‘The fervour of gospel, the emotion of soul, the abandon of rock and the vocal flexibility
of scat.’ That’s how the Los Angeles Times has described the singing of Pakistani Sufi
singer Abida Parveen.

A Sindhi from Larkana, Abida started her singing career as a little girl. Her father was a singer who encouraged young Abida to become the disciple of Ustad Salamat Ali Khan. Listening to her is as pleasant an experience as watching her sing. Abida has none of the nakhras and dazzle that are typical of women singers. She's always dressed in a loose full-sleeved kurta and shalwar, with a Sindhi ajrak chadar draped over her. There isn't a trace of make-up and there are no flowers adorning her hair. When she sings, there is a wild masti about her as she raises her hands and beats her thighs to the ground.

Abida was here to record an audio track being composed by Muzaffar Ali. Sufism and Sufi poetry are a passion with the film maker, who has named his daughter Sama, which is what a mehfil of pure sufiana kalaam is called. With Muzaffar having given us marvellous music in Umrao Jaan, I am sure his teaming up with Abida would be worth waiting for.