Riaz Shah Night – a memorable tribute

 

Riaz Shah Sahib was a Pakistani born Australian, who was known as Muhammad Rafi of Sydney among the Sub-continent and Fiji communities in Australia. He was from Dera Ghazi Khan originally and spent a large part of his life in Sydney. Music was his passion and Rafi Sahib was his ideal. He always loved singing Rafi’s songs in private partied and music programs. Besides he had a very good sense of humour. He had a large fan base and many of his younger friends took him as their mentor. He was one of the pioneers who started Urdu radio programs in Sydney. Zahid Minhas was one of his most important friends. On the musical side Tariq Mahmood and Yahya Khan were very close to him and Yahya claims that he was his genuine student who learnt art of singing from him.

Riaz Shah Sahib had a cardiac arrest on the morning of 1^st August 2018 (last year) and could not survive. His sudden death made his friends and acquaintances very sad. A large number of people from different backgrounds attended his funeral.

After few months of his death Mr. Arshad Butt organized a memorial musical program for giving him the tribute where many singers including me performed songs and shared our memories with the audience. However the function was not a very big one.

On 17^th of August 20, 2019 Mr. Tariq Mahmood organized a proper program in the memory of his beloved friend. Riaz Shah Night proved a big success. A large number of people attended program and enjoyed listening to the talks and amazing musical performances by Tariq, Yahya, Wasim, Razia, Nitya, Priya Das, Yaseen Ali, Sonu, Sandhya, Vinod and myself. Song selection was too good and everyone delivered their best. I sang Zoheb Hasan’s Zara Chehra Tou Dikhao on my own recorded music. Others performed songs of Rafi, Kishore and Lata on karaoke tracks. But all sang very good. Yahya’s sound system was very good and delievered high quality sound.

Nadeem Nadvi, who especially flew from Melbourne and hosted the show, gave a superb performance. Zahid Minhas shared his beautiful memories with Shah Sahib. Riaz Shah Sahib’s daughters were also present at the event and they were called on stage and presented flowers by Mrs. Tariq.

This beautiful night continued till 11:00 pm and everyone congratulated the organizers for the success of event.

Mehndi Ki Raat – a dancing song for the weddings!

Music is my most favourite hobby. I have been playing keyboards since 1989. 2016 was an important year in my life. I recorded my own composition Jaan-e-Jaan in my voice. My beloved friend, who is a music genius, Mr. Hasan Turk arranged the music for this sweet ballad. I recorded the vocals in Sydney and Hasan mixed and mastered the song in Lahore. I released it on the Valentine’s Day. It got great popularity and demands were high for the video.

In 2017, I managed to shoot the video of Jaan-e-Jaan. Highly talented Mr. Khalid Alvi took his video camera and we both achieved what we could have never imagined. The video was released on 25^th of March and once again got everyone’s attention. It was also my first direction venture. Song was played also on TV channels ATV (Pakistan) and TV Arcana (Australian Internet TV). On pubic demand I sent my song to the Music Database Patari management team. They uploaded the audio on their app. It was a great honour for me as they only upload quality songs by Pakistani based artists.

In September 2017 I decided to work on a fast dancing song which could be played in the wedding function Mehndi where cousins and friends of the groom and bride could dance on it. I had a melody in my mind and I discussed the idea with Hasan. He appreciated the idea but offered me to compose the song for me as he had something better in his mind.

However the challenge was not that easy. Songs like ‘Mehndi Ki Ye Raat’ by Jawad and ‘Mehndi Ki Khushbu Se’ by Haroon were already very much popular in Pakistanis. It took us almost six months in getting a final shape of the song. Hasan sent me the amazing composition in March 2018. One of his nice friends, Mr. Irfan Saleem wrote the lyrics on melody. I also had written my own lyrics for the same song.

I matched both sets of lyrics and decided to experience something new. I picked up lines from both sets and made a nice mix. At some points I put completely new words and expressions. When I got satisfied with the words, I recorded the vocals at my own home based music studio (DJazz). My family friend Ghazala added her voice for the chorus. On 29^th of March Hasan sent me the final mix. We arranged a small gathering of friends at my place on 30^th of March and released the song on social media. At the same time we released the MP3 audio on SoundCloud app. Song has been warmly welcomed by my friends and critics and has got great response.

Video of the launching ceremony

 

On this platform I would like to thank all my beloved fans for their continuous support. I will try my best to always create great music for all music lovers.

Rafi Night 2017 – a beautiful musical evening!

Mohammad Rafi is regarded as one of the most popular playback singers from India. His songs are listened even today, after so many years he passed away.

