FAREED HAQUE
Guitar virtuoso Fareed Haque enjoys a career that spans the spectrum of musical styles. Moving easily
between jazz and classical guitar, Fareed's versatility has created a demand for him with prominent jazz,
rock, and classical artists including Sting, Dizzy Gillespie, Paquito D'Rivera, Dave Holland, Joe
Henderson, Joe Zawinul, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Cassandra Wilson,
Kurt Elling, Lester Bowie, Arturo Sandoval, Medeski, Martin and Wood, Kahil el Zabar, Defunckt,
Ramsey Lewis, Nigel Kennedy, Edgar Meyer, Stephen Stubbs, Bob James, David Sanborn, Frank
Vignola, Frank Bungarten, members of the Vermeer Quartet and many symphony orchestras. He has
performed all of the major guitar concertos, is an active transcriber of baroque as well as South American
music and has had numerous modern works dedicated to him.
Fareed has also released seven recordings as a leader: "Voices Rising" and "Manresa" on Sting's Pangaea
label, and "Sacred Addiction," "Opaque," and "Deja Vu," on the prestigious Bluenote label, as well as
"Singh Song" available on Haven Records. His most recent, the critically acclaimed “Cosmic Hug” is
available on Magnatude Records.
Haque has been featured on WTTW's ArtBeat, Ben Sidran's New Visions, Michelob Presents Sunday
Night with David Sanborn on NBC, his own Lonesome Pines Special for PBS, and on BET cable jazz
channel. Fareed has twice been selected Talent Deserving Wider Recognition in Downbeat magazine. In
1989, Fareed joined the faculty of Northern Illinois University, where he currently holds an associate
professorship in jazz and classical guitar studies.
Born in 1963 to Pakistani father and Chilean mother, extensive travels, especially long stays in Spain,
France, Iran, Pakistan and Chile, exposed Haque to different musics from a very early age. This natural
eclecticism has become the hallmark of Fareed's music. Fareed can perform in a variety of settings and
ensembles from Jazz Funk Jam super band to stripped down ethnic ensembles or with local chamber
orchestras or symphonies. Many folks claim to be well rounded, Fareed Haque is a renaissance man on
the guitar- playing all styles from Classical to Spanish to Indian classical to American Jazz and Funk. A
true master, Fareed Haque.
Cultures merge in jazz guitar of Fareed Haque
Howard Reich
Published June 23, 2006
Chicago does not lack top-notch jazz guitarists, the long honor roll including Bobby
Broom, John Moulder, Henry Johnson, John McLean and Neal Alger (in no particular
order).
Each approaches the instrument in distinctive ways, though none more globally than
Fareed Haque, who long has brought elements of Pakistani and Indian cultures to his work.
That he also draws on a finely honed classical technique and a deep well of experience in
pop music makes Haque a singular figure in music in Chicago and beyond.
As if to prove the point, Haque will collaborate with several stylistically far-flung artists
over the weekend, when he leads the Fareed Haque Group for a two-night engagement at
the Green Mill Jazz Club.
Expect jazz, classical and world-music influences to converge when Haque performs with
Kala Ramnath playing Indian violin; Kalyan Pathak on Indian percussion; Jim Feist on
tabla; plus Rob Clearfield playing piano and Jon Paul on bass. There's no predicting
exactly how this music will unfold, though Haque's incantatory approach to the instrument
likely will give this band its central focus.
The Fareed Haque Group plays at 9 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday at the Green Mill Jazz Club, 4802 N.
Broadway; $12; 774-878-5552.
Phil Simon says Booking phil@simonsaysbooking.com
978-544-5110 www.fareed.com fax 978-544-5112
World-class guitarist
So who's the best world-music guitarist on Earth?
Chicagoan Fareed Haque, according to the readers of Guitar Player
magazine. The 2009 Readers' Choice Awards anointed Haque "best world
guitarist," an apt description, considering Haque's fluency in jazz, world,
classical and other idioms.
Haque, who teaches at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb and performs
regularly in Chicago and around the world, was in fine company. This year's
winners include Eric Clapton for best overall guitarist, Bill Frisell for best
experimental guitarist and, er, Pat Metheny for best jazz guitarist (two out of
three ain't bad).
