Ustad Naseeruddin Saami, who released his first record last year, is the last surviving practitioner of a 13th century tradition called Khayal, consisting of 49 microtones, that is at risk of dying with him. Grammy-winning US music producer Ian Brennan, who travelled to Pakistan in late 2017 to record Saami Sahib’s first ever album, God is Not a Terrorist, defines the artist’s craft as “extremely modern and progressive”.
Ustad Saami, accompanied by his four sons who play table, drums, harmonium and tanpura, will be performing at the Womanlaide Festival in Australia, today and tomorrow. This is the first time he is taking a trip to Australia.
According to the Womenlaide official site, “The 75 year old Ustad Saami risks his life daily to keep alive his customised, 49-note, microtonal, multilingual Surti system. Containing pre-Islamic elements and handed down by his ancestors for a thousand years, he is the only practitioner left in the world. Although his vocal style may be rooted in the 13thCentury, Mojo and Uncut have called his 2019 album God is Not a Terrorist ‘electrifying’ and ‘mesmerising’.”
The artist will be in conversation later today, at 4:30 pm, at Frome Park Pavilion, followed by a performance on Stage 3 at 7:15 in the evening. He will have another seated show tomorrow at 4:00pm on Stage 7.
He performed in Karachi at a Salt Arts show a while back, presented by Zeb Bangash and has also appeared on Coke Studio in season 4. The great Ustad Naseeruddin Saami, who is lovingly called Jaan by those who are close to him, counts the prolific Zeb Bangash and Ali Sethi as his disciples. His sons, Saami Brothers and Sons are qawwals of the highest order following the tradition of Amir Khusrau and his beloved, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.
