From Rome to Dhaka – Fuzon Rocks the East and West

Fuzon have been living up to their second album's title by journeying across the globe for various concert performances for bureaucrats, dignitaries and even the general public.

The band recently performed concerts in Rome and Dhaka, where they enthralled their audiences. These shows come in the heels of their recent India tour which was also very successful.

"It was an amazing experience," recalls Shallum. "Rome was a dream and so was Dhaka." Emu states that both the cities caught him off-guard, "I wasn't expecting the crowd to actually know of the songs and sing along as loud as they could; which they did!" Emu said. He added, "Both cities welcomed us with open arms, and we've made fans abroad." Rameez replied, "It was a fun experience, especially for the fact that we were performing for the ambassadors and all the dignitaries." And is Rameez at home now as the lead singer? "I'm much more comfortable now," said the singer, acknowledging the fact that he's not worried anymore about filling anyone's shoes. "The fans have accepted me and that's all that matters," said Rameez. Shallum added, "He's been getting great feedback from all over, even when we went to India before this and now Rome and Dhaka."

The band was one of three Pakistani acts performing at the Pakistani High Commission at Rome. "We were invited to Rome by the Pakistani High Commission to perform at a special concert highlighting the modern Pakistan and its music for western audiences. It was an honor to do so and exciting at the same time," Shallum explained about the Rome concert. Emu further explained the nature of the performance at Rome, "As Pakistani musicians or entertainers, it is our responsibility to promote a positive image of Pakistan, something that they don't see every day, especially on the news." Rameez added, "We just had to give them the best of us, as Pakistani muscians, and that's why we played the songs that we did." They performed Neend Na Aye, Tere Bena, and Dewanay.

In Dhaka, they performed two shows, back to back, one show for dignitaries whereas the other for the general public. Again, the band was met by positive feedback, from both audiences, but it was the second concert which had a very special performance by the band for the Bangladeshi audience. "We performed a very special song in Dhaka and the crowd there just went nuts," recalls Shallum. "Rameez's performance was a key factor there, he worked especially hard to get it just right," says Emu about Rameez's performance. The singer himself was quite shocked at the reaction, "The crowd wasn't expecting us to play a Bengali song, so when I started singing the first few lines, they just erupted with jubilation." The song they performed was a Bengali version of an old Indian tune, Dil Mein Hon Tum, Ankhon Mein Ho Tum, a version performed by the great Kishore Kumar entitled, Shoone.

Finally, after so much, what is next for the band? "We have a US tour coming up soon," says Shallum. "And after that we'll start focusing on our next album," says Emu. Which when they do, Fuzon should release their third album sometime in mid 2010.

All that Kolachi Jazz

They say that jazz is an acquired taste.

If that is so, then Karachi has quite the appetite for Jazz. On a brisk Saturday evening, the jazz/fusion supergroup, the Kolachi Quartet performed a gig at the PACC.

The who's who of the entertainment industry loitered around the entrance of the inner-theatre, where the concert was set to take place. TV stars, musicians, photographers, models, all mingled with the band members, a sight not particularly seen before the concert – or come to think of it, at any concert.

The group is comprised of varied musicians. Pakistan's prominent percussionist Gumby, handles the drums; classical guitarist Abbas Premjee helms the guitar; Khalid Khan of Aaroh provides the bass lines; finally to round things off, Emu of Fuzon fame, chimes in with his synthesizer and keyboards.

The Kolachi Quartet has performed before, but that was a special performance, away from the prying eyes of the public. This time around, they have opened their doors and although there weren't enough members of the general public around, the group's provided a very interesting performance.

As the lights dimmed, the musicians took to the stage. They looked relaxed, grinning at each other, obviously knowing what they were about to do.

Abbas greeted the audience and announced the track the name of the track, "Oops." Like a well oiled machine, each musician fell into place. At first, it doesn't seem that out of the ordinary, four musicians playing in a band. When you put them in their individual perspectives, that's where the interesting bit kicks in. Each of them brings their own flair and passion, each sound is different, yet when they all come together, their music gels perfectly.

