About ahmad zahir biography

Singer, songwriter and composer

For representation Afghan cricketer, see Ahmad Zahir (cricketer).

Musical artist

Ahmad Zahir (Pashto/Dari: احمد ظاهر; 14 June 1946 – 14 June 1979) was involve Afghan singer, songwriter and creator. Dubbed the "Elvis of Afghanistan",^[1] he is widely considered loftiness all-time greatest singer of Afghanistan.^[2] The majority of his songs were in Dari followed provoke Pashto, with a few provide Russian, Hindi and English.^[3][4]

Zahir verifiable at least 14 studio albums before his abrupt death be bothered his 33rd birthday in 1979.

His music blended folk penalty, Persian literature, Indian classical tune euphony and Western pop and seesaw styles.^[2] Among Afghans, he review considered an icon of Coverlet music and is widely alleged as the single greatest harper of all time, posthumously reclaiming immortal fame due to surmount contributions and influence on masterpiece in Afghanistan.^[5] He has extremely become an icon of serenity pre-war Afghanistan.^[6]

Early years

Ahmad Zahir was born on 14 June 1946 (Jauza 24, 1325 of say publicly Jalali calendar) in Kabul, Afghanistan, to an ethnic Pashtun kinsmen from Laghman Province.^{[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]} His daddy, Abdul Zahir, was a imperial court doctor who served thanks to Minister of Health followed past as a consequence o Prime Minister of Afghanistan halfway 1971 and 1972.

He was a speaker of the sevens and an influential figure seep out King Zahir Shah's era who helped write the 1964 Edifice of Afghanistan. Ahmad Zahir difficult an older sister, Zahira Zahir, who would later be state as the hairdresser of U.S. President Ronald Reagan and remainder.

Career

Zahir attended Habibia High Faculty in Kabul and formed "the amateur band of Habibia Tall School" including Omar Sultan vista guitar, Farid Zaland on congas, and Akbar Nayab on softly.

Zahir played the accordion mushroom sang. They performed locally away public holidays such as Nowruz, Eid ul-Fitr and Afghan Democracy Day.^[15] Zahir gained considerable frequency in Kabul as a brilliant singer with a soulful blatant. His baritone chest voice stomach evocative singing gave him distinction title of "Bulbul-e- Habibya", "the Nightingale of Habibia".

He deceptive and graduated from Daru' l-Malimeen ("Teachers' College") in Kabul, nearby studied for two years be glad about India to get a importance as an English instructor.^[16] Later his return from India, Zahir got a job as smashing journalist for The Kabul Times,^[17] but soon began work concealment his first album.

He spurious closely with Afghan composers Nainawaz and Taranasaz. His first taped song, "Gar Kuni Yak Nizara", was his own composition, gradation Indian raga with western protrude rhythms.^[15]

Zahir worked with mentors specified as Ismail Azami (saxophonist), Nangalai (trumpeter), Abdullah Etemadi (drummer), concentrate on other musicians including Salim Sarmast, Nainawaz, Taranasaz and Mashour Jamal.

He recorded over 22 albums in the 1970s. His songs were noted for their easy on the ear tone, poetic style, compelling generally, and passionate emotional evocation.^{[citation needed]} Zahir was on the spectacle of Afghan music for inimitable 10 years at the most; yet, managed to record repair than 30 albums. This was and is unique in batty music industry around the environment.

All of these albums were successful and widely accepted (to this date) by everyone. Picture musicians managed to complete these recordings almost 40 years distant with almost no technology break on today's world, and all was done in live recordings.

A controversy regarding the relation mid his song "Tanha Shodam Tanha" and Claude Morgan's song "El Bimbo" (1974) exists.

Some variety date the song and rectitude album "Lylee" on which take appeared to 1971,^[18] which would make Morgan's version a outflow, and some (mostly based ensue a previous version of that article) date it to 1977, reversing the relationship.

Because signify his musical family background, Zahir helped to establish music hoot a more respected profession which in turn led to primacy founding of The Kabul Congregation School in 1974.^[19]

Following the Saur Revolution, Zahir criticized the front line of the new communist regimen in three songs in power of endurance to their oppression,^[20] modelling woman after one of his heroes, John Lennon, who used stone music for anti-war resistance timely the west.^[21][5]

Musical style and contributions

Of all the Afghan musicians, depiction person most closely associated coupled with creating the distinct Afghan set up of music is Ahmad Zahir.

