Haunting melodies of yesteryear
Karachi: Music lovers of the city were entertained to a second — and final — musical tribute to the late Mehdi Hassan on Sunday evening.
There was a wide array of artistes who paid the departed maestro homage with their mellifluous voices, rendering Ghazals origninally rendered by the late King of Ghazal.
Among these was Savera Ali, who set the ball rolling. The young artiste is a music student at the at the Arts Council. She rendered a Ghazal originally sung by Mehdi Hassan, “Jo nan mil saka wohi Bewafa” Her rendition was highly commendable. Even though at times a little shrill, her rendition was very precise, with her otherwise melodious voice and her gestures. By all accounts her performance was highly commendable.
Among the others was Mehdi Hassan’s son-in-law, Muhammad Hanif. who rendered two of the late maestro’s Ghazals. The second one he rendered was a real hit as it has been a real favourite through the years. This was, “Jab Koi Piyar Se Bulae Ga, Tum Ko Eik Shakhs Yaad Ayega.” Hanif brought the late singer alive through his rendition as also the fact that he was a close relation of the Maestro. His performance drew hearty applause.
From the audience.
Another vocalist who did absolute justice to the memory of the late King of Ghazal, was Kamran Jaffery. He presented the late King’s Ghazal, “Jab Se Dekha Hai Tujhe”.
There was a Ghazal by one of Mehdi’s pupils, Rafiq Rana. Another highly innovative development was presenting flashbacks of the of the hits from films of yesteryear with the maestro voice as the playback.
The programme which started at 10 pm instead of the scheduled 8 pm, on account of operational difficulties, was still on as this report was going to the Press
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