The track itself was jumpy and upbeat, filled with the jazzy and fusion sound and gave a sneak peak for the audience what the show is all about. "That sinking feeling" followed and it was when the band shifted gears into a slower tune. The crowd seemed to sink itself into each tune and although Jazz is ambient music, the band made sure they were center of attention. An untitled piece follows: "We haven't given this one a name yet, but we call it the Kirwani Jam," says Premjee. The piece begins with an erratic but stable beat and pretty soon the audience gets into the groove.

The band then welcomed Zara on the stage. The singer has been previously heard on the "Khuda Key Liye" soundtrack and although she does justice to the film, her live singing is a bit less impressive. "Suniye Jee" is a soft ballad, Zara's vocals sinking into the ambience created by the band. At times, she seems a bit lost, but through the most of it, she's on track. After another track with Zara, the band then took a break as Abbas Premjee took the stage to perform a few solo compositions. The audience watched with awe and wonder as Abbas plucked and strummed two different pieces. From crescendos to soft whispers, Abbas clearly showed off his training in the guitar—and the audience loved it.

The band re-groups and then is joined by singer Irfan on stage. Irfan is a folk singer from Multan and sings in his native tongue. Although he stumbles a bit at first (perhaps due to some technical glitch) as the songs move on, he finds his own temperament and settles in with the band.

After the concert, the band spoke about the premise of the concert with much glee. It was clear that not only did they enjoy playing as a group, but they did so as individual musicians as well.

"This was probably more for us as musicians than as a band performing for an audience," spoke Gumby. Emu agrees, "It's just something that had to be done. As a musician, I've always been into Jazz – I was trained in it – but had never had the opportunity to play it live or as a part of a band." Khalid said, "I enjoyed playing with them, this was our first public concert and it was amazing."

When asked if they would ever release an album, Gumby replied "Every piece that was played in the concert – except for one – was an improvisation piece. We've practiced a basic structure, but apart from that, it's all something that happens once every concert. It's not something that can be captured on a disc, it has to be done live, in front of an audience." Emu reiterates this fact, "This is total improvisation, which is the essence of Jazz music." Guitarist Premjee echoes the sentiments of his fellow band members, "Jazz music is spontaneous, you can't have that on a disc, its meant to be played live—hence, we'd like to do more shows." Bassist Khalid Khan echoed his band members but added, "We can probably look into a record but at the moment, we're planning on doing more shows."

However, the band faces one criticism. Jazz music as a genre is extremely niche in Pakistan at the moment. There are very few people who play it, and even fewer who can appreciate it. "That's right," agrees Gumby, "it is niche, but at the same time, we're doing it and it's not like nobody came to the show." Emu says, "It is very niche, but then we had so many people show up at our show and because of that support we now have more shows lined up!" Whereas the majority of the band agrees upon its niche genre, Abbas Premjee has a different view: "I don't think its niche at all and if it is its less than ghazals and everything else that we have." Premjee insists that more shows will lead up to jazz becoming a broader genre than it already is.

Although we can expect more from Kolachi Quartet, the members themselves have a busy schedule up ahead. Premjee spoke about his solo album "Elements" and that it would be released shortly. Khalid Khan spoke about Aaroh, "We're working on some new songs that will lead into a new album." Meanwhile, Emu and his band continue to broaden their audiences, "We're [Fuzon] going to India again soon, so that should be exciting." Finally, and not the least, Gumby has his hands full too, with working on Abbas Premjee's album, providing drums for other people, like Kaavish's upcoming record and ultimately, more Kolachi Quartet shows.

The concert itself was probably the first of its kind, and it’s a shame not enough people get to experience it the first time around—but according to the band, more shows are around the corner so that the most of Karachi can experience the sounds of the Kolachi Quartet.

Fuzon: The beginning of a Journey

Fuzon's new album, Journey, is quite aptly named. For one, it has been a long journey since their last (and first) foray, Saagar. The album that launched Fuzon into the global phenomenon that they are now, provided a string of hits for the band. But it also set a standard and created a high level of expectation amongst its fans, who eagerly awaited the arrival of this album.

The other reason why the name suits the album is because this marks the beginning of a new journey for the band, since the departure of Shafqat Amanat Ali. For the band, there is also a departure from their original sound, towards a safer and more accessible “pop” sound. Hardcore Fuzon fans might think of it as “selling out” but perhaps they won't think as such when they hear it. The album is a free-fall plunge for the band, this is all of the things they wanted to try but always felt restricted for one reason or another. Listening to the album one comes to the conclusion that anything can happen on this album and anything invariably does.

