Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad Qawwali (Saturday)

Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad Qawwals are masters of Qawwali Sufi music. They represent the twenty-sixth generation of original thirteenth-century Qawwals, connected to Hazrat Amir Khusrow, a poet, philosopher and musician, who invented the art of Qawwali.

Fareed Ayaz and Abu Mohammad Qawwal are direct descendants of Miyan Saamat Bin Ibrahim and received rigorous training in classical music and qawwali from their father, Ustad Munshi Raziuddin, who was also a legendary qawwal. Fareed Ayaz now leads the group, along with his younger brother Abu Muhammad. Their trained sons join them, making up the rest of the musical core of the ensemble.

Their performances are known for their intense passion, profound spiritual depth, and the intricate interplay of vocals and rhythm. Weaving together devotional and secular traditions, the group also performs semi-classical forms including tarana, thumri, and khayal.

Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad Qawwals have been bringing South Asian Qawwali to international audiences for over 40 years. Their music has been featured in the 2012 film The Reluctant Fundamentalist, and in 2017 they were the focus of a special BBC Proms concert. The group has performed many times in Pakistan’s Coke Studio. Their performances of “Kangna” in season 4 and “Piya Ghar Aaya” in season 11 have received record viewing worldwide.

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