The Arab Music Archiving and Research foundation (AMAR), in collaboration with the Sharjah Art Foundation (SAF), presents “Min al-Tārīkh”.

Dear listeners,

Welcome to a new episode of “Min al-Tārīkh”.

Today we will resume our discussion about the disciples of al-ṭarīqa al-Qubbāngiyya with our guest Mr Husayn al-A‘zami.

Could you now tell us about another disciple of al-ṭarīqa al-Qubbāngiyya, Sir?

Let us talk about ‘Abd al-Jabbār al-‘Abbāsī (born in 1937) who is still alive.

Abdel Jabbar Al Abbasi

He is a muṭrib with a powerful voice who also did not abide by the maqām form, relying on the fact that the Radio does not allow extensions, which is obviously an excuse. Still, he sang with his beautiful and powerful voice a collection of maqām-s, and refrained from singing the main maqām-s because his voice –a “dramatic Tenor”, lower than the jawāb (high notes. treble) Tenor– does not allow such pitches.

Do you mean that he is a Baritone?

Exactly. A Baritone. This is the best description.

He sang and recorded a lot.

I wrote a lot in my book about our friend the marvellous muṭrib ‘Abd al-Jabbār al-‘Abbāsī…

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Let us end today’s episode with a great person whose voice I like a lot. It is Mr Ḥasan Khēwkah whose name you mentioned in our previous episode. His voice is truly deep and beautiful, and he sings with very beautiful sobriety.

We will meet again in a new episode of “Min al-Tārīkh”.

We thank Mr Husayn al-A‘zami.

Here is Mr. Ḥasan Khēwkah

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“Min al-Tārīkh” is brought to you by Mustafa Said.