Naseebo Lal Shines at
Superstar Show in Sacramento
By Ras H. Siddiqui
L to R: Naseebo Lal, Naeem Abbas
Rufi, Mehga, Anwar Rafi and Qandeel |
The
Superstar Show (Kiran Entertainment) featuring performers
from Pakistan and local acts entertained close to 400 people
at the Robert Porter Center in Sacramento, California on
March 5, 2006. The event was locally promoted by Faze and
Mr. Hafeez and sponsored by the Mehta Brothers along with
a number of other local businesses. This evening of entertainment
proved to be just what the local community needed on a cold
and rainy night in this Capital city.
It was a show of varied originality as “Vocal Impersonators”
melded their personal performances with those of the Late
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Mohd. Rafi, and of course Madam Noor
Jehan. It started off with Music and Dance, first by the
“Gabra Punjab De” Bhangra Group from Solano
County and Anwar Ali, and ended on a high note with the
duplication of a voice that Pakistanis of my generation
just cannot forget.
Hostess Qandeel began the formal program with a call for
South Asian friendship as the predominantly Punjabi crowd
from both India and Pakistan were entertained by her and
Rahat Ali before Naeem Abbas Rufi came to the stage and
stirred the listeners with his duplication of the late Nusrat
Fateh Ali Khan’s hits. His efforts were appreciated
but his choice of attire proved to be a good conversation
piece. His only song that we had already heard before was
“Josh” but Rufi is both young and energetic
and we are bound to hear more from him.
 |
Naseebo
Lal with local promoters |
Naseebo
Lal with some of her Sacramento fans |
Solano
County Bhangra Group
|
Anwar
Rafi, who is also a distant relative of one of the most
famous voices to ever grace Indian cinema, Mohammad Rafi,
copied the efforts of the legend in a serious way. It proved
to be quite a trip down memory lane for some in the crowd
(especially for us from the Urdu realm) while many local
young listeners grew restless for more Punjabi music. And
they were not disappointed because it was not a singer but
dancer Megha that entertained everyone to some Lollywood
& Bollywood filmy dance routines.
Naseebo
Lal and Ras Siddiqui |
And
last but not least the lady that we had all come to see
& hear. Naseebo Lal has created quite a sub-continental
stir. Armed with a voice that sounds hauntingly like that
of the late Pakistani Melody Queen, Noor Jehan, she graced
the stage here in Sacramento, California and sang non-stop
for over 2 hours. “Naseebo” revisited Noor Jehan’s
legacy and offered the audience a rare treat here during
this, her first tour of America. I believe that she sang
only one song in Urdu, “Chandni Raatain” originally
sung by Noor Jehan. The Sacramento Punjabi community sure
enjoyed the show and proved once again that one can take
a person out of Punjab, but you cannot change his or her
spirit
The
legendary Noor Jehan is still considered by many as the
finest female Punjabi singer ever. This writer also believes
that she holds the same status in the Urdu language.
In my humble opinion, the finest song sung in Urdu that
my generation has ever heard was by the Melody Queen Noor
Jehan for the Film Qaidi (1962). The song was filmed on
actress Shamim Ara. The words were written by Poet Faiz
Ahmad Faiz. The song “Mujh Se Pehli Si Mohabbat Meray
Mehboob Na Maang” its original version is yet to be
surpassed by another.
Since the evening belonged to “Naseebo” and
the crowd’s requests just did not seem to end, here
is my own late request for both Ms. Lal and her show promoters.
While you take this show on the remainder of this North
American tour, please do not forget to attempt “Mujh
Se Pehli Si Mohabbat…”
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