Ali Hamza – Hotstepper of the week

July 13, 2009

articl5_1“He has fit right in,” says Coke Studio co-producer Umber ‘Ma’ Hyatt about Ali Hamza, the man who not only blew everyone away with his rendition of ‘Aik Alif’ with Saieen Zahoor and brother Ali Noor, but also took up banjo playing and guiding the backing vocalists.

It started with a conversation about energy between Rohail Hyatt and Ali Hamza on Facebook. And then the two hit it off.

This season, Coke Studio is celebrating the sound of the soil, resurrecting sounds and artists.

One of them is Ali Hamza. This is a new form we’re seeing him in. The talent that one has seen on Noori records is destined for more and Coke Studio has proven to be the catalyst in the process.

As Noori debut ‘Jo Meray’ in this week’s episode, Hamza recalls his own journey.

“The Coke Studio version of ‘Jo Meray’ is the beginning of my individual journey as a composer/producer. This song will evolve with my own evolution. I had this idea in my head when I was 20, and I am hell bent upon putting it out. People tell me that in pursuing this song again and again, I will be beating behind the bush, and that I will make it stale by the time I get it right. They might be absolutely right, but this one is for my own sake. I think the musicians at Coke Studio have done perfect justice to the song, given their own understanding of music, and I am very satisfied with the effort and creativity involved. It’s just that I feel that there is room for much more improvement and effort from my side. I must thank Coke Studio for giving me the opportunity to start my own individual journey, because without this happening, my own process would never have started,” says Hamza.

This season, we haven’t just seen him sing. Ali Hamza earned the titled of ‘Best Man’ and ‘Professor Sahib’ from backing vocalists, Saba Shabbir and Natasha D Souza, for helping and guiding them with vocals. Meanwhile percussion man Waris Baloo called him ‘Halwa Noori’. We have seen Hamza strum the banjo for Saieen Zahoor and Ali Zafar. When Ali Zafar choked up on the floor while recording ‘Dastaan-e-Ishq’ at Coke Studio, Ali Hamza was one of the first people to run right next to the pop star.

In fact, Ali Zafar describes Ali Hamza as a “malang”.

“I’ve always noticed this. Ali Hamza is one of the very few artists who has managed to sustain his innocence, sincerity and simplicity towards music. He’s like a malang. I could relate to him immediately and we only conversed through our music.”

For all these reasons and more, Ali Hamza is undoubtedly Instep’s Hotstepper of the week. All objections overruled.

Source: INSTEP Magzine