Instep: What was it like working with Rohail Hyatt and the House Band again this Season? Do you plan on staying on beyond this season? Why?

Ali Kazim: Since I have never performed in any such event earlier, it is difficult to make any comparisons. However, I may say that despite my being uneasy about my first performance, I felt that there was an air of ease and comfort generated by Mr Rohail Hyatt and his team. Which made my experience at Coke Studio pleasant and enjoyable. The remarkable thing about Mr Hyatt is the freedom which is allowed to the performers to express themselves as they wish.
Noor Zehra: Completely new experiencedoing the music that I do. I would say that doing Classical Music has been like studying in a university and doing Coke Studio is like practically applying that training in a totally different environment with a very different genre of music. I have had to tailor my performance a lot in order to fit it into a more structured and variously instrumented environment.
Rohail is an easy person to get on with and he gave a lot of freedom to musicians. There was no constraint whatsoever on the way you want to participate.
Noori: Working with Rohail Hyatt is not just working with one man. There’s a full fledged production house running there.
And there is no doubt that Frequency Media has one of the best hosting services in this business! Jokes apart, these guys are one of the most well organized and graceful people in the music industry. It is always an enjoyable experience working with them.
Being able to be part of consecutive seasons, we have witnessed the evolution of Coke Studio as a production. Even more so, we ourselves have been going through a similar journey in our own work, and hence working with Rohail and his team becomes a wholesome experience; we get to observe, share and experiment together – something, which in itself is a common passion.
This year, unlike last year, Noori let themselves free and totally jumped on Rohail’s bandwagon. The two experiences have been totally different.
This year, Noori also took a very different, experimental route in terms of the music they performed at CS2010. The band had already intended, from beforehand, that if they got a second chance at Coke Studio, they will perform with their parents. Luckily, the theme for CS2010 was very congenial to creating such performances.
The passions which drive Noori and Coke Studio are similar. We would more than welcome a continued relationship and involvement with this project.

Instep: Anyone in particular you enjoyed working with?

Noor Zehra: I enjoyed working with Ali Noor and Ali Hamza
Ali Kazim: It is Mr Rohail Hyatt. He was the master of ceremony during the rehearsal and final recording. And the manner in which he conducts the act of a performer makes it a rich experience.
Noori: We loved working with our parents, it was a dream come true.

Instep: Have you ever worked on anything similar to this before?

Noor Zehra: The music I do is different in the sense that one, it’s a lyricless music based on abstract ideas, two, every piece is composed in real time and the considerations and direction of attention are geared towards the resonance being generated from within the instrument (the Saagar Veena) and three the focus is on nuances and the mood of the raag. In case of the Coke Studio experience, and because there was a lot of instrumentation, I had to focus more on the pitch, time and arrangement of the music.
Noori: In its entirety, no, but there are many parts of the Coke Studio production process that we utilise separately in our own work. Recording live performances for example, videographing the production, shooting performances, web development and so on and so forth.
That is the main reason why there is a wholesome connection between our work and Rohail’s.

Instep: What are your views on Coke Studio so far?

Noor Zehra: I feel that with the third season inertia has set in. The second was a season remembered throughout the year and the expectations with the third were much more because of that. Inertia means that there was a gap between the way it was conceived and the way it was executed. Attention was paid more on form and execution.
Ali Kazim: It is an experiment which has grown into an institution. It has presented some of the most brilliant performances. It has not remained static and Mr. Rohail Hyatt is not afraid to experiment with new and innovative ideas.
Noori: Coke Studio is not a one timer. Over three seasons we have seen a great variety of music coming out under this name. If one looks at all three as one, then one can see the bigger picture of this project.
Coke Studio is a platform where a Pakistani artist gets the opportunity to showcase the best that one can show. Hats off to Rohail and Umber Hyatt who have the skill of bringing out the best in every member of their team. They create an environment for the artist to perform at ease and with maximum involvement possible.

Instep: Out of all the seasons (1,2 and 3), who do you think has had the biggest impact thus far?
Noor Zehra: I think the second season, and people know the highlights of the second season.
Noori: This question does not have a clear-cut answer. The variety of music is such that each performance has had a qualitatively different impact from the other. In terms of public opinion, each artist has been able to create a position of their own. Much important is the recognition received by members of the House Band. They are consistently standing out as the true shining stars of Coke Studio.
Ali Kazim: Each of the three seasons contained some outstanding performances and therefore one cannot single out one particular episode.

Instep: In Season 3 what has been your favorite moment?

Noor Zehra: The first time I went for the practice session, a month before the final recording. The first time we met with Rohail and his team. Being in a stimulating environment, where one at once felt the freedom to feel and express. By the end of the session the feeling was shared by many of us.
Ali Kazim: My favourite moment was the happiness of my sons that I was performing with them.
Noori: The pleasure of working with our parents and having them present and involved with us for the first time ever was an experience in itself. And then, seeing the entire Hyatt family coming together for CS 2010 further established the feeling that its a full-scale family affair!

Instep: As compared to previous seasons, Coke Studio has gone more in the direction of folk music this season. Do you feel that might limit the publicity?