The album starts off with Neend Na Aye and it's pretty clear from the get-go that there's something different; most notably Rameez’s vocals and the full onset of pop rock. Though the song itself is a heart-wrenching tale of loss and emptiness, the sound is quite melodic and upbeat. This could have been called a formula song, but Emu’s and Shallum’s individual talents make it anything but predictable.

Suna Suna, Dil Nay Kaha and Lagay Na Jeeya are old school Fuzon tracks. Lyrically rich and vocally enticing, these are probably the songs that come closest to Rameez making a point that he has his own style. His almost crooning like voice yearns for each word that he sings. As usual, both Emu and Shallum rely on a subtle melody and soft guitars to carry these numbers across. The sound is raw and classical, and though this album marks a departure for the band in terms of music; these tracks prove they haven't left the building yet. Though all three are ballads and don't vary too different from each other, it is this exact fusion of niche poetry and powerful musical motifs that have made Fuzon what they are today.

Tu Kahan starts off exactly like Sara Routh’s You’re Never Gone. But the similarity ends there. It is upbeat, cheerful and almost retro in its purist sound but the lyrics are completely opposite, filled with hurt and longing. Dholna is something one would not expect from Fuzon. Abrar ul Haq perhaps but not Fuzon. Going back to the "anything happening on this album comment", it was meant for this track; it catches you out of nowhere and pushes aside any initial apprehension you may have about this album.

Kahan and Nawan are some of the few disappointments in this album. These tracks are either over produced or under, too much happens in them or not enough does. Clearly these are the filler tracks within the album. Parri is the most rock Fuzon have gone. More than anything, this song probably reflects the entire age of music that the band have missed during their album hiatus, between the Jal, Atif Aslam, countless Junoon albums and the likes of Noori, et cetera.

Continuing the rock motif and the last track on the album, Choo Lo is an uplifting track that could easily accompany any sports team on their way to glory. Samba-esque beat, accompanied some lively synthesizer action and add to that, just the right cords on the guitar, make this track complete.

All the while, both Emu and Shallum seem to exude a sense of confidence and ease through each of the tracks. Each track is carefully produced, keeping in mind that they have a new singer, so whether it’s the rhythm guitar or the arrangement of the song, Fuzon is working with their new singer

Coming to the subject of Rameez Mukhtar. It would be an incredible easy task to critique him by either saying he's not as well as Shafqat or that he's simply not Fuzon material. But to dismiss Rameez immediately would be a great injustice to what he has done in this album. Here's a man who has been given the auspicious task of redefining a band's vocal sound. He doesn't step into Shafqat's shoes or even try to replace them. He has his own shoes and it will take some time for people to appreciate Rameez's stride in the journey of Fuzon.

There is however an absence of any one track that truly utilizes Rameez's potential or even exploits it for that matter. There's a sense of playing safe throughout all of the tracks, granted though because this is but the beginning of their journey.

Through all of this, there is of course the question: is it any good? The answer is yes, it is definitely a good album. Does it live up to the hype and expectations from the same band that brought you Saagar? Nope, it doesn't. However, this is not the same band that brought you Saagar. Both Emu and Shallum have come miles from who and what they were back then. From Emu's experience and exposure through producing other artists to Shallum's foray into international outings, each of them bring something new and different to this album now. You also have a new singer, who doesn't imitate the previous one and has his own voice. Essentially, this is an entirely different band put together.

This brings me to the other reason why this album is aptly named. More than anything this marks the beginning of a new journey for Fuzon (a departure, if you will). Whether this journey will see them stride all the way through or stumble along the way remains to be seen, the true judge(s) being the fans.

(This review was originally published in the June 1st, 2008 edition of DAWN Images.)

Fuzon 2.0: The Return

They began sometime in 2001, as a band with a contemporary rock sound but with a traditional eastern vocalist. The name of course depicts the style, which is a dichotomy of the two sounds and its fusion at the same time. Fuzon was met with tremendous success with their first album, Sagar. Critics lauded the blending of the two sounds, the compositions, melodies and the lyrics. Their success and critical acclaim soon spilled across the border like a tsunami, assimilating fans amid the Indian masses and even its film industry.But whilst they gained fame and amassed this huge following, they also gained expectation. Four years after they had burst on to the scene, there was talk of a second album. Material had been made, songs had been written and amid a constant delaying of the album, things didn't appear as they truly were.

