Najma Akhtar

A Tour of Song and Poetry expressed through the Indian Ghazal and Western Folk.

Najma Akhtar: Autumn 2014 Tour.

RSW 2014 tour for Najma Akhtar's new project culminates with a performance in London, at Rich Mix.

A Tour of Song and Poetry expressed through the Indian Ghazal and Western Folk.

Najma Akhtar is a British singer and songwriter from an Indian and Pakistani heritage. Her voice has been described as "a heaven-sent gift" (Songlines), "immaculate" (The Guardian) and "enchanting and splendid" (All Music Guide). She has collaborated with many world-class artists, including Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, Andy Summers, Basement Jaxx, Jethro Tull and Philip Glass.

Having released eight solo albums, Najma established herself as a pioneering vocalist during the late 'eighties with her widely acclaimed first album 'Qareeb', introducing jazz to the traditional repertoire of Ghazal (Urdu ballad). This album was hailed as a groundbreaking recording in the World Music scene and has since paved the way for many artists of Indian descent.

The Concert:
Najma will present the romantic Urdu poetry of the Ghazal in song, exploring lyrics written by traditional and contemporary writers. Additionally, in reflection of Najma's British nationality and heritage, the concert will incorporate a number of English and Irish traditional ballads and songs.

Using both the traditional and contemporary Indian style, her singing will be accompanied by Harmonium, Violin, Bass, Multi-percussionist and Guitar.

This will be a mesmerising and intimate musical evening of song and poetry, resonating with Najma's British and Indian roots and connecting vocal expressions through the rich musical landscape of the cultures that surround them.

But the emphasis is the voice, celebrating the Ghazal, the Ballad and stories of love.

The project is aimed at a wider audience and the concert explores a bi-lingual territory that is highly unusual in the presentation of an Asian and European repertoire.