Noor Zehra: No not at all. I think the publicity has been set and established with season 2. It is not about folk music, but it’s about the expectations of the viewers.
Ali Kazim: Coke Studio has attracted a huge audience in the country. Its now being watched by those who like modern pop as also by that secion of general public which is nearer to folk music and therefore Coke Studio has added a new dimension in its repertoire to reach the public at large.
Noori: Not at all. In fact it has only broadened the listenership/viewership of the program. Coke Studio is the highlight of the yearly happenings in the Pakistani music scene and has a huge following both within and outside of Pakistan. The theme of this season can help Coke Studio to reach out to the real masses of this country – the majority of our population whose tastes revolve more around the folk and ethnic side of music.

Instep: Did you come about with your song yourself? What about the composition?

Noor Zehra: I was guided by Ali Noor and Ali Hamza because it was the first time I was putting the Saagar Veea into an already formatted song.
Noori: For CS3, we focused on two things: Vocals and the Saagar Veena, which too is a voice driven instrument of sorts. We worked out their melodic structures and Rohail and the Houseband then experimented with different kinds of instrumentation around each melody. We ended up with three very different kinds of sound-scapes.
As far as composition and originality is concerned, one song is 50 percent original, one is 35% and one maybe around 76%. The Veena parts are all original in the sense that they are improvised.
Ali Kazim (on ‘Dil Hi To Hai’): It’s an old composition, however the format was designed by Ali Noor and Ali Hamza. Because of our pre-occupation with Ali Hamza’s marriage during the relevant period, we had little time to make critical assessments of what we were going to do. Noor Zehra was always reminding me of my lack of formal training in singing and stressing the fact that before I give any public performance of this nature, I should subject myself to the discipline of classical music. Ali Noor insisted that you have to make a beginning now and the training will come later. I succumbed to his pressure.

Instep: Were there any challenges or problems faced? If so, what were they and how were they resolved?

Ali Kazim: The foremost challenge was to appear on a public stage and to give a performace which will be watched by persons who form part of my reference group and who after my performance will critically evaluate me, forgetting that I am a novice in this field.
Noori: The biggest challenge was to make our parents comfortable with the performances. For both of them this experience was a first of its kind.
Abba’s voice is probably the finest we have heard, but he has absolutely no sense of timing or scale. He sings very spontaneously. And at the same time, he is a perfectionist and venturing into the unknown can get very frustrating for him, especially if he feels that he has limited control over a situation. Having him work in a controlled environment was a feat in itself. Hats off to Rohail for making him comfortable during his performance.
For Amma, who is a much more experienced musician than any of us, although in a very different kind of music, the challenge was to work under an entirely different framework. She had to undo a bit of her own learning and ascribe to a different discipline and approach.
The Saagar Veena was also not a simple instrument to record. Even for Rohail, the instrument challenged his skills as a producer. It took quite a bit of experimentation and ingenuity on his part to fit the unique and delicate instrument (which is usually played solo, by itself) in standard, pop orchestration.

Instep: What was it like performing with Zeb & Haniya?

Noori: It was great! We go back a long way and there was always a keenness on both sides to do something together. Coke Studio gave us that opportunity. In fact the Coke Studio recording was the beginning of a collaboration which continued even after the recording. The studio version of ‘Tann Dolay’ is complete now and we hope the audiences appreciate it as much as the CS version.

Instep: What was it like performing with your sons?

Noor Zehra: I loved performing with them. I didn’t perform as well as them but I was very happy performing along with them, especially in ÔHor Vi NeewanÕ.
Ali Kazim: I was nervous before, during and after the performance and my sons were assuring me that I didn’t do a bad job, and that I’ll do much better next time.

Instep: Would you do something like this again? Is there possibly a Noori family album in the works?

Noor Zehra: I will definitely do it again, for learning, for diversifying. And yes!
Ali Kazim: In this regard I have no personal agenda. I sang in Coke Studio for my sons and I’ll sing for them again if they wish so. However, I have to satisfy myself that what I produce has to be worthwhile.

Article available at source here

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

I have to figure that out but rest assured that I will do it in this lifetime as it is my ultimate pursuit.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

Confusion about my plans of action.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Their inability to understand how insignificant they are in the bigger logic of nature.

What is your greatest extravagance?

Electronic equipment especially computer, audio and video gear.

What is your current state of mind?

I’m in a massive transition phase: I am realising that my doing and thinking have to go hand in hand and I have to discover a solid methodology for that.

On what occasion do you lie?

I hate hate hate secrets and concealment and prefer never to be put in a position where I have to conceal something. Keeping quiet for propriety’s sake is OK but living with a secret gives me massive constipation. As far as lying is concerned I tend to exaggerate and boast at times to prove my point and that can sometimes be a lie…

Which living person do you most despise?

I don’t know…It’s a horrible feeling to despise someone. I dislike a LOT of people!

What is the quality you most like in a man?

His sense of propriety and responsibility.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Her sensitivity and ability to tame monkeys and dogs like us in the most affectionate way.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

They change pretty frequently. One time I started saying ‘so bismillah’ after every sentence and my parents made a lot of fun of me.

Which talent would you most like to have?

