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Event
Fanna-fi-Allah Sufi Qawwali Concert
The one and only Fanna-fi-Allah Sufi Qawwali Group ("Party" in Sufi parlance) is back! This is their only appearance in the North Bay. Plenty of room for sitting or dancing in a beautiful space in the heart of Sebastopol. In addition to the concert, there will be a preview of their film about the qawwali tradition, and their experiences of learning and sharing it.
Each member of the group has been steeped in years of deep commitment to this form of devotional singing by studying every year in Pakistan with the masters of the genre. Founded 15 years ago by Tahir Qawwal and Aminah Chishti (the first woman tabla player acknowledged and revered by Pakistani qawwals), a "concert" by FFA is much more than an opportunity to sit and listen to interesting music. The seven (or 8 or 9) members embody the mystery of the Sufis through sung poetry, ecstatic and inspired musical and vocal improvisation, driving rhythms, soaring vocals that pierce directly to the innermost chambers of the spiritual Heart, blazing dual harmoniums, and the ever-present clapping patterns that set every song on fire. Jaw-dropping at times, no kidding!
This music is addicting in the best of all possible ways...It calls to the Heart and Soul and draws the listener in even if you do not understand the words, which are sung in a variety of languages including Urdu, Farsi and Arabic. The silence after each song is thick and liquid, and the longing for more is palpable. When FFA played in Fremont last year in front of 350 "Desi's"...an audience of Indians and Pakistanis...packed into a restaurant, they had to play until their hands and voices were raw because no one in the audience wanted the playing to stop!
Those of us who have heard them over the years eagerly look forward to their annual tour. They are in demand in Autralia and New Zealand as well as India and Pakistan...have been sponsored by the US State Department as good will ambassadors on multiple tours...When they return to the US they rest, relax with friends and family (they are a mix of Americans and Canadians), teach and perform. However, they don't see their concerts as performances as much as praying with us, through the medium of sacred sound, that can be molded and shaped and sent out on the airwaves to open and change the listener from the inside out. They are truly masters of this genre.
Bring your wide open heart and prepare to be blown away, exploded into the Baraka (stream of blessing) with the first note and percussive clap.
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LocationSubud Center Hall of Sebastopol (View)
234 Hutchins Ave
Sebastopol, CA 95472
United States
Categories
| Minimum Age: 12 |
| Kid Friendly: Yes! |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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Contact
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