JEDDAH — “Yaadein (memories),” a cultural event featuring performances by various artists, revived the melodies of India's yesteryear's music Thursday. Organized by Sur Sargam, the event began with a joint performance by Ghazal singer Sikandar Ali and Tabla artist Ustad Ahmed Khan. Ali began the program by singing various Ghazals of his own choice, and then fulfilled the audience requests. He said: “I began with singing Ghazals, and then went on to mostly singing songs from Hindi films. So this performance is special for me because it marks my coming back to Ghazals.” Ali's performance was followed by songs from local singers, such as Ahmed Siddiqui and Amjad Baig as Khan provided them with beats. Saleem Khan, founder of Sur Sargam, said that one of the key aims of such cultural programs is to encourage innovation in traditional singing. He expressed pleasure at the audience's recognition and their positive reaction of the innovation presented. Mohammed Al Quraishi, an attendee at the event, said: “I was already fond of Sikandar Ali and Ustad Ahmed Khan's body of work, and my expectations were fully met today. “What I really liked was the interplay between the tabla and the keyboard, especially when both of these instruments took center-stage. This is something I generally look forward to at such events.” Emcee for the evening Sayeed Haroon commented that he was in awe of the artists' performances. “They seem to have a good sense of rhythm, and Ustad Khan's over four decades of experience is clearly reflected in his artistry.” The performances were followed by presentation of mementos to the performers in recognition of their dedication to the program. These were mainly presented by representatives from the Bazm-e-Ittihad group and the Association of Indian Professionals (AIP). The organization Sur Sargam was established here in the late 1970s, and has since been an active organizer of various cultural programs here, Riyadh, Dammam, and Yanbu.