I don’t like the word talent. Those who get hooked on to their singular talent are simply ignoring their capability of learning so many other things. I never got the luxury of being called a talented person. The only talent I’d like to have is to not be impressed by talent!

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I think my aggression and impatience.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

You can’t pay attention to any achievements as it makes you ambitious. You’ll never enjoy the journey as you’ll be just too busy waiting for the destination.

What is your most treasured possession?

The times in which I’ve been born!

Who is your hero of fiction?

Inspector Jamshed from Ishtiaq Ahmed novels.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?

My brother says I behave a lot like Tariq bin Ziyad.

Who are your heroes in real life?

Raza Kazim. He has stuck to his guns without dogma. He has made many impossibles possible but most importantly he has laid the foundations for brand new ideas for a paradigm shift that I believe will pave the way for a happier future. I am very very very lucky to know him personally.

What is your greatest regret?

Too much time wasted.

What’s your favourite quote?

The ceiling of your happiness can never exceed the quality of your intellect.

How many hours of load shedding did you experience yesterday?

None. These are my lucky days.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 11^th, 2010.

Link: http://tribune.com.pk/story/26290/the-only-talent-i%E2%80%99d-like-to-have-is-to-not-be-impressed-by-talent/

By Insiya Syed

It won’t be false to term Noori as an awami band, with more than a few of their video projects shot with Pakistan’s (read Lahore’s) masses being highlighted in their comfort zone — the streets and the sidewalks — a journey that started from Manwa Re to Jana Tha Hum Ne, leading to Mere Loge and now Madinay Main.

Directed and shot by Mandana Zaidi, this latest video is shot in high definition (HD) with a hand-held digital SLR camera. Shot in a span of two days and edited and colour corrected in another four, the four-minute long video was edited out of a total of around nine HD DVs.

It is apparent from the refined quality of this naat and the moving images that the camera managed to capture along with the raw energy — the old baba fixing his glasses to hints of Hamza in a red kurta, adding to the overall mystic atmosphere.

I may just be a sucker for the 50mm-esque depth of field and the bokeh in photo-terminology, but it’s not an easy task that Madinay Main has pulled off. Any shot or technical glitch that isn’t near perfect could and should be ignored as this was a personal challenge taken in the name of a series of experiments.

Ali Hamza’s recitation — in a nice, deep voice without much variation as far as the style goes — sort of ground the naat and make it seem glorious with grand visuals of the Badshahi Masjid, especially in juxtaposition with the silent street images of people going about their everyday lives.

They struck magic at Coke Studio and now Noori have released a naat. Recited by Ali Hamza, it is a new path for the evolving band. Instep Today takes a look at the new dynamics of Noori…

Abid Hussain
Karachi

With the month of Ramazan in full swing, most of the media industry usually takes a break while recharging their batteries and preparing for the packed Eid schedule.

However, a surprise was in store for the unsuspecting. With constant tweeting (on Twitter) by brothers Ali Noor and Ali Hamza over the course of last two weeks, the first hint came when Hamza updated his status to “Recorded a naat that Nano taught me. Extremely rusty. Recorded at Raza’s studio. A new learning experience altogether”, back in late August.

Though this update itself did not create the kind of buzz and anticipation one expects with Noori, the band launched the video of a naat ‘Madinay Main’ recited by Ali Hamza, on the Noori website along with host of other social media networks this week, ensuring that even casual fans would sit up and take note.

Boy becomes man

The year 2009 has been nothing but remarkable for Ali Hamza. For too long, he was under the shadow of his more illustrious brother. However, he truly made his mark for the work he did on the Coke Studio earlier this year and his cult like status since LUMS days – for singing some famously catchy yet controversial songs – has blossomed fully to establish himself as a true star in his own right.

For somebody who had begun his musical journey by reciting naat, nauha and marsiya from a young age, this particular performance was a throwback to the bygone era. From a rock star image to the drastic makeover, the video shows Hamza in a completely different light. With the most serene, fascinatingly beautiful verses recited in his trademark baritone, the audience is completely captivated with the power of a hymn delivered with passion. From walking through the streets of old Lahore to praying at the Badshahi Mosque, the video only helps in accentuating the spiritual experience.

Western influence?

For mainstream musical acts to dabble in the spiritual, faith based performance there has been a precedent in the western contemporary music. Johnny Cash was the biggest name who sang some of the most memorable gospels in his glitteringly long career, ‘The Wanderer’ being one. U2, arguably world’s most popular rock act, has often written songs questioning faith such as ‘40’ and ‘Tomorrow’ among others. In recent years, ‘Hallelujah’ by the incomparable, late Jeff Buckley remains one of the most popular hymns of all time.

However, what must also be noted here is that many of these faith based songs weren’t overly sentimental, but they often posed questions and narrated symbolic, spiritual allegories which bordered on controversy, such as Elvis Presley’s ‘He Touched Me’.

The advent of Sufi rock and Islamisation

Keeping in mind the recent history of Pakistani music when there has been a clear influence of Islamisation among artists, particularly Junaid Jamshed and Najam Sheraz, the question arises what was the idea behind this particular performance?

