
mera name namol hai aur mere ustad ka naam
qadar niazi qawwal hai wo bohot achhi qawwali gate hain aur unka sikhane ka stil
bhi achha me unki shagird 2007 me hoi thi
aur meri 2 sister bhi unki shagird ho gai
aur mere papa ne mere ustad qadar niazi ji
ka 1 programe bhi rakha tha ashoka hotel
me jisme wo suiana aur aashqana kalam gai
the aur unke bete haider hasan nizami bhi
bohot achha gate hain aur unka chhota beta
imran woto bohot achha gata hai .
mere ustad qadar niazi ji is waqt mumbai
me hain kyun ki unki aik recoding hai
aur mujhe mere ustad ji ne bohot raag batey hain aur raago ka chalan bhi bataya
hai kyun ki aik sur se saara raag badal jaata hai mujhe mere guru ji bohot achhe
lagte hain.
regards:anmol

[taqeer ahmed]

dear sir
JAVED TAUFIQ NIAZI QAWAL IS BEST TRADITIONAL QAWWALI SINGER.JAVED TAUFIQ NIAZI QAWAL BELONG TO FAMOUS GHARANA KHURJA GHARANA.JAVED TAUFIQ NIAZI QAWAL LEARN THE MUSIC GRAND FATHER USTAD HAJI ALTAF HUSSAIN KHAN SAHAB (PADAM BHUSHAN) UNCLE USTAD WAHID HUSSAIN KHAN SAHAB (FAKHRE AAHANG-E- KHUSRAVI)AND FATHER USTAD MUMTAZ AHMED KHAN SAHAB.USTAD HAJI ALTAF HUSSAIN KHAN SAHAB WHO GOT THE FIRST AWARD OF HINDUSTAN NAMELY ("PADAM BHUSHAN")AWARD IN THE YEAR 1959 FROM THE FIRST PREIVIOUS PRESIDENT OF HINDUSTAN Dr RAJINDAR PARSHAD.JAVED TAUFIQ NIAZI QAWAL BEUTIFULL SINGING STYLE TRADITIONAL KALAM HAZRAT AMIR KHUSRO,MOULANA JAMI SHEIKH SAADI,SHAH NIAZ BE NIAZ,& ETC.JAVED TAUFIQ NIAZI PERFORM BY "ROYAL ALBERT HALL" LONDON.JAVED TAUFIQ NIAZI QAWAL PERFORM BY DIFFICULT SHOWS AND FESTIVAL.
(1)LITTLE CHILLY FESTIVAL
(2)OXFORD UNIVERSTY
(3)RAOYAL ALBERT HALL

[taqeer ahmed]

dear sir
JAVED TAUFIQ NIAZI QAWAL IS BEST TRADITIONAL QAWWALI SINGER.JAVED TAUFIQ NIAZI QAWAL BELONG TO FAMOUS GHARANA KHURJA GHARANA.JAVED TAUFIQ NIAZI QAWAL LEARN THE MUSIC GRAND FATHER USTAD HAJI ALTAF HUSSAIN KHAN SAHAB (PADAM BHUSHAN) UNCLE USTAD WAHID HUSSAIN KHAN SAHAB (FAKHRE AAHANG-E- KHUSRAVI)AND FATHER USTAD MUMTAZ AHMED KHAN SAHAB.USTAD HAJI ALTAF HUSSAIN KHAN SAHAB WHO GOT THE FIRST AWARD OF HINDUSTAN NAMELY ("PADAM BHUSHAN")AWARD IN THE YEAR 1959 FROM THE FIRST PREIVIOUS PRESIDENT OF HINDUSTAN Dr RAJINDAR PARSHAD.JAVED TAUFIQ NIAZI QAWAL BEUTIFULL SINGING STYLE TRADITIONAL KALAM HAZRAT AMIR KHUSRO,MOULANA JAMI SHEIKH SAADI,SHAH NIAZ BE NIAZ,& ETC.JAVED TAUFIQ NIAZI PERFORM BY "ROYAL ALBERT HALL" LONDON.JAVED TAUFIQ NIAZI QAWAL PERFORM BY DIFFICULT SHOWS AND FESTIVAL.
(1)LITTLE CHILLY FESTIVAL
(2)OXFORD UNIVERSTY
(3)RAOYAL ALBERT HALL

[hasan nizami]

salaam
the qadar niazi and his sons haider hasan
nizami is a so good qawwali singer he live in delhi india

[hasan nizami]

QADAR NIAZI
MODERN SUFI GROUP
QADAR NIAZI QAWWAL LEARNED FROM HIS ILLUSTIOUS FATHER.USTAD INAM AHMED MAHBOOB RAGI QAWWALI SAMRAT.QADAR NIAZI
GAVE HIS FIRST PUBLIC PERFORMENCE AT AGE
OF SEVEN IN THE PROGRAME AND HAS BEEN
PERFORMING FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS AND TEACHING GHAZAL AND BHAJAN ALSO.
TRAINED MANY STUDENTS EVER SINCE HASBEEN
PERFORMING WITH GREAT DISTINCTION
IN VARIOUS URS AND CONFERENCES IN THE COUNTRY.
QADAR NIAZI IS A RADIO, AND T,V, SINGER
OF :A: GARDE AND GAVE PERFORMENCES IN A
BIG AND REPUTED FUNCTIONS ORGNIZED BY THE
SAHITYA KALA PARISHAD.AND .URDU ACADEMY.
REGARD:HASAN NIZAMI

[original nizami brothers ghulam sabir ghulam waris]

Respected sir
we are qawwal original nizami brothers from dehli india we are first indian qawwal who perfomed at ROYEL ELBERT HALL & womad & many perfomed in europe we allso perfomed in all over in india. so we will want to performance in your society. plz visit our website www.qawwalnizamibrothers.com plz reply as soon as possible thank you
qawwal original nizami brothers

[niazi nizami brothers]

hey
we are qadar niazi qawwal`s sons haider nizami and hasan nizami . qadar niazi learned from his illustrious father,ustad Inam ahmad mehmoob ragi qawwali samrat. he gave his first performance at the age of seven in the programe and has been performing for the last 30 years and teaching Ghazals and Bhajans also.
Trained many students ever since has been performing with great distinction in various Urs and Conferences in the country.
Qadar niazi is a redio and T.V. and cessete and film singer of "A" Grade and gave performances in a big and reputed functions organized by the Sahitya kala Parishad and Urdu Academy. qadar niazi has visited numbers of countries and given the performance are appreciated everywhere.
He gave performances in Tele film "JIYA" and latest film " KHOSLA KA GHOSLA" (Divakar films). qadar niazi honoured by the Delhi Chief Minister, Smt. SHEELA DIKSHIT in 2000. he gave the performances in different languages, such as Persain, Arabic, Urdu and Hindi are the main.
Qadar niazi haider hasan nizami is one of the most famous qawwali singer in the Sufi Styles , Aastana Gayaki as the mordern qawwali traditoin .Trained by his Lte father "ustad inam ahmad mahboob ragi qawwali samrat", the qawwali samrat . the qawwali samrat award presented by the Late president of India,Shri Giani Zail singh. that is our address 698, Chandni Mahal, Darya Ganj, new Delhi-110002 (INDIA)
mobile : (+91)9899127495,9873627495,9811304403.
www.qadarniaziqawwal.com
email: [email protected]