Riaz Shah is a highly talented Sydney based Pakistani singer who is known as ‘Mohammad Rafi of Australia’. He loves to sing Rafi’s evergreen songs. For last so many years, Shah has been organising a tributary concert every year for Mohammad Rafi sahib. In these concerts, many other singers join always felt that the karaoke music ruined the events. Unbalanced music and vocals never impressed me in spite of the very good voices.

This year Riaz Shah decided to bring real musicians on stage and he and other singers did lot of rehearsals with the band His Master Orchestra. Event was organised in Chester Hill RSL Club. It was attended by a reasonable number of people from Pakistani, Indian, Bangali and Fijian communities. Riaz Shah, Waseem Shah, Tariq Mahmood, Manzar Mirza, Shahid Malik, Priya Das, Razia Sulatana and others sang songs of Mohammad Rafi live with the orchestra on their back.

Event can be simply be regarded as the best musical event of the year. Lot of people danced on the songs and highly appreciated the singers and musicians. Everyone left with a pleasant feeling. We congratulate Riaz Shah and his team for entertaining us in such a wonderful way and we look forward to attend more such evening in the future organised by them.

Response to the hateful sentiments of Adnan Sami Khan and Abhijeet Bhatacharia

In the recent weeks Indian forces have crossed every limit of violence in the occupied Kashmir. They killed independence movement leader Burhan Vani which ignited the Muslim community of Kashmir and as a result clashes started between the Kashmiris and the Indian Army deployed there.

Indian government allowed soldiers to use pallet bullets against the protesters. This is the worst example of inhuman torture. Pallet bullets made many people blind, including women and children. When Kashmiris saw that no one in the Indian government was worried about this violation of human rights, they attacked Indian Army base camp in Kashmir and killed some soldiers. India once again, without any proof, blamed Pakistan on this. Indian Army later claimed false fully that they conducted surgical strike in Pakistan, which they failed to prove. Pakistani Prime Minister Mr. Nawaz Sharif addressed to the UN General Assembly where he supported Kashmiris and their cause. He condemned Indian forces on using pallet bullets in Kashmir.

In this scenario Indian film industry Bollywood had to announce that no Pakistani artist would be cast in their new projects. Pakistani actors were told to leave India immediately by the terrorist Indian political parties. In the last week we listened to the ugly and hate provoking statements from ex-Pakistani national Adnan Sami Khan, and Indian singer Abhijeet Bhatacharia. Adnan supported Indian army on attacking Pakistan. Abhijeet Bhatacharia also used foul language against the Pakistani artists and said they should have been kicked out of India immediately.

I have been a big fan of many Bollywood artists like Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Hima Malini, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Madhuri Dixit. I believe that artists have nothing to do with the politics.

Adnan Sami Khan; I would like to say “Shame on you”. You were introduced to the world through Pakistan Television, where you gave piano performances. Veteran Pakistani film director Syed Noor gave you chance to act as a hero in his classic film Sargam, which got flopped because of your fat body, but he never blamed you for his loss. You moved to India few years back and later got Indian nationality which India offered to you just because they knew that it would hurt Pakistanis. You must remember that Indian armed forces are torturing inhumanly in Kashmir. Did you have courage to speak against the use of pallet bullets in Kashmir??? No! So please just shut up!!!!

Abhijeet Bhatacharia; you are a loser who nobody wants to listen to after listening to the melodious voices of Pakistani artists Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Atif Aslam and Shafqat Amanat Ali. You are jealous with Pakistani talented singers and actors because they are much more popular than you. Shame on you and your ugly thoughts!!!

Arif Lohar – the Desi Rockstar rocked Sydney

It was Saturday, the 23^rd of May 2015. I was very excited as it was my first ever chance of attending the live concert of Jugni King Arif Lohar who was in Australia for his concerts in all major cities. Raja Taseer of Parwaz Multicultural Arts with the cooperation of Event News Australia and ARF (Ali Rana Folk) managed this beautiful evening for Pakistani and Indian people living in NSW, which will be remembered for a long time. I reached C3 Conference Centre at 7:00 pm where the gig was being held. There were hundreds of Jugni fans there waiting for the show to start.

Concert started at 7:30 pm with solo performance of Sydney based Pakistani Singer Shagufta Zia who beautifully sang Madam Noorjehan’s super hit Punjabi song ‘Way sub tou sohnaya’ (وے سب توں سوہنیا). She got high applause from the jam packed hall. Arif Lohar’s talented musicians played live for Shagufta.