The band itself gives no answer. The announcement on Noori website focuses more on the technology used to record the video, claiming this to be part of a series of experimentation with latest DSLR and handheld cameras, without elaborating much about the naat itself except saying ‘This is our Ramazan gift for you’.

In Pakistan, mainstream musicians have primarily stayed away from performing any overtly religious numbers like their western counterparts. Junoon broke out with their brand of Sufi Rock which catapulted them to unprecedented success, the closest any Pakistani mainstream band went to spiritual side.

However, performing such a recitation can come with a lot of stereotyping. One may expect critics terming this video as a ploy to exploit religious sentiments by releasing it in the month of Ramazan. Because religion is such a divisive topic, collaboration of mainstream musicians is bound to have its fair share of criticism, accusation of hypocrisy or questions whether the band is taking the JJ/Najam route.

Where does Noori go from here?

All of these doubts and accusations can only be dispelled by the band itself. Although it must be emphasised that this was only a solo performance by Ali Hamza in collaboration with Sanjan Nagar Institute of Philosophy and Arts, the association with Noori will automatically lead to queries if this is a path the band wants to traverse?

Ali Noor was quoted as saying that performing with Saeein Zahoor on ‘Aik Alif’ “opened a new world of spiritual, mystic music” to him which he certainly wanted to explore.

For Noori to get involved in something as drastic can only be a good thing. Instead of confining themselves to a core genre of music they enjoy, branching out into an alternative path as this shows their adventurous side. If they dare take the risk without actually falling prey to the stereotyping, which happens when music and religion is combined, it can definitely raise their profile in a largely religious nation.

The fact that both brothers are prolific song writers and phenomenal composers, one can also hope that they will bring a fresh approach to song writing in this genre. Instead of penning the usual dose of flowery verses and cliché infused religious imagery, the band can come up with profound, probing, soulful lyrics.

Noori has the opportunity, and the quality, to dare venture into unchartered territory. Their efforts can be quite pertinent for the youth of this country who remain confused about religion. Who says music and religion are mutually exclusive?

In an exclusive conversation with Instep Today, Noori take us inside the songs they belted out at Coke Studio that have changed Noori’s perception to fans, critics and the industry at large…

Maheen Sabeeh

Karachi

“More than being a musical performance, ‘Aik Alif’ was an internal/spiritual journey for the musicians involved.” – Ali Noor

“Saeen was quite particular about this track. It wasn’t like we had decided over a few phone calls that Noori and Zahoor would be doing a fusion track together. Ali Hamza had to go and meet Saeen at his house, record his tunes and ponder over them for a few days, then go back again and discuss not just the musical side of it, but the philosophical aspect of it as well.

It was clear why Saeen was being particular. For Saeen music is a medium through which he can spread ‘the message’. And that’s where Noori and Saeen found common ground.

On hearing Saeen sing ‘Aik Alif’ (Zahoor calls it ‘Buss kareen o yaar’), it was clear to us that this is the song we wanted to do. It is a very spontaneous performance for all the musicians involved.

Both Rohail and Hamza (who was mainly handling the song from the Noori side) were aware of this and they consciously chose not to rehearse this song to maintain the purity of the basic elements of musicianship. In Ali Hamza’s words, “we could either rehearse this once or twice and perform it, or we needed to work on this for a good year. The approach towards ‘Aik Alif’ had to be very different from the way we approached the rest of our songs.”

‘Aik Alif’, more than being a musical performance, was an internal/spiritual journey for the musicians involved. And we think it was the same for the listeners as well. The response we have received from all over the world verifies that. The way people have talked about being touched from within and being taken into another realm altogether has made the journey worth it.

Doing this piece has opened up a whole new world for us. For the first time we actually got to experience how our internal processes work to create all that. That’s the power of our indigenous, folk music. And we intend and hope to delve into this realm more often, and definitely, very soon again, with Zahoor.

“‘Kedaar’ is a song that contains all the different elements which define Noori. It applies very well to the current situation in Pakistan.” – Ali Noor

“Apart from other requirements, Coke Studio needed Noori to perform a patriotic/message-oriented song. Usually artists make one or two such songs, but in our case, almost every single one of our songs has a patriotic/message-oriented theme!

So then it was about choosing the best patriotic song we have. For us, that boiled down to a choice between ‘Dil Ki Qasam’ and ‘Jana Tha Humne’. These are the two songs we have performed over and over for 7 years. We have redone and revamped them at least 10 times. We really didn’t want to revisit them because we were looking at Coke Studio as a new beginning for Noori.

‘Kedaar’ was the next song we had in the pipeline of releases. It contains all the different elements which define Noori. Lyrically, the song is the next step in Noori’s evolution. It applies very well to the current situation in this country, and more than that, it fits in perfectly with the Coke Studio feel.

The times we are living in really require many of us to get actively involved in bringing about change, and it’s good to see that realization happening. The biggest change we see is that people understand the power of music in influencing mindsets. The musicians are beginning to feel a sense of responsibility which comes with their power to influence.

It was great seeing artists like Atif and Ali Zafar creating brand new patriotic songs, especially for Coke Studio. We wish and hope that this process is only the beginning for a long lasting journey.”