"It was around 2005, after Khamaj, that the issues had started," Emu says, referring to the time that the group started working on their second album. Emu went on to say, "I think it arose from all three of us being insecure. But it quickly became into more of an insecurity between Shafqat and the two of us. And it was beginning to limit us as musicians." So does that mean that they feel liberated now that Shafqat has left? "Its complete freedom," states Emu, "the freedom to try out new sounds and music without being restricted." Shallum adds to the thought, "We've always wanted to experiment, so with that vision in mind and the need to grow musically, him not being in the band has given us a lot of opportunities."

Emu (Imran Momina) and Shallum Xavier are of course very eager to clear up what has been revealed before, albeit from Shafqat Amanat Ali's point of view. And whilst talking, it's apparent in both their tones that there is not one hint of malice towards their former singer, it's more of a disappointment. "I feel so embarrassed talking about it, but I have to," Emu went on to say "it took us just 11 days to get 8 tracks down in 2005 and we waited for Shafqat to come in and sing, but all we would get were excuses and excuses; either in the form of critiquing me or Shallum and our work, or his continuing insistence to record the album in India. I had to take a stand and say that I would not do any shows until and unless this album got recorded. In the end, it took him nine months to sing all of those tracks." During this time of delay and false starts, how did they react to the fact that Shafqat was also working on solo projects and even an album of his own? "The thing is," Emu recalls, "we didn't have any problem with him doing his own album or work but he didn't even tell us he was working on an album, and he got extremely self-defensive about when we confronted him about it. I had even offered him time to complete his own work before he could work on Fuzon, but it seems he wasn't even ready to talk on that issue."

It all came down to their last show together, on December 21st, 2006 where it finally ended. "It was my decision in the first place not to work with him. Then I spoke to Shallum and then we decided that we were just plain tired of it all, so we told him (Shafqat) that, what was the point in doing music in the first place if we're not happy as a band and are being held back?" They are adamant that there was no ill-will between them and their former singer, and that it was a decision reached on the fact that they were simply headed in opposite directions.

So as the new year of 2007 rolled in, Shallum and Emu went back on track, very quickly. They had recorded an album (which remains untitled) but what they needed now was to unwind all of restrictions added within in it and get it jumpstarted after all those false starts. First and foremost they brought in a friend and a relative unknown (at least to Fuzon fans), Rameez Mukhtar, as the new singer for the band.

Was Rameez aware of the troubles of Fuzon? "I was in the loop generally and I had an idea because I was in contact with Emu and Shallum, but I never would have thought that I'd be stepping in," he says. Of course, he steps in to some pretty big shoes, those of a vocalist who had a strong establishment in eastern classical music. So what experience does he bring? "I've trained under Ustaad Nisar Bazmi and I was working with Sohail Rana for a long time," though his tone is slightly tense and anxious, it's pretty clear Rameez would rather have his singing speak for him than him for his singing. He does however speak of the importance of riyaz and how he's been practicing it for the past two years. "Emu and Shallum knew about my range, so they've kind of composed these melodies around it," Rameez says. Did the two musicians have to work hard around the new singer? "Me and Shallum, being producers, we've worked and composed in such a way that it enhances his singing, if anything," Emu states. But if they've done all the hard work, what has Rameez done in terms of contributing to the band and the new album? "Well, I think my singing is a contribution unto itself and the fact that I satisfied Emu and Shallum with it is all that mattered to me."

Having said that, Rameez was always the first person for the job in the eyes (more particularly the ears) of Shallum and Emu, but had they asked anyone else? Both of them say that Rameez was the only person on the list and it seems that it wasn't just because he was a great singer, but also the fact that he was first and foremost a friend. Emu admits however that there were a few local musicians, "big name solo artists, who shall remain nameless," who had approached directly and even indirectly for the job.

