Pakistan’s music scene is brimming with talented acts who are dabbling in all kinds of genres. One such act is Darvesh who describe themselves on Facebook in the following words: “It wouldn’t be wrong to call us the gypsies of music. A group of darvesh, continuously exploring and finding self. Khudi.”
Darvesh boys with Abida Parveen.
MusicMix
Zain Siddiqui from the music group talks to Instep about sharing the stage with
Abida Parveen, the philosophy behind his band and their upcoming debut album.
Pakistan’s music scene is brimming with talented acts who are dabbling in all kinds of genres. One such act is Darvesh who describe themselves on Facebook in the following words: “It wouldn’t be wrong to call us the gypsies of music. A group of darvesh, continuously exploring and finding self. Khudi.”
Playing a brand of music that falls under the label of indie, Sufi Qawwali rock, they count Karachi as home and have been slowly and surely carving a niche audience for themselves. Exploring the self, their ideology seems rooted in eastern traditions.
Darvesh boys with Ahsan Bari, leader of Sounds of Kolachi.
With originals like ‘Mast Mast’ which features the poetry of Khawaja Ghulam Farid Sahab and a growing reputation as a solid live act, the band is growing strength to strength with every release and every show.
They have shared the stage with the genius musician of our times, Ahsan Bari and have earned his endorsement. They have played opening act for the likes of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.
In this interview with Instep, one of the band’s core members, Zain Siddiqui discusses sharing the stage with the likes of Abida Parveen, the sound of Darvesh and more...
Instep: You shared the stage with Abida Parveen during the annual fundraiser gig at Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture (IVSAA) that was held this past weekend. How was that experience?
Zain Siddiqui (ZS): We were so happy to see the queen welcoming us with open arms and appreciating our work. She advised us to keep doing what we’re doing regardless of what others think and perceive of us. She asked us to stay true to our roots and always remain down to earth as we have always been.
Instep: What was the crowd like during your performance at IVSAA?
ZS: It was an amazing experience performing at IVSAA for the first time. The audience was enjoying and supporting us throughout, which was very encouraging and it injected loads of energy into our performance!
Instep: What was the objective behind forming Darvesh? Tell us about your musical philosophy?
ZS: The band formed when it was actually meant to be. Two years ago, I started jamming with my younger brother Rafay Siddiqui and my childhood friend Saad Ali Khan. We were sitting in our room and randomly jamming when suddenly we clicked and everything started to make sense. We started doing what our hearts told us to do and ended up playing our first big concert within a month where we shared the stage with none other than Quratulain Balouch (QB) and Umair Jaswal.
Instep: What artists inspire your group?
ZS: Our inspiration comes from the amazing music of Junoon, Sounds of Kolachi, Abida Parveen, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Farid Ayaz & Abu Muhammad and the Mekaal Hasan Band. But when it comes to Kalaams and lyrics, our inspiration comes from the famous historical saints like Hazrat Amir Khusro, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, Baba Bulleh Shah, Sachal Sarmast, Khuwaja Moinuddin Chishti, Hazrat Rumi & others.
Instep: Is commercial viability a concern for you?
ZS: This genre of music is close to our hearts and is only meant to strike those who are in search of soul satisfying sounds. Our music is meant to be a thirst quencher for souls that find solace in Sufi music, regardless of the commercial value it holds. I believe the educated youth of today’s Pakistan is more connected to Sufi music, which is actually our target audience and we try to appease them as much as we can through our style of music. The niche was already carved by greats like Junoon and Sounds of Kolachi; we are merely doing what our hearts are telling us to do!
Instep: A number of past precedents show that bands struggle with longevity and tend to break up. How can fans be assured that the time they invest in a band is not being wasted?
ZS: The core of our team goes way beyond the inception of this band. I do agree that bands don’t survive for long because when ego and high headedness kick in, bands break. However this band is nothing less than a family where everyone’s input is highly valued and every member keeps the other grounded.
Instep: How significant is the role played by media in promoting arts and music?
ZS: Media has a very positive contribution to it. However, it needs to start promoting Sufi Music as a mainstream genre as it is tied to the roots of our country. The culture of watching music channels has faded away. People tend to follow and share digital content more these days and the conventional channels should try to promote content that brings this music back into the mainstream.
Instep: What are some of your upcoming projects?
ZS: We are currently working on our debut album. The band has been contacted for an international tour to represent the country as well. On April 22, we will be performing and previewing songs from our upcoming album. We have tried to compose and compile some amazing messages from the past into today’s music and hopefully listeners will enjoy it. We want to encourage bands and individuals doing Sufi music and ask them to keep following their heart regardless of what others think.
–Picture courtesy:
Intesab Nasir