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/chi-0407-jazzapr07,0,7141344.story
Phil Simon says Booking phil@simonsaysbooking.com
978-544-5110 www.fareed.com fax 978-544-5112
http://www.jazzweekly.com/
Fareed Haque and The Flat Earth Ensemble
Flat Planet
Owlstudios.com
By George W. Harris
Fareed Haque is a guitarist who's played with the likes of Joe Zawinul and Pacquito
D'Rivera, so he knows his way around the eclectic sounds of "world" jazz. On his
most recent release as a leader, he successfully tackles the cross hybridization of
Middle Eastern instruments and rhythms with a mainstream jazz root system. Haque
mixes his various guitars (and occasional flute) with a standard rhythm section,
along with sitar and tabla to create some infectious music. Songs like "Blu Hindoo"
have a Wes Montgomery groove, but with flutes and Indian instrumentation, while
"The Hangar" has a boogaloo beat combined with some boppish lines and a firey
Indian raga that is as spicy as tumeric. Almost all of the songs have a catchy melody;
"The Chant", for example is given that extra "umph" with Kala Ramnath's violin and
Indrajit Banerjee's sitar. If you've ever wondered what Pat Metheny would sound
like if he were Middle Eastern instead of Midwestern, this might just be it.
Phil Simon says Booking phil@simonsaysbooking.com
978-544-5110 www.fareed.com fax 978-544-5112
Something Else Reviews
3/10/09 by Pico Fareed Haque + The Flat Earth Ensemble - Flat Planet (2008)
Fareed Haque has become one difficult dude to ignore whenever you talk about fusion these days, including world fusion. He's come up
prominently in reviews of the latest by the Dixon-Rhyne Project and the jam band supergroup he helped to form, Garaj Mahal. Of Chilean
and Pakistani descent, Haque is a complete master at both classical and jazz styles of guitar and teaches both at Northern Illinois University.
Amongst the many projects he endeavors in, he also heads up his own group, which he calls The Flat Earth Ensemble.
Today brings the release of The Flat Earth Ensemble's Flat Planet, from Owl Studios. On this record, Haque delves into combining
Hindustani folk music and groove jazz. If you would guess that it's not too far off from the exotic Asian flavored brand of fusion championed
by Garaj Mahal, you'd be warm, but on the other hand it's not warmed-over Garaj, either. The FEE dives head-first into Subcontinent sounds,
as opposed to it being just a part of the myriad of styles put forth by Garaj Mahal. The idea of making sitar grooves isn't new at all; the Dave
Pike Set did this forty years ago. John McLaughlin also mined this vein from his Shakti days. But the Flat Earth Ensemble pushes out both
the groove and the musicianship factors to intense levels.
Which brings us to the other distinguishing characteristic of Flat Earth: you also get more Fareed. A lot more Fareed. And since Fareed is
such a diverse to virtuosic player of tremendous range, you don't hear him repeat tricks too often. While the music is focused on achieving a
particular hybrid, he's tossing many the his facets of his playing style into this project.
To help bring forth Haque's vision, The Flat Earth Ensemble is a mixture of Western and Indian instrumentation. David Hartsman provides
sax and flute, Rob Clearfield and William Delisfort supply the keyboards, Alex Austin and John Paul handles bass and Cory Healey and
Jason Smart man the drums. And then there's the guys handling the Indian instruments: Subrata Bhattacharya, Jim Fieset and Salar Nader on
tabla and Kalyan Pathak on dhol and sticked percussion. Additional guest musicians provide sitar, kanjira (a South Indian frame drum),
Hindustani violin, djembe (a skin covered hand drum) and voice, via chants and konnakul, I'll explain shortly.
"Big Bhangra" kicks off the album with a clearly defined purpose of combining the Hindustani with the jazzy groove. A konnakul kicks it off
(percussive vocal scatting originating from Southern India) and soon, an infectious mid tempo strut powered by drums, tabla and kanjira
underpin Haque's jazz guitar and Delisfort's funky electric piano. East meets West indeed. Never one to take himself too seriously, Fareed
adds what he calls "silly vocals"at the end, but not before he puts down some seriously righteous licks. "Uneven Mantra" gets its name from
the unusual seven beat cycle, instead of the typical eight, with an interesting, extended melody. Clearfield is given plenty of room to stretch
out on the piano before Haque produces a blazing classical guitar solo.