Now onto the album, this has been described by all three members of the band, as a fresh start. They're excited because this time around they have a myriad of different tracks to perform for their fans, including two Punjabi tracks and a song that was specifically written for an upcoming Indian movie by Sudhir Mishra called Mumbai Cuttings. The movie boasts many Pakistani artists on its soundtrack, including Ali Azmat and even Shafqat Amanat Ali, and even Indian artists like Sonu Nigam and Shaan. Fuzon have already shot a music video for the track, to be aired in conjunction with the movie's release.

Which such anticipation that gets associated with a band; fans eagerly await any sign or speck of new material. And if you're a fan who wants to get his hands on a new Fuzon track or a track that is unreleased, you'll find a way. Hence, a lot of unreleased tracks found their way online and were quickly distributed amongst message boards and websites. The band has mixed feelings about fans getting to hear these unreleased tracks – which were in some cases very early stages or in the case of one particular track, was when Shafqat was still in the band. "We did a lot of TV shows before Shafqat left, and somehow or the other, they found their way online," Shallum states. But the band has essentially reached a stage of catharsis with these particular tracks. "They're not part of us, the new album is a part of us now," Emu proclaims. Shallum quickly adds, "We'd prefer if our fans and critics look at the new album and listen to it very carefully."

But with the album being as late as it is, would they prefer releasing it aboard before they release it in Pakistan? The band remains indifferent, stating that it would have to depend on the political climate of the country at that point in time to make such a decision. The release date for the album, however, remains sometime after the elections at this point in time.

It would seem that it was only band issues and falling out with their singer that was the main hindrance of late to Fuzon, but that is not the case. Having earlier worked on an animated video (Suno, Suno) with Sohail Javed, the band were looking forward to getting up to speed earlier on with their fans, but due to some problems on the production end of the video shoot, that too was side lined. But the band was resilient even in this instant (not to mention that they had re-recorded an entire album with a new singer) they still found time to record another video (Neend Na Aye) just to get it on the air as soon as possible, but due to situations that are totally out of the band's control (i.e., the current political climate) they were forced them to even wait on this one.

But all of that will change, come late February when the band expects to launch their new album, some seven years after their first. It would be an awe-inspiring achievement for a band, even for Fuzon's caliber, so are they ready to do it? For one, they are armed with three music videos now (they will be re-shooting with Sohail Javed), they have a new singer, they have a new sound. Secondly, their new album is an unexpected departure from their last. Musically, both Shallum and Emu have now come miles from where they were. That is saying a lot since they both were extremely talented to begin with, but what they had insisted on earlier – their want for a freedom to try out new music – definitely comes out in this album. So instead of answering my question, they decided to give a little preview. The first track, Suno, Suno, was supposed to be the first single from the album, almost immediately one can understand why. The song starts off with a chorus of Rameez's vocals that almost build up throughout the song and carry it through. It's clear why this was probably chosen for the first single, because it addresses the issue of Rameez's capabilities as a singer straight out. Granted, you have Shallum's and Emu's melodies and compositions, but essentially this song sets out not to disprove their previous singer, but a showcase of Rameez's own talent on the band.

Next, Neend Na Aye, this track is perhaps an example of what has made Fuzon popular so far. It can be best described as a powerful ballad, which enraptures the listener from the very first chords of the guitar and the notes of the piano. This is the one song that will probably be most compared to all of Fuzon's previous tracks, perhaps because this sounds like the old Fuzon the most. But this is the new Fuzon, and the next track proves that fact straight out. Tere Naal is a Punjabi track with a catchy groove that is sure to get your foot tapping, if anything else. Another highlight from the album is the Mumbai Cuttings track, La Gay Na Gee Yeah, "We originally was doing this just for the movie, but it kind of grew on us as well, so we're putting it on the album," says Shallum. The track itself is a deluge of raga and choruses of Rameez's voice and has already garnered praise from the movie's director to the record label's head.

Overall, the album indeed sounds fresh, but it cannot be compared to Sagar, simply because they're from two different time periods of the same band. Whereas the former album was an experiment into starting a trend within Pakistani music, the latter can be described as bold fray into music; both for them as a band and as musicians.

So as the timer, once again, starts to countdown towards the album and video release, the band are all set to set ablaze the music scene. It is perhaps Emu's statement that encapsulates of what the fans could expect, "We are and have been the trendsetters." And this album is sure to start some trends.

Photography: Fayyaz Ahmed

(Originally published in the January 22nd, 2008, DAWN, Images.)