This is a rare video of the European group Embryo jamming in an outdoor space in 1978 Kabul.
On the Afghan side, there is the late Ustad Moahmmad Omar on rubab, the late Malang Negrabi on zerbaghali and the youngest of the Hashim brothers on tabla.
At the start, we see the Embroy band members speaking in German with music produce Abdul Wahab Madadi asking to being the program.
I also love the artist in the background being inspired by the music as he works on a massive canvas.
In the 1970s, when the hippie trail was hot, Western musicians stopped in Afghanistan and played and recorded with Afghan musicians.
Well we now have some moving pictures to prove what a fantastic fusion happened between Afghan and Western musicians.
The international digest Monocle published an interesting photo essay on the "new" style of architecture taking over Herat dubbed "Naroctecture". Modern architecture is wonderful, but this is neither modern nor ascetically pleasing.
Take a look at these disturbing "candy colored" mini-palaces that are popping up in this ancient city. I guess wealth can't foster good taste.
Going through my CD pile, I found an Ahmad Zahir CD released by Ariana Music in the late 1990s titled "Memories".
The recording quality is clear and the tracks are from Radio Afghanistan recordings and a few from Ariana Music. The last track is one I cherish the most because it a song that Ahmad Zahir was working on, but I am not sure if he finished recording it. The translated title is "Your Look".
It is also fascinating to hear how Ahmad Zahir works with his studio band members giving direction and staying focused and in control.
At first Ahmad Zahir asks his sound engineer, "Wali Jaan", assuming it is Wali Eshpari, to turn up the guitar volume.
And it also sounds like Zia Kabir Siraj is on the acoustic guitar with most likely Abdullah Etemadi on drums or it could be Chatram Sani?
Nevertheless, this track is a lost gem that could have been another great hit for the late Ahmad Zahir. Enjoy!