"Bengali Bud" comes the closest to being a pure Indian song, but even here the fusion goodness comes in the form of some exotic unison
lines between Haque and sitar player Indrajit Banerjee. Banerjee and tabla player Subrata Bhattacharya both put in some amazing
performances on their own, too. On "Fur Peace," Haque's clean lines in the middle of this eleven minute track is textbook perfect. "32 Taxis"
is a dreamy improvision Haque wrote over Ganesh Kumar's kanjira played in 32 quarter note beats.
The whole proceedings end ambitiously with the three movements of the four part "Four Corners Suite," a fifteen-minute whirlwind. (The
fourth movement, "East" is available at all major download sites). The pensive "North" suite is a showcase for Hartsman's flute and soprano
sax, "South" is an avant-garde rock-jazz piece, and "West" settles into a more conventional hand-clapping vibe, where Haque lays down
some bop phrases over a blues chord progression.
Even more so than Haque's other band, Flat Planet is fusion that's unique, stimulating and most importantly, fun. Save the tuition for
Northern Illinois University and learn what Fareed Haque has to offer from soaking in this CD. You may not learn guitar this way (unless
you're ready for the really advanced stuff), but it's a fine lesson in anthropology that you can actually groove to.
Phil Simon says Booking phil@simonsaysbooking.com
978-544-5110 www.fareed.com fax 978-544-5112
Fareed Haque forges a new sound
By Howard Reich
Tribune arts critic
Published June 26, 2006
Chicago tends to produce fearlessly individualistic jazz musicians -- players who cannot be categorized,
pigeonholed or otherwise hemmed in by artistic formulas or marketing strategies.
Among them, guitarist Fareed Haque stands out, for he never has subscribed wholly to one particular
aesthetic viewpoint or school of thought. Gleefully ignoring boundaries that others dare not cross, Haque
ranges freely from jazz to classical to pop, and back, meanwhile infusing much of what he plays with the
sensibility and syntax of his South Asian heritage.
But the project he unveiled over the weekend at the Green Mill Jazz Club, in Uptown, suggested that
Haque is on the verge of an aesthetic breakthrough. Or, to put it another way, the Fareed Haque Group -which has been in the recording studio for the past week -- probed so deeply into Indian musical tradition
as to begin to forge a new musical language.
Granted, Haque is hardly the first jazz musician to find inspiration in the hypnotic ragas (or preordained
melodic patterns) of Indian music. Icons such as Ornette Coleman and ascending figures such as Vijay
Iyer and Rudresh Mahanthappa have established the compatibility of jazz improvisation and Indian
musical practice.
But Haque has gone several steps deeper, creating a harmonically complex yet texturally transparent
music in which several lines of melody and rhythm delicately intertwine. Joined by two tabla players, one
Indian violinist and a jazz-rhythm section, guitarist Haque presided over a septet in which the artistic
impulses of India and America -- East and West -- proved virtually inseparable.
Much of the melodic beauty of this work owed to the contributions of Kala Ramnath, a North Indian
classical violinist whose playing, like Haque's, transcends stylistic borders. If the chantlike, repetitive
patterns of her solos point to her rigorous training in Indian classical music, her ability to invent freeflying melody lines and dipping, swooping phrases make her an ideal jazz collaborator.
The band summed up its cross-cultural achievements in John Coltrane's landmark "Giant Steps," the tune
reconceived from its famous, opening bars. Though traces of the original were apparent throughout, the
group's incantatory tone, extremely unusual chords and great surges of rhythmic momentum represented a
high point of Saturday night's show.
