Sabri Brothers
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The Sabri Brothers | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Kalyana, East Punjab |
| Genre(s) | Qawwali |
| Years active | 1956-present |
| Label(s) | Arion Auvidis UNESCO Virgin Piranha Oriental Star Agencies Xenophile Sirocco Nonesuch |
| Members | |
| Maqbool Ahmed Sabri (1956 - present) Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri (1975 - present) |
|
| Former members | |
| Ghulam Farid Sabri (1956-1994) Kamal Sabri (? -2001) |
|
The Sabri Brothers (Urdu: صابری برادران) are a Qawwali party from Pakistan.
Contents |
[edit] Original Members
The Sabri Brothers were originally comprised of Ghulam Farid Sabri (b. 1930 in Kalyana, East Punjab - d. April 5, 1994 in Karachi[1]; lead vocals, harmonium), Maqbool Ahmed Sabri (b. October 12, 1941 or 1945 in Kalyana; lead vocals, harmonium), Kamal Sabri (d. 2001; backup vocals, swarmandal), Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri (b. 1949 in Karachi; backup vocals, bongo drums), Fazal Islam (chorus), Azmat Farid Sabri (chorus), Sarwat Farid Sabri (chorus), Javed Kamal Sabri (chorus), Umer Daraz (chorus), Abdul Aziz (chorus), Masihuddin (chorus, tanpura), Abdul Karim (dholak), and Mohammed Anwar (nal, tabla).
[edit] The Brothers and their Lineage
There were four Sabri brothers. The eldest brother was Ghulam Farid Sabri. A man of immense spirituality, he was considered to be a saint. He possessed a deep and powerful voice and presented the wajad energy when performing. Next was Kamal Sabri who was a master of the vocal techniques of tan tarana.
Finally, there is Maqbool Ahmed Sabri and Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri. Maqbool's light and melodious voice was able to immerse the listeners into haal, while performing. When asked whether he ever gets aches and pains from sitting on the floor constantly, he replied, "I had five knee injuries and two operations. But sitting during a Qawwali performance is a must because it is following the Eastern tradition of sitting to meditate or pray and for respect of the word of God and the Prophet".
The Sabri Brothers' musical lineage stretches back over many centuries, to the time of the Mughal emperors. They claim to be the direct descendants of Mian Tansen, the legendary Hindustani musician of the court of Mughal emperor, Akbar the Great. Mehboob Baksh Ranji Ali Rang, their paternal grandfather, was a master musician of his time; Baqar Hussein Khan, their maternal grandfather, was a unique sitarist. All members of the group belong to the Sabriyya order of Sufism, hence the name Sabri.
[edit] Early Life
The Sabri brothers learnt music from their father, Ustad Inayat Sen Sabri. He trained his sons in Qawwali and North Indian classical music. Their first public performances was at the annual Urs festival of Hazrat Peer Mubarak Shah in Kalyana in 1946. The family moved from India to Karachi, Pakistan following the Partition of India in 1947. Maqbool furthered his knowledge by studying music under Ustad Fatehdin Khan, Ustad Ramzan Khan, and Ustad Latafat Hussein Khan Rampuri. With the help of his father, Maqbool formed The Young Qawwals, at the age of eleven. Soon afterwards, Ghulam Farid, who was then performing with Ustad Kallan Khan's Qawwali party, joined him and became the leader of the party, which soon came to be known as The Sabri Brothers.
[edit] Career & Legacy
Their first recording, released in 1958 under the EMI Pakistan label, was the popular hit Urdu Qawwali, Mera Koi Nahin Hai. The Sabri Brothers became the first exponents of Qawwali to the West in 1975, when they performed to a sold-out audience at New York's Carnegie Hall. Their career was marked by brotherly squabbles which led to periods of solo work by each. Ghulam Farid's funeral in Karachi was estimated to be attended by more than 40,000 mourners. The group now features Maqbool as the leader, supported by Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri. The Sabri Brothers have been praised for their sensitive and masterly performance of Qawwali that captures the beautiful traditions of Sufism. There was a great emphasis on revealing the poetry of the khwajagan (saints). For years, The Sabri Brothers were regarded as the foremost living exponents of the tradition of Qawwali. Even after Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan burst on the scene and lifted Qawwali to a whole new level, The Sabri Brothers continued to be very highly regarded.
[edit] Partial Discography
- Ae Mere Hamnasheen (Oriental Star Agencies, 1996)
- Ajmer Ko Jana Hai (Oriental Star Agencies, 2007)
- Balaghul Ula Bekamalehi (Oriental Star Agencies, 1997)
- Bindia Lagaon Kabhi (Oriental Star Agencies, 2003)
- Greatest Hits of Sabri Brothers, Vol.1-3 (Sirocco, 1994-97)
- Hazir Hain (Oriental Star Agencies, 1998)
- Jami (Piranha, 1996)
- Jhoole Jhoole Ji Mohammad (Oriental Star Agencies, 2003)
- Jitna Diya Sarkar Ne Mujhko (Oriental Star Agencies, 2005)
- Kawwali Musicians from Pakistan (Arion, 1978)
- Khawaja Ki Diwani - Live in Europe 1981 (Oriental Star Agencies, 1996)
- La Elah Ki Boli Bol (Oriental Star Agencies, 1994)
- Maikadah - Live in Concert (Oriental Star Agencies, 1997)
- Mangte Hai Karam Unka (Oriental Star Agencies, 2005)
- Milta Hai Kya Namaz Mein - Live in UK (Oriental Star Agencies, 1994)
- Nazan Hai Jis Pai Husn (Oriental Star Agencies, 1997)
- Piya Ghar Aya (Oriental Star Agencies, 1996)
- Posheeda Posheeda - Live in Concert (Oriental Star Agencies, 1997)
- Pyar Ke Mor (Oriental Star Agencies)
- Pyar Ke Morr, Vol. 1(Oriental Star Agencies, 1993)
- Qawwali (Nonesuch, 1998)
- Qawwali Masterworks (Piranha, 1993)
- Savere Savere (Oriental Star Agencies, 1994)
- Tajdare Haram (Oriental Star Agencies, 1996)
- The Music of the Qawwali (Auvidis, UNESCO, 1990)
- Ya Habib (Virgin, 1990)
- Ya Mustapha (Xenophile, 1996)
- Ya Raematal Lilalmin (Oriental Star Agencies, 2001)
