JAHAN-E-KHUSRAU -2011 : CHOICEST SELECTION OF SUFI POETRY

‘Jahan-e-Khusrau’ , the annual festival on Sufi Music is being organized by Muzaffar Ali since more than a decade. Selections of its live recordings are available through his music label ’SAMA’ which presents choicest selections of Sufi Masters ranging from Rumi to Bedam Shah Warsi. However every annual festival is not followed by release of music album for the respective years, selections from annual festival from 2002 to 2004 and 2009 to 2012 is available. 

The Album under review is the compilation from the Festival of 2011. Abida Parveen has been a constant fixture at Muzaffar Ali Festivals and she has a long association with Muzaffar Ali starting with ‘Raqs-E-Bismil’ released by MUSIC TODAY. The compilation for 2011 does not feature her renditions. 

Disc I features Hans Raj Hans with his popular ‘Nit Khair Sohniya…’ rendered for almost half an hour and is a listening pleasure. Disc II features another favourite singer of Muzaffar Ali Shafqat Ali Khan with whom he has earlier released ‘Kaj Kulaah’ featuring Persian poetry of Amir Khusrau. Two songs in this Disc also features the Sitar Maestro Shujaat Hussain Khan lending his voice and sitar renditions. Disc III features Malini Awasthi and Azalea Ray. Both of them support the poetry of Bedam Shah Warsi and Turab Ali Shah with their strong vocals. Disc IV features Qawwalis by renowned masters of the art as Chand Nizami & Group, Wajahat Husain & Group and Sami Brothers. 

The compilations include a beautifully produced booklet giving English translation to the featured poetry in the Album which is a bonus. The ‘SAMA’ Albums are difficult to find even from the online stores .However one can easily buy the entire collection of the label from  Kotwara Studios, Jaunapur Main Road, Mehruali, New Delhi-110047, Phone No- 011- 26658614.