Phil Simon says Booking phil@simonsaysbooking.com
978-544-5110 www.fareed.com fax 978-544-5112
http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=7530
Haque, Fareed and The Flat Earth Ensemble: Flat Planet
Fareed Haque has quite a resume having performed with many classical and jazz musicians and
has been involved with many side projects and musical endeavors while still having time to be a
professor of jazz and classical guitar at Northern Illinois University. He is also the founding
member of Garaj Mahal, a well known jazz rock/fusion band. Having a father from Pakistan and a
mother from Chile exposed Haque to many different musical styles in his youth. On his new cd
entitled Flat Planet Haque has assembled a long list of jazz musicians and has produced a finely
crafted instrumental album of jazz with definite Pakistani and Indian influences. Helping to give
this music a touch of the exotic are instruments such as sitar, tablas and Kanjira. There is no
doubting Haques' ability on the guitar as he deftly exhibits great skill in both lead and rhythm.
Everything from ultra fast runs to interesting chord progressions ensures musicians will be able to
appreciate his talent. I like the fact he is able to provide a good dose of melody along the way.
This album is on the longish side with three tracks over ten minutes in length. There is plenty
of space for Haque and his band to show their combined skills. The piano playing of Rob
Clearfield is the highlight of "Uneven Mantra" to go along with fluent classical guitar from
Haque. The sitar drenched "Bengali Bud" really ups the Eastern influence. The interplay between
guitar, tablas and sitar is exceptional and makes for some virtuoso performances.
"The Four Corners Suite", containing three movements, is an ambitious offering of angular
rhythms and discordant guitar, entering fusion territory with a smattering of progressive elements.
Haques' fluid jazz guitar runs are very evident. The "West" movement in particular has some
interesting percussion.
Overall, this is a good release of Eastern influenced jazz with quality performances by all
involved. Jazz lovers should love this release and is one I can confidently recommend.
Added: March 8th 2009
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Phil
Simon says Booking phil@simonsaysbooking.com
978-544-5110 www.fareed.com
fax 978-544-5112
Virtuosity as it's meant to be
Fareed Haque takes the string bending to new heights Stuart Derdeyn,
Music reporter
Published: Thursday, May 25, 2006
sderdeyn@png.canwest.com
The word virtuoso is too often applied to note-cramming guitar hacks. But it is an entirely
appropriate description of the prodigious talents of Fareed Haque. The Pakistan-Chilean stringbender's fusing of ethnic traditions, jazz, classical and jam is awesome. His resume ranges from
stints with Sting, Dave Holland and Medeski, Martin and Wood to violinist Nigel Kennedy, the
Vermeer Quartet and duets with acoustic phenomenon Goran Ivanovic.
"I try not to be a guitar player for its own sake, tending more toward the orchestral/textural side,"
he says. "But the new group album is guitar-heavy and I'll get to it once I finish up a few
concertos."
Teaching, touring, recording and composing are all facets of his career, yet local audiences are
most familiar with his funky runs in Garaj Mahal. That unit lets him work out his inner Eddie
Hazel, but it's the Fareed Haque Group where you really experience his technique. Featuring
acclaimed tabla player Kalyan Pathak, drummer Dan Leali, bassist Jon Paul and a keyboardist
with frequent guests -- special guests Kala Ramnath on Indian violin and Salar Nader on tabla
are expected in Vancouver -- the outfit is unique and complex in its approach to "world music"
without losing the upbeat dance element.
"My career has taken a turn. Before it would be: 'We'd love a concerto, or a recording session'
and it didn't happen. Now it's:'Let's do it. Yeah!'"
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is playing one of his classical-guitar concertos. A New York
string quartet commissioned a piece. The group is busy.
"When you are all over the place, it really takes time to reach that level of public acceptance
where the people are with you. The more rarified the atmosphere, the more difficult it becomes."
His goal is to get the guitar used as a mini-orchestra, on its own or in various group contexts:
"As long as your playing has texture, you have what matters."
He adores and compliments the jam scene for its devoted and sophisticated fans, but extreme
hippies have rubbed him the wrong way personally at times.
"I was invited to an event called Synastheasia where people were such control freaks it was
more like Stalin's meditation camp: 'You will meditate now.' Then, they said 'now we'll be
spiritual' and started handing out saris. My spiritual element is jeans and a T-shirt, so it was
totally insulting."
Not that any of those folks would care about his opinion. Thankfully, there are those out there
who listen.