“‘Saari Raat Jaaga’ reflects best Ali Noor’s genius and maturity as a composer. It is a complete symphony.” – Ali Hamza

“Saari Raat is the first song we started work on for Coke Studio. Ali Noor had been working on this version for a few months. Revamping meant a complete deconstruction of the song and giving it a new face altogether. It took over two months to bring it to a point where we could share it with the Coke Studio team. We knew we were working with the best musicians in town, and that gave us the confidence to really experiment with the piece. And experiment we did! We would be up day and night stretching our minds to come up with the perfect melodic movements, the perfect rhythm structure and so on. We wanted to be true to the art, and we wanted to showcase our best skills as serious musicians.

When we sent the song to Rohail and the musicians to rehearse, we got texts from everyone within 20 minutes. They were all awe struck and super excited! At the same time they were cursing us for making probably the most challenging song they would do. But these guys are the best in town because they have consistently challenged themselves to reach higher and higher levels.”

‘Saari Raat Jaaga’ reflects best Ali Noor’s genius and maturity as a composer. It is a complete symphony.We are extremely proud of this song and strongly believe that it will set a new standard for Pakistani music.

In the words of Ali Noor …”Saari raat Jaga nay finally sub ko ’sari raat jaga’ hi diya!!!”

“The Coke Studio version of ‘Jo Meray’ is the beginning of my journey as a composer/producer. This song will evolve with my own evolution.” – Ali Hamza

The Coke Studio version of ‘Jo Meray’ is a glimpse of how this song was originally made. ‘Glimpse’, because Ali Hamza still feels that he hasn’t been able to communicate the actual feel of the song to musicians. Hats off to Rohail and all the musicians for doing an excellent job on the song, their skills are undeniable. But for Ali Hamza, ‘Jo Meray’ has been a defining song for his own musical career. It contains all the elements that are unique to Ali Hamza as a musician,” says Ali Noor.

“The Coke Studio version of Jo Meray is the beginning of my journey as a composer/producer.

I think the musicians at Coke Studio have done perfect justice to the song, given their own understanding of music, and I am very satisfied with the effort and creativity involved. It’s just that I feel that their is room for much more improvement and effort from my side. I must thank Coke Studio for giving me the opportunity to start my own individual journey, because without this happening, my own process would never have started. I would also like you to know that this song still doesn’t have any proper lyrics. I was not consciously avoiding completing this song by writing proper words to this melody, but now I get this feeling that the lyrics too will be completed with the completion of my own personal journey,” says Ali Hamza.

Courtesy Instep Today, The News published on June 16th, 2009

Holding your ground against the mighty Saeen Zahoor is no small feat. Brothers Ali Noor and Ali Hamza managed it miraculously  well as they hit it off with Saeen on Coke Studio. In fact, watching Noori sing ‘Aik Alif’ was a revelation. For one thing, Coke Studio marks the coming out of Ali Hamza. It’s similar to the impression that Ali Zafar made last year when he performed with Saeen Tufail Ahmed on the magnificent ‘Allah Hoo’. ‘Aik Alif’ remains the highlight of Episode 1 of Coke Studio.

Ali Hamza has sung before, on Noori records and countless shows. But the impact he
made as a singer while gently stringing his banjo …  the spotlight will be hard to evade
now. Ali Hamza has a sharp edge to his voice and it was evident as he sang. And to
think, the relationship that eventually landed Hamza this gig began on Facebook!

“I was not on their plan. Rohail and I were conversing on Facebook over astrophysics
and quantum physics and it began from there. Obviously, I have never been a part of
such a production. You mess up as a team and you learn as a team and that’s
important,” revealed Ali Hamza.

For Ali Noor, this process was equally interesting. “Classical music has been in my
family. All my life I have rebelled against it. But this was a different experience altogether, from which both
the young and the old will learn. We learn from each other,” says Ali Noor.

Ali Hamza earned the title of “Professor” and “Best Man” at Coke Studio, from both backing singers, Saba
Shabbir and Natasha D Souza.

It was fun. When I first started, it was a little intense and the girls started calling me ‘Professor sahib’ but
after that I was just guiding them and it was great fun!” says Ali Hamza.

This season will not only see Noori re ­ create some funky versions of their old tune but the band will also
debut a new song via Coke Studio. So watch out for the Ali brothers that form Noori.

Music Mix
After a hiatus of almost two years, brothers Ali Noor and Ali Hamza return to the spotlight with ‘Do Dil’

It’s the first song Noori ever wrote. It’s the first love song from the grungy rockers – it is ‘Do Dil’, a tune that marks the comeback of brothers Ali Noor and Ali Hamza.

Currently running on airwaves, the melodic and beautiful tune sees Ali Noor and Ali Hamza take turns at the vocals while the video is, quite literally, a walk through time – a look back at the journey of Noori.

Shot by the hugely talented Mandana Zaidi aka Mrs Ali Noor, the performance shots are interspersed with footage of a very young looking Ali Noor from his teenage as well as other musicians like Mohammed Ali Jafri, Shiraz Uppal, Mekaal Hasan, Gumby and Fahad Khan among others.

