Shabda : शब्द

Unforgettable Sufis brings together the eternal poetry of mystic poets, Kabir Sahib and Hazrat Amir Khusrau. The evocative lyrics drawn from their poetry explore the myriad shades of love and spell the rich experience of musical ecstasy. The most fascinating aspect is that these renditions are blend with the melody of Indian Classical music, making this album a timeless gift of love for the yearning souls who long to be in communion with the divine.

There is nothing heavy or contemplative here, which is a nice change of pace from some of this well-recorded group’s more serious endeavors. The barbat, a five double-stringed, pear-shaped lute provides a bass mandolin-like sound. The setar, the small long-necked lute with moveable frets is the treble. The rhythm is emphasized by a goblet-shaped drum, the tombak.

It is perfect background for relaxing with a novel by the great Egyptian author Naguib Mahfoux, especially the classy and attractive performance by the Takht Ensemble of Cairo. Stringed instrument lovers will particularly enjoy the astounding oud solo by Gomaa Muhammed Ali. The recording quality is fat, bringing out certain low tones in the oud and drum in a way that reaches right for the gut.

Alif (2001) was produced by Steve Shehan. Alif is the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, and it also signifies the first letter for Allah. The seventh song and title track is a Sufi masterpiece of devotional love in all its forms – divine love, romantic love, and love of life. This is the theme running through the album’s 12 songs. The album includes Hadji Atmet Tekbilek, Mamak Khadem, and Flamenco guitarist Jose Antonio Rodriguez.