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SAY arts Entertainment
Musician
sayarts
Style: World
Joined: December 21, 2006
Last Sign In: 3 weeks ago
Videos Watched: 1,016
Subscribers: 95
Channel Views: 5,382
With an enthusiasm and dedication to promoting the arts that belies his 28 years, Abid Iqbal also possesses an abundance of entrepreneurial skill and is an impresario in the true sense of the word. He is very passionate about promoting Qawwali (Sufi) Music which was introduced to the west by the rock musician and living legend Peter Gabriel. In 2003 Abid organised Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's UK Tour, Junoon's Mela Tour, and in 2005 invited Qari Abdul Waheed Chishti Qawwal and group for their debut tour.

Reflecting his love of technology, Abid has worked for Birmingham City Council as Senior IT Projects Officer since graduating in 2001, and has now gone part-time to focus on his own project, SAY Arts www.sayarts.com, and currently on placement 3 days week within the Arts Section of Birmingham City Council.

Abid anticipates a national appointment soon to a public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
SAY Arts is a UK-based organisation promoting International Concerts and Artists from the Indian Sub-continent. Our aim is to develop young audiences and nurture talent specifically in the area of Qawwali music. Our primary focus is on Sufi music, but given the immense crossover popularity of Bhangra, Bollywood , Folk and Pop music, we incorporate all thes styles in our offerings. SAY Arts have worked with schools and colleges, community groups and arts centres. We offer exciting opportunities for new and existing businesses to sponsor tours and events across the country, our sphere of activity being informed by educational, business and community agendas.

One of the principal artforms SAY Arts focuses on is the Qawwali form of devotional Sufi (mystical and spiritual) music. Qawwali is a vibrant musical tradition that stretches back more than 700 years. With its roots in 8th Century Persia and subsequent development across India, it has reached out to many different audiences and has crossed many cultural and linguistic barriers. It was identified by rock legend Peter Gabriel, who gave leading maestro Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan the breakthrough he needed in the West. Before his untimely death, there were projects with artists as diverse as Madonna and the late Luciano Pavarotti and his music was featured on the soundtracks of such Hollywood blockbusters as The Last Temptation of Christ, Natural Born Killers and Dead Man Walking, by top directors like Martin Scorsese, Oliver Stone and Tim Robbins.

The late Ustad (Master) developed a warm and lasting association with Gabriel and helped make a South Asian genre of spiritual incantation into a globally recognised form. Yet it seemed there was a lot more to accomplish and look forward to from this Ustad. Tragically, a long-standing kidney ailment took its toll and we lost a colossal musical icon. So as to carry the torch for this hugely influential performer, SAY Arts currently collaborates with his nephews and other disciples of the greatest and most legendary Qawwals (singers). Just as his illustrious uncle Nusrat before him, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has found success composing and performing music in Hollywod, scoring films like Mel Gibson's Apocalypto, as well as entertaining the Bollywood élite at Abishekh and Aishwariya Rai's society wedding. Rahat's big break came with his first concert tours which were organised by SAY Arts, the driving force behind Sufi Music and Entertainment.

"In every generation there is a sound that captures the moment

The sound of a time and place that reflects the people who made it.

In our generation it is the sound of our present and out past becoming our future

It is the sound of the world coming together

SAY Passion

SAY Music

SAY Arts"

Label Type: Independent
Country: United Kingdom
Website URL: http://www.sayarts.com
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Recent Activity  
sayarts uploaded a new video (6 months ago)
Former Council Member for the Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and Indust...   more
 
 
sayarts uploaded a new video (6 months ago)
Question to Prime Minister

Abid Iqbal,

[Former Council Member for the Birm...   more
 
Testimonial for SAY Arts by Lord Jones of Birmingham
0:31
Testimonial for SAY Arts by Lord Jones of Birmingham
no rating 1 year ago 104 views sayarts no rating
Abid to PM
1:19
[TRANSLATED] Abid to PM
[TRANSLATED] Abid to PM
Abid Iqbal from SAY Arts Questions Tony Blair CBI Annual Conference 2006
1 year ago 470 views sayarts
CBI Annual Conference 2008 Abid to David Cameron
5:08
Former Council Member for the Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Member...
6 months ago 122 views sayarts
CBI Annual Conference 2008 Abid to Gordon Brown
4:27
Question to Prime Minister Abid Iqbal, [Former Council Member for the Birmingham...
no rating 6 months ago 118 views sayarts no rating
Mohd Ayyub, Oriental Star Agencies (OSA)
0:18
mohd ayyub
no rating 1 year ago 258 views sayarts no rating
Jerry Blackett, Chief Executive, Brum Chambers of Commerce
0:37
Jerry Blackett, Chief Executive, Brum Chambers of Commerce
no rating 1 year ago 108 views sayarts no rating
Paul Keene, Director of Projects, Town Hall & Symphony Hall
1:08
Paul Keene
no rating 1 year ago 93 views sayarts no rating
John Crabtree Chairman of the Birmingham Hippodrome
0:31
SAY Arts Entertainment DVD testimonial
no rating 1 year ago 80 views sayarts no rating
Ninder Johal, Nachural Records
0:43
ninder johal
no rating 1 year ago 377 views sayarts no rating