What’s really surprising is that this song works. It isn’t another inane love tune. Noori isn’t a rock act known for its lovey-dovey music. But the turn of the century has worked out well for the rockers from Lahore who are all set to take the scene by storm all over again.

The Ballad of Noor and Hamza

Noori did for the new music scene what Junoon had done for rock back in the nineties.

If Junoon gave rock music a foot to stand on, Noori did the same more than a decade later.

It was a time the internet was just picking up steam in Pakistan and word had spread that a song called ‘Manwa Re’ was online by an unknown band.

‘Manwa Re’ spread like wildfire and it led one to discover other Noori tunes like ‘Sari Raat Jaga’, ‘Ooncha’ and ‘Mujhe Roko’. And suddenly people started talking about the band called Noori.

With an album in the making, Ali Noor and Ali Hamza with band mates Mohammed Ali Jafri and drummer Gumby became regular live performers all around the country and released back to back videos.

So much so that by the time their debut album, Suno Kay Main Hoon Jawan released in 2003, more than half the songs on the album were already hits with a generation that had been waiting for a rock act to stir things up. And Noori did just that.

Critics may have slashed their debut for too much of the “Jawan” factor but fans refuted the criticism vehemently. Here was a song that was singing about being young and being able to conquer the world. When you’re young, you believe anything is possible and Noori was playing to that effect.

This was the band that gave the word DIY (Do It Yourself) a whole new spin. Their videos may not have been superior technically but the band knew exactly who they were catering to and what was needed. With every video, be it ‘Suno Kay Main Hoon Jawan’ or ‘Jaana Tha Hum Ne’ or ‘Tum Hans Diye’, the ball of energy that was Noori penetrated through.

Their deal with Polo led them to play free shows all around Pakistan. And they did it magnificently well. And then disappeared only to return in 2005 with a solid follow-up to their debut, Peeli Patti Aur Raja Jaani Ki Gol Dunya (PPARJKGD).

But things went downhill from there. Even though PPARJKGD was an incredible second album, the band itself was going through a rough path. Mohammed Ali Jaffri quit the band (albeit amicably) but the big blow came a few months later when Gumby split with Noori. And it was not a pretty sight. Gumby and Ali Noor couldn’t see eye to eye. And it had its effect.

PPARJKGD didn’t sell as well as its predecessor and with two band mates out of the way, Noori started disappearing from the spotlight until they just vanished. Only two videos came from their second album – ‘Nishaan’ and ‘Meray Log’. Rumours were ablaze that the band was breaking up and that Ali Noor was planning on doing a solo album.

With ‘Do Dil’ all those rumours are finally laid to rest. Noori is still together. An album is in the making, which, Ali Noor maintains, should release early next year right after the month of Moharram.

Ali Noor and Ali Hamza have re-launched their website. Both of them write blogs regularly and we have to say that Ali Hamza in particular makes for a delightful blogger.

“Ali Hamza will sing a lot more on our album. He was supposed to be the original singer in the band while I was set to be the guitarist but he went to LUMS so I took over,” says Ali Noor.

And that isn’t the only good news. The band known for its fiery and energetic concerts revealed that they will mix it up when it comes to the line-up.

“With the new album coming out, we’ll have about 30-35 songs. We don’t want to do same old routine shows. So the idea is to bring in different players to our live set-up. Farhad Humayoun, Sikander Mufti, Fahad Khan – we’ll play with all of them,” explained Ali Noor. He also promises that the band will still be DIY, only more hardcore.

The record itself

Its common knowledge, especially with hardcore Noori fans, that their two albums – Suno Kay Main Hoon Jawan and Peeli Patti Aur Raja Jaani Ki Gol Dunya – are a part of a trilogy. The third record was supposed to be the final installment.

However, Noori is still divided on that front. It remains unclear if Noori will finish this installment or do an album that runs on the theme of ‘Do Dil’.

What is clear though is that Ali Noor and Ali Hamza haven’t lost their touch. So watch out for Noori. For now, all we can say is, welcome back guys… we’ve missed you!

Noori and Euphoria to collaborate

Vishwas Gautam
Times of India

The Indian band Euphoria have good news to share – they’ve cut an album with a Pakistani music label, in collaboration with a Pakistani band, and Palash Sen from Euphoria also recorded India’s first ‘green song’, on global warming.

The Indian band has teamed up with leading Pakistani rock band Noori for an album by one of the largest Pakistani music labels, Fire Records. Confirming this, Hitesh Madan from Euphoria says, “We met Noori at the music awards in Pakistan earlier this year, in June.”

Noori comprises brothers Ali Noor and Ali Hamza, and the band has been credited with bringing underground music into the mainstream. Euphoria’s lead singer, Palash Sen, is excited about the two tracks they’re doing together. “One track is called ‘Woh Kasme’, and it’ll be shot partly in India and partly in Pakistan. We were blown away by the kind of reception we got in Pakistan and also Noori’s talent. They came to India in August, and we sat and chalked out the tunes and lyrics. We’ve recorded the song and sent it back to them to record their part. It’s our second collaboration with a Pakistani band after Strings.”

