A for Aleph Podcast

In this episode of the Aleph podcast, A For Aleph Founder Umair Dar sits down with the phenomenal Sarangi virtuoso Gul Muhammad, son of Ustad Akhtar Husain, and grandson of Ustad Ghulam Muhammad of the Hoshiyaarpur Gharana; representing the seventh generation of musicians in his family, Gul carries a monumental musical heritage on his shoulders.

Currently, he is among only two active professional Sarangi players in the country. He has been part of the internationally acclaimed ensemble Sounds of Kolachi  since its inception and has also collaborated with Umair in his former band  TheDAMethod  on a number of tracks. The conversation delves into Gul's musical journey and sheds lights on the struggles of classical musicians in the modern era.

FOLLOW GUL MUHAMMAD:

• Instagram: gulkhansarangi
• YouTube: gulmuhammadkhansarangi
• Twitter: gulmuhammad2545

• Bandcamp: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Instagram: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Facebook: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Twitter: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• YouTube: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Buy Merchandise: li.sten.to/aforaleph

A for Aleph is a unique creative collaborative space and initiative based in Karachi, Pakistan, that is focused on the patronage and empowerment of the arts and foster the growth of independent contemporary artists from across the region in order to heal, evolve and expand our collective consciousness, the Aleph.

More here: https://linktr.ee/aforaleph

In this episode of the Aleph podcast, A For Aleph Founder Umair Dar hosts renowned musician and actor, Junaid Khan.

During the third year of his Engineering degree from UET, Junaid was auditioned by and then recruited by the band ‘Call’, after which they  released their first song, “Nishaan”. The success of the single catapulted them to instant stardom in the music scene, making them mainstream artists; they went on to perform at various prestigious events in Pakistan and internationally and released their first album, Jilawatan (2005) to much commercial success.

Junaid has also lent his musical talents to brands such as Ufone, Pepsi and McDonalds to create jingles and advertisements. While also having worked on OSTs for Pakistani dramas such as  Matae-Jaan, Yahan Pyar Nahi Hai, Ye Mera Deewanapun Hai and Bin Roye. His vocals have added life to many OST’s of his projects such as Natak, Marzi and Sun Yara.

Whilst it was music that brought him the initial fame, having a strong foundation in theater during his student days is what called him to pursue acting aswell. Khan later rose to prominence for his acting. He is well known for his roles, in various TV series prominently Sun Yaara (2017), Ishq Tamasha (2018) and Yaariyan (2019).


FOLLOW JUNAID KHAN:
Instagram: calljunaidkhan
X (Formerly known as Twitter) :  itsjunaidKhan
YouTube: calljunaidkhan
Facebook: junaidkhanofficial

FOLLOW A FOR ALEPH: 
Bandcamp: https://li.sten.to/aforaleph
Instagram: https://li.sten.to/aforaleph
Facebook: https://li.sten.to/aforaleph
Twitter: https://li.sten.to/aforaleph
YouTube: https://li.sten.to/aforaleph
Buy Merchandise: https://li.sten.to/aforaleph

Directed, Shot & Edited by Aly Muhammad

A for Aleph is a unique creative collaborative space and initiative based in Karachi, Pakistan, that is focused on the patronage and empowerment of the arts and foster the growth of independent contemporary artists from across the region in order to heal, evolve and expand our collective consciousness, the Aleph.

More here: https://linktr.ee/aforaleph

In this Episode, A For Aleph Founder Umair Dar invites award winning Filmmaker & Musician Nadir Shahzad to our podcast. He is the frontman of Sikandar ka Mandar - An indie folk rock band from Karachi known for being at the forefront of the local indie music industry.

He has also been the Producer of the indie music show Lussin TV which ran for four seasons, featuring artists like Natasha Humera Ejaz, Khumariyaan, Ali Suhail, and Shajie Hasan among many others.

In 2018 Nadir won a film competition for his short film 'Zom-Com'. Nadir has released 'Atomy Event' his first solo single and before this, he was working with Natasha Noorani on 'Bojh' a synth-pop track that gained good traction.

Currently, Nadir is focused on being a family man while managing production and direction of advertisements.

FOLLOW NADIR SHEHZAD:

• Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/31POW...
• Instagram: nadirshahzad
• YouTube: nadirshahzad2882
• Twitter: twitter.com/nadirshahzad26?la...

FOLLOW SIKANDAR KA MANDAR:

• Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/4Vff8...
• Facebook: sikandarkamandar
• YouTube: youtube.com/@SikandarKaMa...

FOLLOW A FOR ALEPH:

• Bandcamp: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Instagram: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Facebook: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Twitter: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• YouTube: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Buy Merchandise: li.sten.to/aforaleph

A for Aleph is a unique creative collaborative space and initiative based in Karachi, Pakistan, that is focused on the patronage and empowerment of the arts and foster the growth of independent contemporary artists from across the region in order to heal, evolve and expand our collective consciousness, the Aleph.

