“Listening
to this exotic version of “Take Five” brings back wonderful memories of
Pakistan where my Quartet played in 1958. East is East, and West is
West, but through music the twain meet. Congratulations!”
“This is most interesting and different recording of “Take Five” I’ve ever heard.
—Dave Brubeck
Live Appearance
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis collaborates with the Sachal Jazz Ensemble, master
musicians from Pakistan who incorporate ancient instruments, such as
sitar, sarod, tabla, and dholak into the sounds and rhythms of iconic
jazz repertoire. This collaboration is JALC’s latest installment in a
string of cross-cultural investigations, which have paired the JLCO with
musicians from Ghana and Spain, among others, as the organization
actualizes its mission to make jazz available globally by interfacing
the sounds of jazz, grounded firmly in American values of blues and
swing expression, with an international array of musical languages and
configurations. 2012 Oscar-winning director Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy is
currently filming this remarkable ensemble for a documentary that will
be released in 2014, which will conclude with the Sachal Jazz Ensemble’s
highly anticipated collaboration with the JLCO.
Artist: Sachal Studios Orchestra
Title: JAZZ AND ALL THAT
Label: Imagine Music
Catalog Number: SM026
Release Date: September 10, 2013
Track Listing
1. You’ve Got It Bad Girl (Wonder) 4;49
2. If You Go Away (Brel) 4:39
3. Moonlight In Vermont (Suessdorf/Blackburn) 4:40
4. Monsoon (Afzal) 5:14
5. The Pink Panther (Mancini) 5:07
6. Ponteio (Lobo) 6:02
7. Eleanor Rigby (Lennon/McCartney) 3:41
8. Blue Rondo A la Turk (Brubeck) 4:12
9. Kafi Jazz (Five Rivers) (Abbas) 4:36
10. Everybody Hurts (R.E.M.) 5:50
11. Wave (Jobim) 5:26
12. To The End Of The World (Metheny/Mays) 6:29
13. Morning Has Broken (Traditional) 5:33
Musicians:
Sachal Studios Orchestra
Sitar: Nafees Ahmed Khan
Tabla: Ballu Khan
Dholaks & Percussion: Rafiq Ahmed and Najaf Ali
Cello: Umar Draz, Ghulam Abbas and Waqas Ali
Violin: Saleem Khan, Altaf Hydar, Javaid Ali, Akbar Noushad,
Kaleen Khan, Mukhtar Hussain, Mohammed Ilyas,
Kahwar Hussain, Akbar Abbas, Sakhawat Ali, Babar Baila, Nadeen Ahmad, Fazal Hussain, Aqeel Anwar, Chand, Ghulam Hussain,
Ghulam Ali, Riasat Hussain, Mubarak Ali, Abid Ali, Akram Farooqi, Amjad Ali, Basharat Ali and Nijat Ali.
UK Musicians:
Trumpet/Flugel: Derek Watkins Percussion: Chris Wells
Piano: Steve Lodder Bass/Harmonica: Philip Achile
Harp: Sally Price Sarod: Soumik Datta
Guitar: John Parracelli Ghatam: Bangalore Prakash
Moorsing (jewsharp): Kandiah Sithaparanatha
Chorus:
Abbie Osman, Alice Fearn, Claire Henry, Joanna Forbes, Mary Carewe,
Rachel Weston, Sarah Ryen, Soophia Foroughi, Yona Dunsford.
Metro Voices- Choir Master Jenny O’Grady
Studio Credits:
Original Recording by Munir Kokab
Assisted by Samuel(Pinku) Suleimen-Waheed Sachal Studios, Lahore, July 2011-Feb 2013
Additional Recording ‘Monsoon’ Sam Okell, Abbey Road Studios- London 2010
Additional
recording by Christoph Bracher Assisted by Sameer Khan & Drew Smith,
Assault & Battery Studios, London. March-April 2013
Final Mixing by Christoph Bracher Assisted by Sameer Khan, Assault & Battery Studios, London. May 2013
Mastering by Sam Okel, Abbey Road Studios, London May 2013
All tracks arranged by Izzat Majeed, Assisted by Nijat Ali
UK session & studio work coordinated by Jay Visvadeva
Artwork Concept by Izzat Majeed, Artwork & Graphics Kikuchi
This album carries lasting memories of the late maestro Riaz Hussain
Track Listing Info:
01 You’ve Got It Bad Girl
(Stevie Wonder)
The track is intended as homage to the genius of Stevie Wonder. This
version creates fresh sounds of the flute, sitar, harmonica and piano.