Then came Sherry (Arif’s keyboardist-cum-singer) on the stage and performed a beautiful classical song. He had very good command on his vocal range. He also got good appreciation. He was replaced by Fauzia, the female back-vocalist of Arif Lohar Band. She sang three melodious Punjabi songs. Her performance was highly appreciated by the crowd.

Now the audience had got fully charged and they wanted to listen to Arif, who didn’t disappoint them at all. Arif came on the stage with 3 more musicians of his talented team. He started singing Punjabi songs of folk genre. Very few singers have such a wonderful command and over their musicians that I saw in Arif. His team understand his hand signals and gestures. They changed their way of playing according to Arif’s requirements, i.e. off-beat, extra beat, solo guitar riffs and fully fledged orchestra. Arif’s Dholak player Shahzad stole the show with his extra ordinary performance and stylish look. He played a great role in making the event superb. Guitarists played some beautiful electric guitar pieces. Drummer, flutist, keyboardist and others also played very well.

Arif sang his super hit ‘Jugni – Coke Studio version’ in the end. He was joined by four Sikh folk dancers for this and another song. I was amazed to see the way Arif managed them like a choreographer. Arif’s move-n-shakes were just like the chocolate topping on a very delicious ice-cream. Youngsters and middle aged guys danced wildly and many of them gave tips to Arif and his Dholak player Shahzad. Arif during his performance also went into the crowd and provided them with the opportunity of making their photographs with the Jugni King. At the end he asked Raja Taseer to come on the stage. Raja Taseer thanked all the audience for making the event a big success.

Pankaj Udhas concert in Sydney – a night to remember!

Urdu is the most beautiful language for poetry. That’s the reason that for last two centuries countless number of singers from the Indo-Pak subcontinent sings Urdu ghazals and songs. Even in the Hindi films most of the songs are written in Urdu words.

Pankaj Udhas is one of the most popular and highly talented singers from India. He has a beautiful voice and his albums are listened all over the world by the lovers of classical music. Yesterday I got a great opportunity of attending his live concert in Sydney. Beautiful theatre of the University of New South Wales (UNSW) was full with the Pakistani, Indian and Fijian migrants. Pankaj in this concert also launched his new album Khamoshi Ki Awaz (خاموشی کی آواز). He started performing at 9:00 pm and continued till 1:00 am with a half hour break in the middle.

Pankaj sang his favourite songs in the following sequence:

1. Aap jin kay qareeb hotay hayn (آپ جن کے قریب ہوتے ہیں)
   2. Bay parda nazar aayeen jo (بے پردہ نظر آئیں جو)
   3. Niklo naa bay naqab zamana kharab hay (نکلو نہ بے نقاب، زمانہ خراب ہے)
   4. Dewaroun se mil ker rona achha lagta hay (دیواروں سے مل کر رونا اچھا لگتا ہے)
   5. Aur aahista kijiye baatayn (اور آہستہ کیجئے باتیں)
   6. Jiyain tou jiyain kaisay (جئیں تو جئیں کیسے)
   7. Dukh sukh tha aik sub ka (دکھ سکھ سب کا ایک تھا)
   8. Chandi jaisa rung hay tera (چاندی جیسا رنگ ہے تیرا)
   9. Sub ko maaloom hay mayn sharabi naheen (سب کو معلوم ہے میں شرابی نہیں)
   10. Koi umeed bur naheen aati (کوئی امید بر نہیں آتی)
   11. Amber ki ye oonchayee (mayee) (امبر کی یہ اونچائی۔ مائیں)
   12. Laa pila dey saqiya (لا پلا دے ساقیا)
   13. Yeh chithi bun ke aata hay (یہ چٹھی بن کے آتا ہے ۔ قطع)
   14. Chithi aayee hay (چٹھی آئی ہے)
   15. Aaiye baarishoun ka mausam hay (آئیے بارشوں کا موسم ہے)
   16. Dil daita hay ro ro duhayee (دل دیتا ہے رو رو دہائی)
   17. Naa kajray ki dhaar(نہ کجرے کی دھار)
   18. Aaj phir tum pe pyar aaya hay (آج پھر تم پہ پیار آیا ہے)
   19. Aey gham-e-zindagi (اے غم زندگی)
   20. Ghungroo toot gaye (گھنگرو ٹوٹ گئے)

He performed all the songs in a wonderful way and the audience enjoyed every single moment of his performance. Pankaj also introduced audience with his highly talented musicians. Nasir Sajjad Hussain on mandolin, Rajindra Singh on violin, Vishal on keyboards and Rashid Mustafa on Tabla gave superb performance and got huge applause from the crowd. During the concert Pankaj interacted with audience frequently and educated them about Urdu words used in his ghazals. I will remember this beautiful night forever.