Description
Special Ramadan Screening
Saami and Rauf Saami, moderated by Nermeen Arastu. An iftar fast-breaking reception follows.
This event is copresented with The Reed Society and District of Raga. Ustad Naseeruddin Saami performs at Wolf Trap on April 5.
Filmed in Pakistan, this immersive, fascinating documentary is a dual portrait of two men devoted to forging deep connections to both God and the people around them. Gogha Sain is a mystic who wears heavy rings on his legs and is on a lifelong pilgrimage to place himself entirely in service to God and his fellow humans. The master of a centuries-old musical tradition, Ustad Naseeruddin Saami believes that the path to God is through lifelong study, tirelessly passing on his knowledge to younger generations, and the quest for self-knowledge. Filled with Saami’s mesmerizing singing, along with scenes filmed at awe-inspiring holy sites, Closer to God is a rich exploration of two men’s deeply spiritual approaches to life.
(Dir.: Annette Berger & Grete Jentzen, Switzerland, 2018, 84 min., DCP, English, Pashto, and Urdu with English subtitles)
About Ustad Saami:
Ustad Naseeruddin Saami is a Pakistani classical vocalist of rarely heard depth, power, and presence. He is a master of both khayal (which roughly translates to "imagination") and qawwali and is the very last living practitioner of a mesmerizing and ancient 49-note microtonal vocal scale that dates back over 800 years.
Ustad Saami is a revered figure known for his rich, resonant voice, which he implements like a fine-tuned instrument with devastating impact. His contributions to South Asian classical music have elevated him to living legend status, and his performances are not just concerts—they are spiritual events that bridge past and present, connecting audiences across cultural and temporal divides.
About Rauf Saami:
Muhammad Rauf Saami is an accomplished vocalist, khayal practitioner, and lead member of the Saami Brothers Qawwal, the humble custodians of the traditions of Qawwali and Khayaal of Hazrat Ameer Khusrau and Ustaad Taanrus Khan Sahab. As the eldest son and disciple of the critically acclaimed Maestro Ustaad Naseeruddin Saami, he is well versed in several eastern classical genres, including Khayal, and is currently performing in a Riwayiti (traditional) Qawwali Group.
Rauf Naseeruddin Saami grew up in a family with rich musical heritage, referred to as the Qawwal Bachha Delhi Gharana. The lineage of this gharana leads back around 800 years, all the way to Saamat Bin Ibrahim, a principal student of Hazrat Ameer Khusro.
From an early age, they were blessed to have been taught the intricacies of classical music by the late Ustaad Mushi Raziuddin Ahmed Khan, the late Ustaad Nizamuddin Saami, and Ustaad Naseeruddin Saami. Muhammad Rauf Naseeruddin Saami’s maternal grandfather, Munshi Raziuddin Qawal, was also an internationally renowned performer and has one of the five main roads named after him in the “Qawwali Lane” section of Karachi’s Garden District. Now, Saami Brothers Qawwal are strict adherents to the classical tradition of qawwali, and they strive to maintain their distinct identity through a purist ideology; the roots and the originals have been perfected, and so they bring few changes to them, instead allowing modern audiences a sampling of the traditional qawwalis. A sampling of the different languages the troupe is fluent in—Urdu, Sindhi, Punjabi, and Persian, among others—exhibits the pluralism and diversity of their art form. Through their diverse language of expression, they highlight a message of tolerance and acceptance.
Image courtesy of Annette Berger
Cost
Free. Register in advance (recommended)
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Accessibility & Accommodations
Captioning, Wheelchair accessible