Balu Khan’s tabla and rhythm further enhance the uniqueness of the
arrangement with the string section bringing a swing to the track. Ever
since I heard this song in the early 19702, I remained glued to Stevie
Wonder’s heart aching melody and Quincy Jones’ arrangement soon after. I
have arranged it with both masters in mind.
02 If You Go Away/ Ne Me Quitte Pas
(Jacques Brel)
The arrangement is based on the flute that carries the sadness of the
song. Yet as the sarangi swells along with the orchestra there comes
the promise of hope. I always remember when I first heard Shirley
Horn’s version and she has inspired me to make this track.
03 Moonlight In Vermont
(Karl Suessdorf/ John Blackburn)
The origins of this track may well be inspired by the U.S. State of
Vermont, but in the arrangement of this well loved song I call it the
Moonlight in Lahore!
04 Monsoon
(Wazir Afzal)
Monsoon is based on the classical music of South Asia. It is inspired
by raga Shankara. All of us who made this album are deeply saddened at
the death of Derek Watkins who was a great musician (trumpet, flugel)
and a mentor to me. Sachal Studios dedicates this composition in his
memory.
05 The Pink Panther Theme
(Henry Mancini)
Need on say more? At the first notes of this track the audience cheered
when the Sachal Studios Orchestra played it at the Alchemy Festival
(Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, April 2012.
06 Ponteio
(Edu Lobo)
Ponteio’s structure sounds close to the traditional music and songs of
the Punjab. The harmonica plays a wonderful reminiscence of Toots
Thielemans in his collaboration with Edu Lobo.
07 Eleanor Rigby
(Lennon-McCartney)
An ode to loneliness. The beauty of the arrangement is the minimal
instrumentation. It is a new take on an evergreen classic. I was
thrilled with the vigour with which the Sachal Orchestra played the
original song. The chorus is singing the ‘sargam’ known in the West as
solfège (sol-fa in English).
08 Blue Rondo à La Turk
(Dave Brubeck)
A masterpiece of music. Dave Brubeck went round the world to listen to
all forms of music in different cultures and come back with global
rhythms which he used uniquely to give jazz a new world. His
compositions will be eternal jazz. Dave Brubeck was pleased with Sachal
Studios’ ‘Take Five’ and sent his congratulations when it topped the
charts globally.
09 Five Rivers
(Kafi Thaat)
It is composed in Kafi Thaat and carries a mix of ragas just like the
five rivers of the Punjab (which translates as “Five” and “Rivers”). A
Thaat is a musical scale, conceived of as a Western musical scale might
be, with the seven notes presented in their order of ascent (arohan).
10 Everybody Hurts
(REM)
Sad, full of pathos, about us, not always able to deal with hurt. The chant “Ya Rab” means O Lord.
11 Wave
(Antonio Carlos Jobim)
The arrangement of this track combines the subtle beauty of Bossa Nova
with an eastern interpretation that is fresh and unique. The flute
balanced with the guitar, harmonica and piano provide a sensuousness and
charm that is enhanced by the string section and the Brazilian-tinged
percussion accompaniment. Antonio Carlos Jobim’s most successful album
brought global success to his Bossa Nova. Oscar Peterson’s mesmerizing
interpretation and Frank Sinatra’s rendition is amazing.
12 To The End of the World
(Pat Metheny)
The sitar is a magical tribute to Pat Metheny’s guitar. The strings of Sachal Studios are full of life.
13 Morning Has Broken
(Traditional)
A tune composed in the Scottish Highlands became a hymn and Cat Stevens
helped it to become popular. The sarangi, sarod and the flute make it a
universal hymn.
- Izzat Majeed
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