Qareeb (Closeness), 1987 - Triple Earth Records
The Ghazal occupies a unique place in the music and poetry of the Indian sub-continent. A perfect example of a form, many hundreds of years old, that has maintained its popularity throughout the ages, yet never more so than within the last 15 years as singers have taken it from the light classical area into the popular market with remarkable success. Najma is the first UK born singer to concentrate on this art.
Qareeb explores the Ghazal by using a radical yet subtle slant on an old, old story: 'when East meets West'. Using jazz arrangements with instrumentation such as, Soprano sax with Indian violin, tablas with bass, keyboard with santoor, voice on voice to introduce vocal harmonies for the first time, created a unique genre of world music. The language of the Ghazal on this album is Urdu and this language was born in India during the centuries of Mughal rule. Ghazals or poems written on this album are by favoured poets such as Daag, Dehlvi, Ahmed Faraz, Asad Turabi and Qateel Shafai. This is the recording that brought Najma to international attention.
"Qareeb is the work of a musician who senses that, these days, she can remember the ancient, honour the everyday and sing to several continents at the same time."
The New York Times
“Qareeb is a fabulous record." New Musical Express
"Qareeb is one of the 50 recommended Albums of 1987." Q Magazine
"More than just a passing fad for jaded ears." The Independent
"Vinyl Finals of 1987" NME
Qareeb explores the Ghazal by using a radical yet subtle slant on an old, old story: 'when East meets West'. Using jazz arrangements with instrumentation such as, Soprano sax with Indian violin, tablas with bass, keyboard with santoor, voice on voice to introduce vocal harmonies for the first time, created a unique genre of world music. The language of the Ghazal on this album is Urdu and this language was born in India during the centuries of Mughal rule. Ghazals or poems written on this album are by favoured poets such as Daag, Dehlvi, Ahmed Faraz, Asad Turabi and Qateel Shafai. This is the recording that brought Najma to international attention.
"Qareeb is the work of a musician who senses that, these days, she can remember the ancient, honour the everyday and sing to several continents at the same time."
The New York Times
“Qareeb is a fabulous record." New Musical Express
"Qareeb is one of the 50 recommended Albums of 1987." Q Magazine
"More than just a passing fad for jaded ears." The Independent
"Vinyl Finals of 1987" NME