English
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Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
translation: "complete/perfect") is the debut album of the Pakistani
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
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* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band
Mekaal Hasan Band
Mekaal Hasan Band (, sometimes shortened to MHB) is an international sufi rock band formed in Lahore, Pakistan in 2000 by composer, singer-songwriter and guitarist Meekal Hasan.
The band members have roots in different genres, including Pop mus ...
, released on January 8, 2004. Singles from the album included "Rabba", released in 2003 and "Sajan", released in 2004.
Concept
The tunes on "''Sampooran''" were written incorporating traditional material from the eastern classical tradition and adapting these with music which was based on the
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
fusion explosion of the seventies. It possesses arguably the finest musical arrangements that have ever been experienced in the country, and the compositions really light up the album. The album starts with the lukewarm “Sajan” whose lyrics have been taken from a kaafi written by
Shah Hussain
Shah Hussain ( pa, ; ; 1538–1599), also known as Madhoo Lal Hussain, was a 16th-century Punjabi Muslim Sufi poet who is regarded as a pioneer of the Kafi form of Punjabi poetry. He lived during the ruling periods of Mughal emperors Akbar ...
. A moderate mix of acoustic guitars and percussion and some sweet flute playing renders this a really good opening track. “
Waris Shah
Waris Shah ( pa, ; ; 1722–1798) was a Punjabi Sufi poet of the Chishti order, known for his contribution to Punjabi literature. He is primarily known as the author of ''Heer Ranjha'' .
Background
Waris Shah was born in Jandiala Sher Kh ...
” is next, with its Yanni-isque musical intonations and lyrics inspired from texts by Amrita Preetam. The album seems to be getting into a groove, as the vocals start getting tuned up and the music gets more and more passionate. A classically inspired flute arrangement mixed with soft bass drums and Javed Bashir does total justice with the lyrics. The song has probably lingered on a bit and some pieces seem a bit lengthy, but overall it is the vocals that stand out on “Waris Shah” more than anything else.
“Rabba” is one of the best songs on the album. A
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...
like opening and again, lyrics taken from a
Shah Hussain
Shah Hussain ( pa, ; ; 1538–1599), also known as Madhoo Lal Hussain, was a 16th-century Punjabi Muslim Sufi poet who is regarded as a pioneer of the Kafi form of Punjabi poetry. He lived during the ruling periods of Mughal emperors Akbar ...
kafi are enough on their own to guarantee a fine number, but that is not all this track is about. This is also the only track on which a Bass touch has been given, and a video for “Rabba” has been included on the CD.
“Sanwal” is the part of the album where it is beginning to reach its crescendo and the music is getting more and more intense yet it still sounds brilliant. Mekaal Hassan Band had earlier released this song as a single with Ustaad Riaz Ali Khan leading the vocals to a brilliantly composed number. The lyrics are taken from the poetry of Farhat Abbas Shah. The cunningly conceived rises and falls of this song render it a very intense and captivating melody, and this is also the first track of the album which has Urdu lyrics.
The title track “Sampooran” is more of an instrumental number and features a vast array of creative genius at the mercy of a group of people ready to explore its outer horizons. As the name suggests, it is classically inspired and carries on the momentum built by “Rabba” and “Sanwal”.
“Darbari” is where the band reaches the summit in the album and it sounds absolutely superb. Fabulous musical arrangements and a massive performance by Javed Bashir make this the absolute best track on the album. It captivates you and forces you into a feeling of being in a Mughal Darbaar. The lyrics are in Persian. Yet the intensity is so great that you can't help but go into a trance.
“Ya Ali” is almost like an anti climax after 3 absolutely stunning tracks. It is softer in composition, lighter on instruments, although it has the best guitar arrangement on the album and the tune is associated more with Ustaad Salamat Ali Khan, who as Mekaal admits, inspired this song. The last track on the album is Late Moon, a solo which features lengthy flute and percussion sessions.MHB - Sampooran Review Retrieved on November 6, 2009
Track listing
All music composed by
Mekaal Hasan Band
Mekaal Hasan Band (, sometimes shortened to MHB) is an international sufi rock band formed in Lahore, Pakistan in 2000 by composer, singer-songwriter and guitarist Meekal Hasan.
The band members have roots in different genres, including Pop mus ...
.
Personnel
All information is taken from the CD.
;Mekaal Hasan Band:
* Mekaal Hasan –
lead guitar
Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featur ...
* Javed Bashir –
lead vocals
The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...
* Mohammad Ahsan Papu –
flute
The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...
* Sameer Ahmed –
bass guitar
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...
;Additional musicians
*Keyboards: Farhan Albert
*Drums: John "Gumby" Louis Pinto
*Drums & Percussion:
Pete Lockett
Pete Lockett is an English percussionist and recording artist. Lockett is known as a versatile and prolific percussionist, collaborating with many artists. He is well-versed in percussion traditions from music cultures around the world, from tradit ...
*Guitars and Bass: Michael Mondesir
;Production
*Produced by Mekaal Hasan
*Recorded & Mixed at Digital Fidelity Studio,
Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
,
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
*Guitar sound engineer: Mekaal Hasan
*Assisted by Mekaal Hasan