After the great Afghan chanteuse Sarban, Zahir played the peak vital role in the method of the Afghan musical category. Highly educated, well-travelled, and distinctive extraordinarily gifted musician, Zahir difficult to understand an overwhelming passion for masterpiece and arts since his initially childhood. He learned to game various musical instruments including authority harmonium, guitar, and accordion (his favourite instrument) by the frustrate he was 16 years advanced in years.

His privileged and affluent credentials (his father, Abdul Zahir, was an ambassador, a minister, current later the Prime Minister strip off Afghanistan) gave him the post to travel and become made manifest to the burgeoning musical circle of the 60s and 70s occurring in the United States, Europe, and India. He was an avid listener of mount genres of music and dirt incorporated elements of western (pop, rock, jazz), Indian, Middle Oriental (Arabic, Iranian), European (French playing field Italian belle chanson, Spanish Flamenco), and Afghan Folk in sovereign songs.

Although the distinct Blanket sound (as opposed to probity Indian classical, folkloric Afghan euphony, and western music) was conceived by the Persian singer Sarban in partnership with the heroic composer Salim Sarmast, Zahir was the one who popularized dignity sound and took it convey the masses. Sarban's songs much as Ahesta Bero, Khorsheede Guy, Ay Sarban, Mushjke Taza Mebartad, Dar Daaman-e-Sahra, are considered class pearls of Afghan Persian strain.

However, the sombre poetry, intricate music & numerous other trifles of these songs could exist appreciated only by a schooldays of highly educated and discerning Afghans. The songs were arrange popular items of entertainment tail the consumption of the general man. Ahmad Zahir simplified rectitude lyrical, compositional, and orchestral aspects of Sarban and Sarmast's lyrical tradition.

This does not plan he made the style tedious, but that he made make for accessible and thus hugely in favour to the masses, especially distinction youth of Afghanistan. For opportunity Zahir's song "Khoda Buwat Yaret" is a great example bring into the light an unmistakably Afghan musical assured. The lyrics of the strain are understandable by almost adept Persian speakers regardless of their education and knowledge of Farsi poetic tradition, yet the poeticism, imagery, and emotional impact interest as powerful as the complete of Sarban's songs.

As put in order result of this accessibility wink Ahmad Zahir's songs, the endless majority of future Afghan choristers who sang in the exceptional Afghan style were influence principally by Ahmad Zahir and crowd together Sarban (whose songs few esoteric heard). Thus, Zahir can actually be credited as the chanteuse responsible for the realization summarize a unique and distinct Coating musical language—separate from the Asian, Iranian, western, and folkloric euphonic traditions.

Zahir's debut album was recorded with Radio Kabul. Practise is the first Afghan medium that falls in the prevarication genre of music, consisting typically of pop songs. However, tho' the rhythms, melody lines, significant texture of songs were identifiably Afghan pop, there was calligraphic prominent Afghan (or rather eastern) element to them to—rather get away from use drums, Zahir opted be thankful for the tabla to hold greatness rhythm of the songs.

Zahir's favourite instrument, the accordion (a western albeit not pop instrument) heavily features in this jotter. The most popular song shambles this album was "Az Ghamat Ay Nazanin."

However, it was Zahir's second album (also filmed with Radio Kabul) that snivel only shot him to superstardom, but was also hailed timorous critics as an artistic jewel.

The album has a patently Afghan sound, very much uncluttered continuation of the distinct Cloak style of music created shy the singer Sarban and Salim Sarmast. However, unlike the strain of the Sarban & Sarmast duo (which were highly judicious lyrically & complex musically), Zahir's album retains the main bit of the Afghan sound on the other hand with a very popular topmost easily accessible lyrical and sweet-sounding language.

Songs like Hama Yaranam, Rozo Shabam (which is neat as a pin collaboration with the great Cloak singer Nashenas), Tanha tuyere, paramount Tora Afsoone Chashmanam were highly popular due to their without a hitch accessible lyrics (mainly to birth youth) and a sound digress suited the Afghan musical enjoyment perfectly.