More here: https://linktr.ee/aforaleph

In this episode of the Aleph Podcast, A For Aleph Founder Umair Dar had the pleasure of inviting the legendary, Jon J. Saville. The conversation is about Jon’s journey into the music industries starting from his childhood to what he is doing currently. A for Aleph Founder, Umair gets into the details of Jon’s musical endeavors, inspirations, achievements and how it’s been for him working on different projects and bands recently.

Jon Saville, born in Karachi is among the legendary musicians of the city and is one of the pioneer jazz piano and keyboard players in Pakistan as well as a producer, composer, arranger, and teacher. Apart from being a virtuoso Pianist, Jon is also a multi-instrumentalist, that excels at guitar & bass. Also played the Clarinet and Sax at the early age of 7, but did not really pursue the path of wind and reed instruments. Indulging in a variety of music styles from western classical to country, blues, progressive rock & jazz, Jon has ventured through almost every genre and has adapted and moulded his own playing with influences from Modern Jazz, Funk, Fusion, Bop, Smooth Jazz, and Latin-Jazz. He won the UNESCO International Jazz Day in 2013. He has played with top names in the Pakistani music industry including Najam Sheraz, Milestones, Aamir Zaki, Abbas Premji, Louis 'Gumby' Pinto, Brain Masala and is featured on Mizmaar's first album.

Currently, Jon Saville teaches music and heads the department of Piano & Keyboards at the Arts Council Karachi, Karachi. His latest project is Surkhwaab, a south-asian classical fusion group that mixes ragas with blues & jazz arrangements.

Follow A for Aleph:

• Bandcamp: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Instagram: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Facebook: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Twitter: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• YouTube: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Buy Merchandise: li.sten.to/aforaleph

Follow Jon Saville:

• Instagram: jonjsaville
• Facebook: jon.j.saville

Follow Surkhwaab:

• Bandcamp: li.sten.to/surkhwaab
• Instagram: surkhwaabmusic
• Facebook: surkhwaab
• YouTube: surkhwaab

A for Aleph is a unique creative collaborative space and initiative based in Karachi, Pakistan, that is focused on the patronage and empowerment of the arts and foster the growth of independent contemporary artists from across the region in order to heal, evolve and expand our collective consciousness, the Aleph.

More here: https://linktr.ee/aforaleph

In this episode of the Aleph Podcast, A For Aleph Founder Umair Dar is in conversation with the multi-talented Film-maker, Screen writer and Music Producer Jamal Rahman of True Brew Records fame. Over the past decade and a half, Jamal has worked with a number of bands, and on various films, documentaries and commercials as a music composer and producer. After shifting his focus to filmmaking, Jamal has recently worked with Coke Studio on Season 14 and directed the video for Kana Yaari by Kaifi Khalil. He also Directed the video & Produced the song Seedhi Baat by the band Towers. The podcast goes into Jamal's journey from Art Student, to Music producer and now Filmmaker, covering the challenges he has overcome and how different episodes of his evolution shaped his thinking and approach and made him the person he is today.

Follow A for Aleph:

• Bandcamp: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Instagram: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Facebook: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Twitter: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• YouTube: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Buy Merchandise: li.sten.to/aforaleph

• Linktree: linktr.ee/jamalrahmanfilm
• Instagram: jamalrahman
• Facebook: jamal.rahman.509

• Instagram: truebrewrecords
• Facebook: truebrewrecords
• Soundcloud: truebrewrecords

A for Aleph is a unique creative collaborative space and initiative based in Karachi, Pakistan, that is focused on the patronage and empowerment of the arts and foster the growth of independent contemporary artists from across the region in order to heal, evolve and expand our collective consciousness, the Aleph.

More here: https://linktr.ee/aforaleph

In this episode of The Aleph Podcast, A For Aleph Founder Umair Dar invites a man that is considered one of the most important guitar players and musicians in Pakistan's History, Faraz Anwar.

Faraz Anwar started his music journey at the age of six, when he saw Yngwie Malmsteen, the Swedish guitar virtuoso on the TV for the first time. This led him to pick up the guitar as his main instrument. Mentored by another Pakistani great guitarist, Adnan Afaq and inspired by the likes of Allan Holdsworth, Paul Gilbert, Steve Morse & John Petrucci along with the aforementioned Malmsteen. Faraz started playing guitar in 1990, he then went on to do session guitar work as a recording artist as well as in their live bands with a some of the legendary musicians and bands from Pakistan including Ali Haider, Junoon, Fakhr-e-Alam, Junaid Jamshed, Sajjad Ali, Strings, Noori and Nadeem Jaffri to name a few. His first international live performance was with Sajjad Ali for his album Babia. In 1996, while he was in Pakistan, he sent his instrumental demo tapes to ‘Berklee College of Music’, Boston, resulting in winning him scholarship but due to some personal issues he could not go. Later as an acknowledgment, they presented him with “Outstanding Musical Achievement Award”.

