Hailing from Peshawar, Gulab Afridi is one of the most celebrated rubab artists in Pakistan. For those unfamiliar with the rubab, it’s an ancient instrument of the double-chambered lutes family widely used in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of India. It is considered to be an essential part of the classical and folk music of these regions and has a distinct shape with a hollow wooden body, a long wooden neck, and a series of main, drone and sympathetic strings.
The rubab has a unique sound and versatility and is able to produce a range of sounds from low, sombre tones to high, bright notes. In the right hands, the instrument is capable of producing intricate and complex melodies, as well as rhythmic accompaniments. It is also considered to be a highly expressive instrument, capable of conveying the emotions and feelings of the player. You can hear this on the track Raag Kirwani below, taken from The Colours Of Rubab, a newly commissioned album from Worlds within Worlds featuring the music of Gulab Afridi, accompanied by Murad Afridi on tabla.
Lachlan Dale, the manager of Worlds within Worlds shared the following on how the release came about:
I fell in love with Gulab’s playing 7 years ago, when I first began exploring music from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. Those of you who know me personally know that I’ve been learning the rubab for a few years now, so it’s hard to understate the impact his playing had on me.
So, when I had some spare funds lying around I decided to commission this record from Gulab on Worlds Within Worlds. And I’m very glad we did.
Hailing from Peshawar, Gulab Afridi is one of the most celebrated folk and classical rubab artists of Pakistan. His style is rooted in the traditional music of the Pashtun regions of Pakistan, which is evident in his sparkling ornamentation, and the sound of the instrument itself, which is smaller than Afghan-made instruments.
But we can also detect the influence of Afghan classical music, with elements which remind us of the virtuosic, ground-breaking playing of Homayoun Sakhi, whose influence can be found both in Afghan and Pakistani players, thanks to his time in both Kabul and Peshawar. The result is a fusion of styles and influences woven from across the region which, all combined, constitute Gulab’s unique approach to the rubab.
If you have the means, please consider supporting this release on Bandcamp. His new album ‘Colours Of Rubab’ drops on 28 April on Worlds Within Worlds.
Pre-Order on Bandcamp here https://worldswithinworlds.bandcamp.com/album/the-colours-of-rubab