The song is about the harmony between the two nations. Ali Noor from Noori says, “Our experience has been fabulous. The bands have a unique relationship. We were intrigued by their music and it was refreshing to see a popular rock band performing, as we get to listen to only Hindi film music back home, and Pakistan has a rich rock culture. Plus, Palash is an amazing singer, so it was an instant connect. We’re quite similar – in fact, we share our birthdays,” he says, adding, “We had written a song and they had another. We showed our songs to each other and now the one we wrote has been recorded. I have hardly seen any big label releasing an Indian rock band’s album back home, so I’m sure it’s the first development of its kind.”

A lawyer by profession, Ali has been coming to India quite often. “I would come to Delhi because of my association with the Sanjan Nagar Institute of Philosophy and Arts. Both my mother and grandfather were classical singers. I’ve seen a lot of good rock bands in Delhi and I was impressed but frankly, I haven’t made up my mind on Hindi film music. I do like the work of Rabbi and Kailash Kher, though,” he says.

Meanwhile, Euphoria are full of dhoom about their ‘green song’. “We also have recorded India’s first song on global warming, whose video has already been shot in McLeodganj. It’s for Oxfam,” says Palash. Priya Pillai from Oxfam International adds, “Our idea is to generate awareness and mobility on issues like poverty and climate change. The video that has been shot aims to do just that, and it’s come out really well.”

Instep Desk adds

While Ali Noor is mum on working with Euphoria for the time being, he maintains that the two have been in touch for sometime and this collaboration was inevitable.

This isn’t the first time Noori is collaborating with an Indian pop act. Prior to Euphoria, Noori teamed up with Indian pop singer Anaida for the single, ‘Naya Jahaan’ which is featured on Anaida’s album Jahaan.

For Euphoria, this will be the second time they team up with a Pakistani band. In 2004, the boys of Euphoria collaborated with Strings on the single, ‘Jeet Lo Dil’.

The Indian band Euphoria have good news to share – they’ve cut an album with a Pakistani music label, in collaboration with a Pakistani band, and also recorded India’s first ‘green song’, on global warming.

The Indian band has teamed up with leading Pakistani rock band Noori for an album by one of the largest Pakistani music labels, Fire Records. Confirming this, Hitesh Madan from Euphoria says, “We met Noori at the music awards in Pakistan earlier this year, in June.”

Noori comprises brothers Ali Noor and Ali Hamza, and the band has been credited with bringing underground music into the mainstream. Euphoria’s lead singer, Palash Sen, is excited about the two tracks they’re doing together. “One track is called Woh Kasme, and it’ll be shot partly in India and partly in Pakistan. We were blown away by the kind of reception we got in Pakistan and also Noori’s talent. They came to India in August, and we sat and chalked out the tunes and lyrics. We’ve recorded the song and sent it back to them to record their part. It’s our second collaboration with a Pakistani band after Strings.”

The song is about the harmony between the two nations. Ali Noor from Noori says, “Our experience has been fabulous. The bands have a unique relationship. We were intrigued by their music and it was refreshing to see a popular rock band performing, as we get to listen to only Hindi film music back home, and Pakistan has a rich rock culture. Plus, Palash is an amazing singer, so it was an instant connect. We’re quite similar – in fact, we share our birthdays,” he says, adding, “We had written a song and they had another. We showed our songs to each other and now the one we wrote has been recorded. I have hardly seen any big label releasing an Indian rock band’s album back home, so I’m sure it’s the first development of its kind.”

A lawyer by profession, Ali has been coming to India quite often. “I would come to Delhi because of my association with the Sanjan Nagar Institute of Philosophy and Arts. Both my mother and grandfather were classical singers. I’ve seen a lot of good rock bands in Delhi and I was impressed but frankly, I haven’t made up my mind on Hindi film music. I do like the work of Rabbi and Kailash Kher, though,” he says.

Meanwhile, Euphoria are full of dhoom about their ‘green song’. “We also have recorded India’s first song on global warming, whose video has already been shot in McLeodganj. It’s for Oxfam,” says Palash. Priya Pillai from Oxfam International adds, “Our idea is to generate awareness and mobility on issues like poverty and climate change. The video that has been shot aims to do just that, and it’s come out really well.”

link to the article.

We are an entertainment-starved nation. Others might disagree, but this is the underlining black cloud for this article. Entertainment that is not dependant on self-creativity, that can be obtained from a public forum and that is designed as an audience-based service, is hard to find and usually substandard.The Young Leaders and Entrepreneur Summit 2008 concert, organised by JB&Jaws, seemed like a worthwhile event: Josh, Noori, Mauj and other underground bands were all part of one package.

What the very concise invitation forgot to mention (it was checked for fine print) was that the concert was also featuring over 400 people who were sold passes without availability of adequate space.Yes, this is a bitter tirade. Standing outside in Lahore’s unexpectedly persisting cold spell, waiting with passes to enter a concert that was scheduled for 8pm that actually started at 10pm is a surefire way to stamp out all concert fervor — or rather put it on freeze.

However, still persisting alongside the sharp cold, the anticipation to hear Mauj more than any other band made waiting a default. Judging by the mob trying to push past hyperventilating LUMS/ YLES volunteers, nothing was worth ‘waiting’ for: it was push, shove, survival of the crude and the brute.