Phil
Simon says Booking phil@simonsaysbooking.com
978-544-5110 www.fareed.com
fax 978-544-5112
http://www.soundstage.com/music/reviews/rev1159.htm
May 2009
Fareed Haque & The Flat Earth Ensemble - Flat Planet
Owl Studios OWL00133
Format: CD
Released: 2008
by Shannon Holliday shannonh@soundstage.com
Musical Performance ****
Recording Quality
***1/2
Overall Enjoyment ****
With the release of Flat Planet, guitarist Fareed Haque and his Flat Earth Ensemble unveil
a groovy disc of Punjabi folk-fusion that is as innovatively progressive as it is reflective of
its ancient heritage. Combining the traditional sounds of tabla, sitar, and Hindustani violin
with jazz-inspired guitar and bass, as well as electric piano, the Ensemble bends tradition
to the will of creativity, letting the music take on a life of its own.
The beats are undeniably funky, with grooves that recall John McLaughlin's Shakti
sessions (especially "Blue Hindu") but modernized in an East-meets-West rendering.
Percussive fills spill forth from shakers, bells, chimes, tabla chants and a multitude of hand
drums, lending rhythmic depth to each piece. Opener "Big Bhangra" barrels out of the gate
with the jolt of a fine Darjeeling, and instantly you're attuned to the elevated vibe that
permeates this disc. The 11 tracks average 8-10 minutes each, allowing ample space for
the musicians to craft truly complex and complete instrumental narratives.
Haque is a noted master of jazz- and classical-guitar styles and teaches both at Northern
Illinois University. In addition to the Ensemble project, he tours with jam band Garaj
Mahal, and he has played with legends such as Zakir Hussain and Sting. Here, however,
his playing takes center stage, and he steers the ship with a deft, creative vision. Tracks
like "Bengali Bud" and "32 Taxis" were written spontaneously in the studio and reflect an
obvious lightheartedness that shines forth throughout the disc. You can tell the musicians
had fun making this music, so it isn't any wonder the finished product makes for such a
joyful listen.
For more information and booking:
Phil
Simon says Booking phil@simonsaysbooking.com
978-544-5110 www.fareed.com
fax 978-544-5112
http://www.louisvillemusicnews.net/webmanager/index.php?WEB_CAT_ID=49&storyid=5473&headlin
e=Jazzin
May 2009
Louisville Music News.net
Jazzin'
By Martin Z. Kasdan Jr.
This is an occasional feature to survey new releases with more than just "So and so
has a new release," but with less detail than a track-by-track detailed analysis.
Without further ado, here is the latest installment.
Fareed Haque + the Flat Earth Ensemble: Flat Planet (Owl 00133) Guitarist
Fareed Haque is a busy man, teaching at Northern Illinois University, playing in
Garaj Mahal (whose latest CD Woot was reviewed here in December), and leading
an Asian-Jazz fusion band, the Flat Earth Ensemble. As noted above, this is the band
he will bring to the Jazz Kitchen in Indianapolis on May 16. Flat Planet opens with a
bit of Indian drum talk ("konnakol") on "Big Bhangra," after which the band comes
in playing Indo-funk; Haque's solo ranges from funky to bluesy. "The Chant" has
multiple percussionists and a violin, in a shimmering piece evoking the Diga
Rhythm Band. The melding of styles continues throughout the album, with "Blue
Hindoo" featuring lots of tabla/flute interplay; "The Hangar" is aptly described by
Haque as "Hindi boogaloo." The CD closes with three pieces from "The Four Corner
Suite." "South" is closest to old school fusion, while "West" has the intensity of mid1970s King Crimson. Despite its almost 76 minutes, the CD left off tracks which
may be downloaded. In short, this is an ambitious and fulfilling disc of Indian music
deftly blended with jazz. Haque's website is www.fareed.com, and the Indianapolisbased label (which has also released discs by Steve Allee and Bill Moring, among
others) is www.owlstudios.com.