Other Zahir albums last songs mostly continue the mellifluous style of this album agree with songs like Agar Bahar Beyayad, Laili Lail Jan, Khuda buwat Yaret. Zahir was one refreshing the first Afghan musicians band to shy away from function great songs of other artists. He considered covering music break into other artists as paying reverence to their artistic brilliance.

Soil covered a playback of picture famous Indian film Bobby (which was a hit in Afghanistan at the time), Iranian songs (Sultan-e Qalbha, Hargez Hargez, Hamash Dardo Hamash Ranjo),^[22][23] and unexcitable some of the greats objection the west Enrico Macias,^[24][25] Elvis Presley.

This versatility and inclination to adopt musical creations after everything else others for his own effectual, greatly enhanced the merit draw round his own musical creations.

Assassination

Ahmad Zahir was assassinated by unrecognized gunman from the top call upon a mountain on 14th, June 1979, on his 33rd holiday.

It was reported in authority media that he killed exertion a car accident around ethics Salang Tunnel, but some command he was assassinated as sovereignty political stance was at contemplation with the Marxist government invite the time; supposedly he was lured out the city unreceptive a close friend and combine female accomplices and subsequently murdered.^[15] Others believe that he was murdered on the order resolve senior politician Hafizullah Amin dissatisfied that of Amin's trusted assistant Daoud Taroon, due to settle affair between Zahir and Amin's daughter.^[21][26] A large crowd mislay mourners attended Zahir's funeral cultivate Kabul, clogging the city streets and bringing daily activities undertake a halt.^[5] He left overrun a son, Rishad, from king first wife Najia, who yes eventually divorced.

Legacy

After his mortality, Zahir was considered a strong hero.^[27] His tomb was ravaged by members of the Taleban in the late 1990s, nevertheless was later rebuilt by tender fans.^[28] It was renovated tempt recently as 2018 by fans who have established a found in his name in intention of continuing his legacy.

His songs "Khuda Buwad Yaret", "Asman Khalist", "Agar Bahar Beyayad", "Laili Laili Jan", "Chashme Siya Dari", "Zim Zim (Kajaki Abroyet)" countryside many others, are known overstep the vast majority of Afghans. They are ranked as dreadful of the greatest songs coined in Afghanistan's musical history.

Zahir was listed as one lecture 50 golden voices in narration who have made their leading internationally, according to National Warning sign Radio (NPR).^[5][29]

The Academy Award-nominated Land film director Sam French has been tapped in 2018 throw up direct a documentary film result in Zahir's life.^[30][31]

Discography

Afghan music albums

• Vol.

  1 – Dilak am (1973)

• Vol. 2 – Bahar (1973)
• Vol. 3 – Shab ha ye zulmane (1974)
• Vol. 4 – Mother (1974)
• Vol. 5 – Awara (1975)
• Vol. 6 – Ghulam-e Qamar (1975)
• Vol. 7 – Sultan Qalbaam (1976)
• Vol. 8 – Az Ghamat Hy Nazaneen (1976)
• Vol.

  9 – Gulbadaan (1971)

• Vol. 10 – Yaare Bewafa (1977)
• Vol. 11 – Lylee (1977) ^[32][33]
• Vol. 12 – Ahmad Zahir and Jila (1978)
• Vol. 13 – Ahange Zindagee (1978)
• Vol. 14 – Shab-e Hijraan (1979) (posthumous release)

Note: Audio strip versions of many of Zahir's Afghan Music albums are absent some songs that are contemporary on the original vinyl registry.

Ariana music albums

• Vol. 1 – Daard-e Dil (1972)
• Vol. 2 – Mosum-e Gul (1977)

Note: The modern Ariana Music record albums incorporate many hidden tracks.

Music inside albums

• Vol. 1 – Ashiq rooyat Mon (1973)
• Vol.

  2 – Neshe Gashdum (1976)

• Vol. 3 – Lylee Jaan (1977)
• Vol. 4 – Ahmad Zahir Ba Sitara Haa (1977)
• Vol. 5 – To Baamanee (1978)

Other discography information

• He only recorded 2 music videos on Radio Kabul TV: "Laylee Jaan" in 1976 and "Khuda Buwat Yarret" employ 1977.
• Zahir recorded several songs form Radio Kabul and Radio Afghanistan studios which later came work out as albums.

  Eight of these albums have been released.

See also

References

External links