Having appeared on Coke Studio 11 in 2018, the music super-group Chand Tara Orchestra, featuring Omran Shafique, Sherry Raza, Babar Sheikh and Rizwanullah, released their album last month.
Having appeared on Coke Studio 11 in 2018, the music super-group Chand Tara Orchestra, featuring Omran Shafique, Sherry Raza, Babar Sheikh and Rizwanullah, released their album last month. The announcement of the album first came in the form of a beautiful, transportive music video and single, ‘Rung De’, which was followed by an album listening session for industry insiders.
Since then, the debut album of Chand Tara Orchestra is available for streaming on multiple digital platforms.
Among those who have endorsed the band’s recent efforts is author Meher Murshed, who wrote the book Song of the Dervish: Nizamuddin Auliya: The Saint of Hope and Tolerance that was published in 2017.
Writing about the band on his blog, Sufinama, Meher Murshed noted: “Fast forward to 2018. There is magic happening in the name of a band called Chand Tara Orchestra. Those who have grown up on a diet of rock music will see several influences in Chand Tara’s sound. But then came something very special. Coke Studio Season 11 saw them interpret ‘Nami Danam Ke Akhir Choon’.
Sufi music has metamorphosed. Rock musicians have given their interpretations; Bollywood has; and there have been cross cultural tie-ups such as the mighty Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and former Genesis front man Peter Gabriel.
But Chand Tara did something special: They introduced a little instrument called the blues harp; harmonica to some. And ‘Nami Danam Ke Akhir Choon’ spoke of that pain – (dard) that Baba Farid said people on the path should feel for the Beloved.”
Murshed added: “Chand Tara Orchestra features the very talented bass player Babar Sheikh, Omran Shafique on guitar, Rizwanullah on the blues harp and Sherry Raza on vocals. They have a sessions drummer. Their interpretation of ‘Nami Danam’ has longing; it envelopes the senses and lingers. For a long time.
Is it Raza’s phenomenal vocals?
Is it Rizwan’s lilting harmonica playing?
Is it Babar’s driving bass lines?
Is it Omran’s guitar riffs?
Is it the groove of the bass drum?
Yes, they have chemistry as a band. Many bands before have interpreted Sufi anthems, but few created this longing. That is the magic of Chand Tara.”
Having endorsed ‘Nami Danam’ from the band, Meher Murshed also endorsed their newest single, ‘Rung De’ in the following words: “Just when you think that Raza’s vocals and Rizwan’s blues harp playing were perhaps magic contained to ‘Nami Danam’, Chand Tara has released ‘Rung De’ – Amir Khusro’s ode to his master Nizamuddin Auliya. It is a masterpiece. That powerful vocal; that blues harp … Yes it does envelope the senses; it does linger.”
We could not agree more.
To read the full blog, check out www. blog.sufinama.org.
