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Song of Lahore

An amazing documentary.  Simply wonderful to watch and listen.  Directed by a joint team of Pakistani and American directors, the former an Academy Award winning woman and the latter in his directorial debut this film won rave reviews when it released in 2015 in America.

It is a story of older generation Pakistani, classically trained musicians who while extremely talented are stuck in a society that has no recognition of their caliber.  The documentary narrates the loss of great talent due to misguided policies and politics of Pakistan in the 1970s where religious zealots ruled and discarded the amazing music treasures to a pile of rubble.

Searching for a good life and trying to make a living the assortment of talent finds home when a inspired and optimistic London based music producer, Izzat Majeed gathers the somewhat motley crew in Lahore and goes to work.  With what could be considered true vision and passion for music he puts together a number of recordings of classical music.  When that does not do well in the market in part due to lack of understanding and appreciation he sets to fuse the old with the new creating new numbers.

Later through a coincidence of having their work getting visibility online to the BBC picking it up in a news story they get an opportunity to be invited by Wynton Marsalis to play at the Lincoln Center in NY.  The film shows their humble journey of self discovery and affirmation in their faith that music can break barriers and be universal.  Another aspect of the journey also captures lighter moments of them packing up their gear in Lahore to make the onerous 14 hour flight to NY city, exploring Times Square and the naked guitarist and then getting ready to play with the acclaimed jazz master.

The lead composition through the film is a modern fusion rendering of Dave Brubeck's 'Take Five' set to classical sitar and tabla along with the big brass band common to jazz.  That was the signature number that the Pakistani troupe plays to the packed audience in NY.

Five star film.

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