Maqbool Ahmed Sabri

Maqbool Ahmed Sabri
Died 21 September 2011 (aged 66)
South Africa South Africa
Genres Qawwali, Ghazal
Instruments Vocals, harmonium
Years active 1965–2011

Maqbool Ahmed Sabri (12 October 1945 – 21 September 2011) was a major Qawwali singer, and a leading member of the Sabri Brothers, a leading qawwali group in Pakistan during the 1970s–1990s. He was awarded the Pride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan in 1970.[1]

Early life

Born in Kalyana in eastern Punjab, Maqbool was initially educated in the north Indian classical tradition by his father Ustad Inayat Sen Sabri. The family came from a musical background, and claimed direct descent from Mian Tansen, who had played at the court of the 16th-century Mughal emperor Akbar. Mehboob Baksh Ranji Ali Rang, his paternal grandfather, was a master musician of his time; Baqar Hussein Khan, his maternal grandfather, was a unique sitarist. His family belongs to the Sabriyya order of Sufism, hence the surname Sabri. The family made the perilous journey to Karachi during the partition of India in 1947, though Maqbool was almost left behind and rejoined the family party only when a servant found him still in the house – he had to run to catch up, clutching one of his instruments. Maqbool furthered his knowledge of music under Ustad Fatehdin Khan, Ustad Ramzan Khan, and Ustad Latafat Hussein Khan Rampuri.

Career

Showing musical talent from a young age, with the help of his father, Maqbool formed a Qawwali group at the age of eleven and named it Bacha Qawwal Party. Soon afterwards, his elder brother Ghulam Farid Sabri, who was then performing with Ustad Kallan Khan's Qawwali party, joined him and became the leader of the party, which soon came to be known as Sabri Brothers.

Their first recording, released in 1958 under the EMI Pakistan label, was the Urdu Qawwali, Mera Koi Nahin Hai Teray Siwa. Their later hits included Tajdaar-E-Haram (King of the Kaaba, 1975) and Balaghal Ula Be Kamalehi (Reaching the Highest Heights Through Perfection, 1977), Saqia Aur Pila, O Sharabi Chorde Peena. They have sung many Qawwalis in Persian like Nami Danam Che Manzil Boodh, Chashm-e-Mast-e-Ajabe, etc. of Hazrat Amir Khusro and also Man Kunto Maula and Rang of Hazrat Amir Khusro. They have also sung a Kalaam of Imam Ahmed Raza Khan which is in four languages—Arabic, Persian, Urdu, and Hindi. The kalaam is Lam Yaati Nazeeruka Fee Nazarin.

Maqbool was considered a master of improvisational wordplay, often making references in Urdu and Punjabi, as well as Persian or Arabic, to historical events or to traditional poetry. Maqbool opened the doors for international qawwali stars such as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, as well as broadening the music's fanbase at home.[2] Maqbool Sabri also sang ghazal which included Tere Ghungroo Toot Gaye,Aa Jan-e-Wafa, Kabhi Tanha Beith Ke,Gul Badan Gul Pairhan, Jab Kabhi Aankh Milate Hain, Din Ek Sitam, Mere Mizaj Ki Awargi and Aaina Torr Diya.[3]

Several of their qawwalis have featured in films. Mera Koi Nahin Hai Teray Siwa appeared in the 1965 film Ishq-e-Habib, Mohabbat Karne Walo Hum Mohabbat Iss Ko Kehtain Hain in the 1970 film Chand Suraj, Aaye Hain Tere Dar Pe in the 1972 film Ilzam, Bhar Do Johli Meri Ya Muhammad in the 1975 film Bin Badal Barsaat, Teri Nazr-e-Karam in the 1976 film Sachaii, Tajdar-e-Haram in the 1982 film Sahaaray, and Aftab-e-Risalat in the 1977 Indian film Sultan-e-Hind.

Foreign Concerts

The Sabri Brothers is the only qawwali troupe which has a "first class" status on the Pakistan Television Corporation. Popular film and recording artists in Pakistan, the Sabri Brothers troupe has toured Europe, Asia and the Middle East. In 1970 the Government of Pakistan sent them to Nepal as representatives for the royal wedding. They were the first exponents of Qawwali to the West, when they performed at New York's Carnegie Hall in 1975. In 1975 they performed in the United States and Canada under the auspices of The Performing Arts Program of The Asia Society. In April 1978, the album Qawwali was recorded in the United States, while the Sabri Brothers were on tour. The New York Times review described the album as "the aural equivalent of dancing dervishes" and the "music of feeling."[4]

In June 1981, they performed at the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam.[5] They played the Womad festival in the UK in 1989 – one of a series of appearances there – and released the album Ya Habib (O Beloved) on Peter Gabriel's Real World Records label the following year. In 1996, they performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music-Next Wave Festival, as part of a double-bill with alternate-rockers Cornershop.[6] On 17 November 2001 They performed in DOM at ON THE CARPET Oriental Culture Festival.[7]

Personal life

He is survived by his wife, Fatima, a son, Shumail, and his daughters, Ameema Shah, Gulerukh, Kanza Imaan and Tini.[2]

Death

Maqbool was treated in a hospital in South Africa for two months because he was suffering from heart problems and diabetes. He died in South Africa on Wednesday 21 September 2011 due to cardiac arrest. His grave is near his brother's grave Ghulam Farid Sabri. Both of them are buried near their father Inayat Sabri.[8][9] [10]

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://tribune.com.pk/story/259417/maqbool-ahmed-sabris-body-reaches-karachi/, Obituary and Pride of Performance Award info on The Express Tribune newspaper, Published 24 September 2011, Retrieved 12 April 2016
  2. 1 2 http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2011/10/16/city/karachi/founder-member-of-the-sabri-brothers-masters-of-qawwali/, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri on Pakistan Today newspaper, Published 16 October 2011, Retrieved 12 April 2016
  3. ↑ http://www.7digital.com/artist/maqbool-ahmed-sabri/release/tere-ghunghroo-toot-gaye-to-kya-ghazals
  4. ↑ "Qawwali: Sufi Music of Pakistan". Nonesuch Records Official Website., Retrieved 12 April 2016
  5. ↑ http://www.kit.nl/kit/Publication?item=1792
  6. ↑ "Sabri Brothers". Nonesuch Records Official Website., Profile of Sabri Brothers, Retrieved 12 April 2016
  7. ↑ "SABRI BROTHERS – LIVE IN MOSCOW DIWANI". longarms.net.
  8. ↑ "Maqbool Ahmed Sabri: Saying goodbye". The Express Tribune., Published 22 September 2011, Retrieved 12 April 2016
  9. ↑ "Obituary: Maqbool Sabri of Sabri Brothers passes away". The Express Tribune., Published 21 September 2011, Retrieved 12 April 2016
  10. ↑ "Maqbool Sabri obituary". apnaorg.com. Obituary on Academy of the Punjab in North America website, Retrieved 12 April 2016
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