PAKISTAN Nazakat & Salamat Ali Khan – HMV 7 EPE 1356

PAKISTAN
Nazakat & Salamat Ali Khan – Aajori Badhavra/ Nakki Vaat/ More Nain/Tarana – His Master's Voice  – 7 EPE 1356, released 1968 (7 in, 45 RPM)

We present the Sham Chaurasi Gharana vocalists, brothers Nazakat Ali Khan (1932-1983) and Salamat Ali Khan (1934-2001) from Punjab, whose family settled in Lahore, Pakistan, after the partition of British India in 1947. The two brothers were taught by their father Vilayat Ali Khan in both the Dhrupad and Khyal styles and were influenced by the great Khyal masters, Ashiq Ali Khan (?-1948), Rajab Ali Khan (1874-1959), and Bade Ghulam Ali Khan (1902-1968). The brothers began performing in a Jugalbandi duo in Pakistan and India in the mid-1940s and quickly distinguished themselves as two of the most outstanding Hindustani Khyal vocalists on the Subcontinent. 

 

According to the music critic Amit Chaudhuri, “Nazakat’s role has to do with laying the groundwork and then cultivating increasing self-effacement to make possible Salamat’s miraculous phrases. (…) Salamat is, in a fundamental sense, an improviser. (…) He couldn’t do this without the older brother.”*  

 

This rare 45 RPM exemplifies the brothers’ exquisite telepathic lyricism and Salamat’s rapturous flights and adventurous creativity.  

 

Nous présentons maintenant les frêres chanteurs Pendjabi du Sham Chaurasi Gharana Nazakat Ali Khan (1932-1983) et Salamat Ali Khan (1934-2001) dont la famille s'installe à Lahore, au Pakistan, après la partition de l'Inde britannique en 1947. Les deux frères étudient le chant Dhrupad et Khyal auprès de leur illustre père Vilayat Ali Khan et furent influencés par des grands maîtres du Khyal comme Ashiq Ali Khan (? -1948), Rajab Ali Khan (1874-1959) et Bade Ghulam Ali Khan (1902-1968). Ils se produisent sur scène en duo Jugalbandi au Pakistan et en Inde dès le milieu des années 1940 et s'imposent vite comme des chanteurs incontournables du Khyal dans la seconde moitié du 20e siècle. 

 

Selon le critique musical Amit Chaudhuri, « le rôle de Nazakat consiste à jeter les bases, puis cultiver un effacement progressif de sa personne afin de permettre à Salamat d’exprimer son phrasé miraculeux. (…) Salamat est, au plus profonds de lui-même, un improvisateur. (…) Il ne peut le réaliser pleinement sans son frère aîné. »*

 

Ce rare 45 tours illustre le magnifique lyrisme télépathique des deux frères, ainsi que les envolées créatives et exaltées de Salamat.

 

*https://scroll.in/article/962117/recordings-by-vocalist-salamat-ali-khan-remind-us-how-precise-and-beautiful-the-unimaginable-can-be

 

 

A1 – Ajori Badhawara (Adana)

Aaj ori badhawra*

Mere ghar aaya ye mora balma

Saath sakhi gayori mubarak 

Aaj mere ghar.

Today is the day of celebration*,

My beloved is home now,

Dear friends come and congratulate me,
Today my beloved is home.

 

*Not sure of the precise meaning of Ajori Badhawra (different dialect of Hindi).

A2 – Nakki Vaat – Raga (Sindh Kafi)

Tati ro ro main waat niharaan, 

Saanwal mod muharaan,

Man man maltaan peer manawaan, 

Mulla khol taweej likhawaan, 

Sad sad jotisi se bhaalan paawan, 

Main kar deeyan jatan hazaran,

Chhod Fareed na yaar da daaman, 

Jeen jee keeta jad kar kaaman,

Dohan jahan saada maaman, 

Un kee ve main dil da bisaraan,

Shedding tears continously, I'm waiting and 

looking (at the road) for your arrival,

Turn your camel in my direction,

I pray and try to appease the mystics,

I ask the saints to write and give an amulet 
(for my wish to be fulfilled), 
I call every astrologer and ask to tell my fate,
I am making a thousand efforts,
Fareed, do not leave the side of your beloved) 
... the one who has enchanted you,
We are for each other in both worlds,
How can I remove him from my heart?

This beautiful track in Saraiki language (similar to Punjabi), was written by saint Khwaja Ghulam Farid. This may be in reference to the Sindhi folk love story of Sassi & Punnu (something like the story of Laila & Majnun)

B1 – More Naina (Thumri)

More naina lage ji barsaat,

Balam mowe chhod na jaana,

Tumhre kaarna sab jag chhoda,

Mori koyi na poochega baat.

My eyes are raining,

Beloved, do not leave me,

I left the whole world for you,

No one is there to care for me now.

 

B2 – Tarana (Marwa)

The words don't have any particular meaning, they are syllables used in classical music. Still some syllables represent words as constructed by Amir Khusro in Qaul Tarana (man kunto maula). Read more here.

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Many thanks to Eden for the English translations of the poetic/metaphorical lyrics sung here! Don't miss Eden's excellent Qawwali website, which features music from many hard-to-find vintage Sabri Brothers albums (click on the record covers):

https://maqboolsabri.com/

The cover of this record was designed by South-Indian classical dancer and teacher Amala Devi.

Our other male Hindustani vocal shares:

Faiyaz Khan – Raag Darbari / Raag Lalit / Raag Bhairavi – Hindusthan Record – LH 5 here

Amir Khan – Inreco 24110001  here

Bhimsen Joshi – ECLP 2264 here
Nasir Aminudin Dagar – EASD 1420 here

Faiyaz Khan, Abdul Karim Khan, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, etc. – EALP 1453/1452 here

Our other Pakistani Hindustani music shares:

Mohammad Sharif Khan Poonch Wala – Bärenreiter Musicaphon BM 30 L 2029 here

Instrumental Music of Pakistan – HMV LKDE 20018, 1975 which includes a remarkable fiery sitar track by Sharif Khan Poonch Wala here

Photograph below is from Visions of Mughal India by Andrew Topsfield, Ashmolean Museum, 2012:

Two Golden Orioles, Mughal, c.1610.

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