The artists involved were Nizar Lalani and Mohammad Ali of Pakistan and Kenyan band of Njane Mugambi, along with fabulous performances of Nighat Chaudhry, a classical Kathak dancer, and Fernando Anuang’a, a Maasai dancer.At the start of the programme, artistes Nighat Chaudhry and Fernando separately showed their skills and later indulged in a ‘Jugalbandi’ which enthralled the audience. Fernando also performed the famous ‘Masayi’ dance which included a lot of jumping; it was a way to seduce women, he said.
Mugambi, a Kenyan musician, came to Pakistan with his band and brought the message of love from the coast of Kenya. He and his colleagues arrived in the city to attend a special concert, “A Journey in Sound,” which was arranged by the Aga Khan University. The concert was a cultural event of two continents, Africa and Asia, in which Kenya and Pakistan participated. The artists from both countries presented their culture and traditions through dances and music, demonstrating an openness to explore other forms of expressions and illustrating that art in all its forms can evolve to become a universal language.
Talking to the press, Mugambi said: "The coast of Kenya is a hub of Sufi music like Sindh. I know Sindh is the land of Sufis and Sufi music, and so is the coast of Kenya. But I believe the ragas and melodies of Sufi music in Sindh are more gripping, whereas in the coast of Kenya, poetry is more potent."
Nizar Lalani said: "Music is entertainment. And in the USA, music is the second biggest entity for generating income. Then why cannot the case be the same in Pakistan? We must think about it."
