KARACHI: It was a short programme held for a select audience to celebrate Baloch Culture Day at the residence of the US consul-general on Monday evening, and yet the performances by some Baloch artists, particularly by the inimitable Taj Buledi, made the concert come across as a very special event.

The evening kicked off with Haji Salam’s pure rendition of two of the legendary Faiz Baloch’s songs. Pure, because not only did Salam try and do justice to the tunes and lyrics of the well-known tracks but also did his level best to capture the spirit of the great vocalist. Salam, this writer was told, was a student of Faiz Baloch.

Therefore, the way he used his taans and the way he moved across the rather cramped space (because the gig was held in a small hall) reminded music buffs of his mentor. The first track had a sad tinge to it as it was about the beloved who had left her lover, and the second had a more mirthful ring to it, because it rejoiced love.

Salam was followed by Shazia. She performed perhaps one of the most readily recognisable compositions in the Balochi language, ‘Laila O Laila’. Though she belted out the tune with the correct tempo, there were times when one felt she could’ve sung it with a bit more zest. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable performance.

Then came Taj Mohammad Buledi. He began with ‘Ji Baa Mei Balochi Boli’, which is a tribute to the Balochi language. He impressed the listeners, as he always does, with his rich voice as well as with the occasional dance acts that included pirouetting in a corner of the hall.

Buledi’s final solo piece was the rather upbeat and sprightly ‘Jeebal Jeebal’. He sang with the same gusto, and this time round also gestured towards the audience as if he’s dedicating the song to them. The audience responded to his gestures by clapping to the beat of the track.

When the organisers found time for one more item, they decided to bring all the singers to perform ‘Nazeena Balochana’ with the addition of US consulate’s Wren Elahi who actually did a pretty decent job of singing a Baloch tune.

Earlier in his address to welcome the guests to the show, US Consul-General Brian Heath said there were similarities between the cultures of Pakistan and the US, and rich cultural diversity was one of them. He said his last assignment was in New York City and he found it similar to Karachi in the sense that New York too was a diverse city.

Published in Dawn March 3rd , 2015

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