THE SUFI TRAILS OF PAKISTAN AND SYRIA

Saba was born out of an encounter between two renowned Eastern musicians: Shuaïb Mushtaq, a Pakistani vocalist, and Iyad Haimour, a player of the Syrian ney. Diverse musicians have since gathered around them.

Celebrating the great mystics of the East, this original ensemble finds itself at the confluence of two great Sufi traditions. It also offers a poetic space where the passionate Qawwali song tradition, from Amir Kushrau to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, rubs up against the incomparable language of the poet saint Djalâl ad-Dîn Rûmî.

Indian râga and Turkish-Arabic maqâm interweave in subtle melodic flights that echo the swirling dance of the dervishes. What results is a dialogue between solo and choral singing, powerful drummed rhythms, and the delicate nuances of the reed ney flute in search of its roots.

The desire to come together in music manifests the will to go beyond geographical, social and religious borders. It is notably this spirit of openness and tolerance that characterises the Sufi path and the universality of its message.

Shuaib Mushtaq :  voix, harmonium, artistic direction
Iyad Haimour : ney, oud
Abdulrahmane Modawar : voix, percussions
Hubaib Mushtaq : seconde voix, cordes
Behlole Mushtaq : tabla-dhaama
Rahim Mushtaq : chœur, claps
Youssuf-Aziz Mushtaq : chœur, claps
Misbah Karmane : danse soufie

This concert is followed by The Ottoman Soul of Cello, by Trio Segal, Özkök, Turkan (creation).

This concert is recorded by RTS - Espace 2

Download the Concert program Notes