Apart from his work as a session player, Faraz Anwar formed the Pakistani Progressive rock outfit Mizraab, in which he was the composer, producer, guitarist and lead singer. The band released their debut experimental album ‘Panchi’ in 1998, and went on to release Maazi Haal Mustaqbil in 2004, getting significant airplay on local and international music channels and thereby garnering a significant fan base. In 2001, his solo instrumental album “Abstract Point of View” was released on Gnarly Geezer Records, founded by his hero Alan Holdsworth. Also in 2004, Faraz, joined forces with Babar Sheikh to form metal band “Dusk”. The band toured Czech Republic and performed 13 concerts in few parts of Europe in 2006/2007.  Faraz has also made multiple appearances in Coke Studio - the first time was in 2011 when Faraz performed "Kuch Hai" with his band Mizraab. In 2014 Rohail Hyatt again invited him to play in a song “Malhar” followed by another performance of his song "Ujalon Mein" in 2017, season 10.

Most recently Faraz has been focusing on his solo career and released the album 'Ishq Ki Subah' in 2020, followed by the concept album 'Tale of the Lunatics' in 2022. He is currently working on another solo record.

FOLLOW FARAZ ANWAR:

• Official Website: farazanwar.com
• Bandcamp: thefarazanwar.bandcamp.com
• YouTube: farazanwarofficial
• Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/4WFQS...
• Instagram: thefarazanwar
• Facebook: thefarazanwar

• YouTube: @farazanwarofficial
• Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/0h96R...
• Deezer: deezer.com/en/artist/5642...
• Facebook: mizraabofficial

• Apple Music: abstract-point-of-view
• Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/16raK5...
• Amazon Music: amazon.com/Abstract-Point...
• Discogs: discogs.com/release/83270...

• Bandcamp: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Instagram: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Facebook:

A for Aleph is a unique creative collaborative space and initiative based in Karachi, Pakistan, that is focused on the patronage and empowerment of the arts and foster the growth of independent contemporary artists from across the region in order to heal, evolve and expand our collective consciousness, the Aleph.

More here: https://linktr.ee/aforaleph

In this episode of The Aleph Podcast, A For Aleph Founder Umair Dar has the pleasure of hosting, Muhammad Aizaz Sohail; singer, educator and composer, of the highest order.

Born in 1987, Karachi, Aizaz started singing from a very young age and has developing a keen understanding of the intricacies of music. Aizaz is a trained singer in eastern classical music and is now a renowned teacher himself. He is well known for his appearances in Pakistan Superstar and Pakistan Television Corporation’s program “Firdous-e-Gosh”

Aizaz started his vocal training under the guidance of the very acclaimed ghazal singer, Tina Sani and later began formal Classical training from Master Abdul Rauf. He was also a student of Ustad Faheem Mazhar in Lahore and was simultaneously taking help for vocal training from Anol Chatterjee, a senior disciple of Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty.

Aizaz has also performed in both the Lahore and Karachi chapters of the All Pakistan Music Conference, alongside many fusion-based collaborative projects. He has been a featured vocalist for the band Mughal-e-Funk and has also been featured in the famous Mekaal Hasan Band’s live performances and tours, while also having worked for corporate sponsored projects such as Coke Studio and Bisconni Music.

His debut album titled 'Khayal' was recorded and produced at A for Aleph released on 22nd May, 2021 as bandcamp exclusive release, now available to buy or stream on all platforms: https://li.sten.to/khayal

FOLLOW AIZAZ SOHAIL:

• Instagram: AizazMusic
• Facebook: primeaizaz
• Bandcamp: aizazsohail.bandcamp.com

• Bandcamp: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Instagram: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Facebook: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Twitter: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• YouTube: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Buy Merchandise: li.sten.to/aforaleph

A for Aleph is a unique creative collaborative space and initiative based in Karachi, Pakistan, that is focused on the patronage and empowerment of the arts and foster the growth of independent contemporary artists from across the region in order to heal, evolve and expand our collective consciousness, the Aleph.

More here: https://linktr.ee/aforaleph

In this episode of the Aleph Podcast, A For Aleph Founder Umair Dar is in conversation with the very talented Filipino-Pakistani, singer/song writer Maria Unera. 

Inspired by her mother, Maria's interest in music began early. She took piano lessons when she was about 8 years old and started learning the guitar by the age of 13 and it was the regular karaoke sessions growing up that helped her get accustomed to performing. From busking at a park after school, to performing multiple times at Nescafe Basement, and having released her own music. Maria has had an impact locally and internationally, being featured on Spotify's EQUAL Campaign aswell as performing at Dubai Expo 2020. We look forward to hearing the music she is working on and the trail she blazes in the future.