Over the colourful and highly inventive exchange of pleasantries by the testosterone-injected crowd and the frazzled organisers, Mauj could be heard sans Hamza who had been electrocuted by a guitar stand earlier during the sound check. Not a positive harbinger for the band members as they rushed him to the nearest emergency centre. All of the bands had second thoughts about getting on the stage that tried barbequing one of their comrades!

From what could be deciphered, regardless of the disastrous start to their evening, Mauj with Mona and Khushfehmi made an instant connection with the crowd. What could also be deciphered was the low quality of the sound system or the inefficacy of the sound engineers.

By the time the organisers decided to let the frozen human popsicles in to defrost, Mauj had taken their final bow. After several stages of half-hearted security checks, the view from the entrance of the hall stopped us dead in our tracks. The hall was a mass of heads and limbs, one starting from where the other ended. There was no place to sit, no permission to stand and no oxygen left to breathe!

Alternating between battle-axing and begging a way through the crowd, there was a moment of an annoying realisation: while there was no possibility to experience the concert from a full front of house system, the remaining options were either to sit and hear the music from behind the speakers without any view of the stage or to have a thin slice of the stage which standing right next to a mountain of speakers.

The third choice was to leave, which eventually was the best option of them all. In the meanwhile, the first two options were being tested and retested when Noori arrived on stage.

While Noori keeps a low music profile and a highly-entertaining intrapersonal one, with Hamza taking off to discover himself, every so often, it was astounding to see the reception the audience gave them.

Noor and Hamza were literally buzzing with energy; one wonders if they didn’t cause the power surge that zapped Hamza Jaffery! Fahad, their drummer, was stuck in one corner of the stage; only those audience members who were standing upfront could have seen the intensity of his movements and his expression of complete involvement with the music.

At such a concert, where sound quality was unarguably horrible, one litmus test is how a band can get past the inferior sound and communicate with the audience. The oomph that the Noori boys had underlined the who-gives-a-f*** attitude necessary at such moments and the audience loved them.

Looking at Ali Noor and Ali Hamza, literally on pogo sticks, ending each song in front with a head bang in front of Fahad, it seemed that the pure pleasure of playing together in front of such a massive audience was something they re-realised. The boys went off stage after a finale with Dil Qe Qasam.By now, more people had taken up the virtual space that the organisers were calculating and it was the DAT file of Josh that was the final push. With perfect harmonies recorded, their live vocals fell short by at least a mile.Not that most of the audience cared: Josh’s entirely rehearsed dialogue onstage managed to engage those desirous of dancing to their very predictable melodies. After one or two relatively slow numbers, their one hit wonder Josh Nal Pa Bhangra could be heard outside as once again the battle of the bodies began as simultaneous entries and exits were being attempted from the same doorway by the young leaders of the night.What did the bands have to say?Hamza Jaffery was unavailable for comment — one wonder why — Sameer the bassist from Mauj had a couple of words to say.Obviously, Hamza Jaffery’s accident was fresh in the band’s mind. According to Sameer, such an incident of electrocution was unheard of: he did not know whether it could be passed off as a “freak occurrence or negligence.” Hamza had passed out and they had to leave sound check to take him to a hospital to make sure there was no serious injury. After they sent Hamza home, Mauj debated whether they should play, whether it was safe to go on stage after such an incident. It was decided, Sameer said, that as people were waiting “the show must go on”. A cliché in many occasions but very apt at such a moment.No chance for a sound check, Mauj were left on stage without their guitar player, as Sameer said, they were not playing under ideal conditions. As a layperson, the sound seemed terrible, how was it for Sameer?

When organising a concert, different things take precedence for different organisers; As far as Sameer was concerned, the sound system should be first priority. With regards to this particular venue, which had very high ceilings hatched with metal girdles, he thought a good sound system would not solve the problem on its own — experienced sound engineers were also required. Who, he noted, were not in abundance to begin with. On a more positive note, Sameer noted that the massive turnout was a good indicator that the people of Lahore were waking up. After such a long stretch of silence, only punctuated by sounds of violence, he said it was a positive sign that so many showed up.Speaking with Ali Noor, it turned out that Ali Noor and Ali Hamza were equally shaken up by Hamza Jaffery’s incident. Ali said Hamza Jaffery was like a brother, and their families had known each other for a long time — Ali Jaffery had been the bass player for Noori. When Hamza got electrocuted, Noori was very concerned about him.Resultantly Ali Noor and Ali Hamza were not sure whether they should go on stage, fearing it might not be an isolated freak incident. Like Mauj, however, they decided to go on with the performance and not disappoint the audience.When Noor was asked to comment on the response they got from the audience, he laughed with a sense of proud achievement. Noor said that there were three types of performances: one where for commercial reasons where bands have on-stage gimmicks, another which Ali Noor prefers and implements, where one plays for the audience, and the third which he personally has never understood, playing on stage but only for oneself.

The way Noori performs, Ali says “It’s a humbling experience, one stops feeling like a rock star and the audience takes something emotional back with them after the show.”