Certainly! Here are the hyperlinks formatted for use on other platforms:

• Instagram: mariaunera
• Facebook: mariaunera
• Twitter: maria_unera

• Bandcamp: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Instagram: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Facebook: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Twitter: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• YouTube: li.sten.to/aforaleph
• Buy Merchandise: li.sten.to/aforaleph

A for Aleph is a unique creative collaborative space and initiative based in Karachi, Pakistan, that is focused on the patronage and empowerment of the arts and foster the growth of independent contemporary artists from across the region in order to heal, evolve and expand our collective consciousness, the Aleph.

More here: https://linktr.ee/aforaleph

In a special episode of the Aleph Podcast with A For Aleph Founder Umair Dar, we had the privilege of featuring the exceptional Kamran Khan, also known as Kami Jee, the celebrated Keyboard Player, Music Producer, and a pivotal founding member of the band Aaroh.

Kami Jee's story is one of passion and determination. Growing up in Saudi Arabia, he nurtured a deep love for music, especially the keyboard, which eventually became his instrument of choice. This passion led him to the vibrant Pakistani music scene in the mid-90s, a period ripe with musical experimentation and innovation. Here, he connected with some of the era's most iconic musicians, including the likes of Junaid Jamshed and Nabeel Nihal.

It was during this time that Kamran, along with Nabeel, seized the opportunity to explore their musical path. The duo embarked on forming their alternative rock band, Aaroh.

Aaroh quickly rose to prominence, marking their entry into the spotlight by winning the first edition of Pepsi Battle of the Bands, triumphing over formidable competitors like EP and The Mekaal Hassan Band. This victory not only established Aaroh as a major force in the music industry but also showcased Kami Jee’s remarkable talents.

Following the original lineup's split, Kamran embarked on a new chapter, moving to the U.S., where he continues his musical journey. His story resonates with musicians and music lovers alike, illustrating the power of passion and the unending pursuit of musical dreams.

Follow Kami Jee:

• Instagram: kamijee_official on Instagram
• TikTok: kamijee_official on TikTok
• Twitter: kamijee on Twitter
• Facebook: kamijeeofficial on Facebook
• Bandcamp: Kami Jee Music on Bandcamp
• YouTube: kamijee on YouTube
• Website: Kami Jee's Official Website

Follow A for Aleph:

• Bandcamp: A for Aleph on Bandcamp
• Instagram: A for Aleph on Instagram
• Facebook: A for Aleph on Facebook
• Twitter: A for Aleph on Twitter
• YouTube: A for Aleph on YouTube
• Buy Merchandise: A for Aleph Merchandise

A for Aleph is a unique creative collaborative space and initiative based in Karachi, Pakistan, that is focused on the patronage and empowerment of the arts and foster the growth of independent contemporary artists from across the region in order to heal, evolve and expand our collective consciousness, the Aleph.

More here: https://linktr.ee/aforaleph

In the latest installment of the Aleph Podcast with A For Aleph Founder Umair Dar, we were thrilled to welcome the exceptionally talented Zahid Qureshi.

As a self-taught multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, music composer, and advertising expert, Zahid has carved a distinct niche for himself in the Pakistani music industry. He first caught the public eye as the dynamic guitarist and songwriter for the band 'Tamaasha'. Their remarkable talent shone through in Pepsi Battle of the Bands Season 3, where they impressively clinched the title of 2nd runner-ups, earning them widespread acclaim.

Following his success with 'Tamaasha', Zahid’s musical journey took an expansive turn. He has been actively involved in the music scene, lending his writing, composing, and performance skills to collaborations with noted artists such as Zeeshan Ali, Maria Unera, Kashmir the Band, Ali Hamza, Bilal Ali, and Muneeb Haq.

In addition to his artistic pursuits, Zahid co-founded Grey Audio Productions, dedicated to producing music for various projects, including bands, solo artists, TV commercials, and film scores.

Join us in this episode as we explore Zahid Qureshi's multifaceted musical journey and his contributions that have enriched Pakistan's music landscape.

FOLLOW ZAHID ALI QURAISHI:
Instagram:   / zahidaliqureshi 
Facebook:   / zcstr 

FOLLOW A FOR ALEPH:
Bandcamp: https://li.sten.to/aforaleph
Instagram: https://li.sten.to/aforaleph
Facebook: https://li.sten.to/aforaleph
Twitter: https://li.sten.to/aforaleph
YouTube: 

A for Aleph is a unique creative collaborative space and initiative based in Karachi, Pakistan, that is focused on the patronage and empowerment of the arts and foster the growth of independent contemporary artists from across the region in order to heal, evolve and expand our collective consciousness, the Aleph.

More here: https://linktr.ee/aforaleph