For more information and booking:
Phil
Simon says Booking phil@simonsaysbooking.com
978-544-5110 www.fareed.com fax 978-544-5112
Fareed Haque is a flexible guitarist whose own records show off his roots in
classical music along with his interest in several styles of jazz. Raised in Chicago,
Haque traveled extensively as a youth with his parents, who were from Pakistan
and Chile; the influence of different countries' folk music can be heard in his
playing. He studied jazz at North Texas State University and classical music at
Northwestern University in Chicago. Haque made two records with Paquito
D'Rivera, and played with Tito Puente, Toots Thielemans, and Von Freeman,
among others. He made his debut as a leader for Sting's short-lived Pangaea label
(1988), and went on to record several sets for Blue Note; toured with Joe Zawinul;
and performed with Straight Ahead, Joey Calderazzo, Renee Rosnes, and Dianne
Reeves, among others.
For more information and booking:
Phil
Simon says Booking phil@simonsaysbooking.com
978-544-5110 www.fareed.com
fax 978-544-5112
Press
World Fusion, September 2005
Haque’s jazzy solo shows of what mettle he’s made, which is an impressive alloy of styles
and influences. There’s much to meet the ear here, so repeated listening/grooving is
recommended. Haque is an exceedingly gifted musician and is, without question, deserving
of much wider recognition. –Robert Kaye
All About Jazz, April 2005
Throughout, Haque—on assorted electric and acoustic guitars, as well as a sitar guitar—
demonstrates a remarkable ability to blend a variety of influences. At the end of the day,
Cosmic Hug is a jam band/fusion record, but it doesn’t rely on longwinded excess. Loose in
approach yet never overstaying its welcome, the Fareed Haque Group is certainly one of
the more interesting and distinctive units to hit the jam band scene. –John Kelman
Amazon.com, April 2005
The Fareed Haque Group is opening new doors with a completely fresh approach to world
music that grooves and percolates. The group makes its Magnatude Records debut with
Cosmic Hug. Cosmic Hug is an unique combination of world, jazz, and jam. Earthy, vital,
breezy, electric, and truly eclectic, Cosmic Hug defies easy categorization. The Fareed
Haque Group have a sound that will appeal to many while compromising to no one.
Space Rock UK, March 2005
Moving fluidly between jazz and classical guitar with a healthy dose of world music
sensibilities, Fareed's versatility has created a demand for him with prominent artists in
both genres and beyond. He’s a virtuoso guitarist, playing acoustic and electric guitar, sitar
and even a hybrid guitar/sitar.
His band, the Fareed Haque Group, incorporating a DJ and a tabla player alongside
traditional instruments, has been described as a "tantric meditation." With diverse cultural
and musical influences, the Fareed Haque Group is opening new doors with a completely
fresh approach to world music that grooves and percolates.
Phil
Simon says Booking phil@simonsaysbooking.com
978-544-5110 www.fareed.com
fax 978-544-5112
FAREED HAQUE | FROM CHILD TO PROFESSOR
There are guitar players, and then there are guitar players. Fareed Haque is of the later category, a
virtuoso. Fareed has busted onto the scene with a fury, tearing up venues all over the country. The depth
of this individual travels far beyond his guitar playing. He is a tenured professor, a husband, and not only
kills it on the six string; but plays acoustic, electric, the sitar, transcribes classical music, and even plays
a hybrid guitar/sitar. So to simply call Fareed a guitar player would be a grave injustice. His band Garaj
Mahal has caused quite a stir over the past year, but what is really piquing my interest as of late, is his
older, more intimate collaboration, The Fareed Haque Group. Equipped with DJ's and tablas, the FHG
is being described as a "tantric meditation." In our candid conversation Fareed enlightened me on topics
from Bhangra, to why women dig the Fareed Haque Band. We had such an interesting interaction that
it's being brought to you in two parts, so you don't have to miss a beat. Here is part one, enjoy, and keep
and eye out for part two.
Kayceman: I wanted to get a little background info on you first. Where were you born?
Fareed: Born here in Chicago.
Kayceman: I read that you had done a great deal of traveling as a child,
Fareed: Absolutely, plenty as an adult too, but a lot as a child. When I was 6 months I spent my first halfyear in Pakistan, and then I came home for about less than a year and went to Chile for a while.
And that’s where your parents are from right? Right, Chile.
Do you feel that had a lot of influence on your musical development, traveling so much?
Ya, It’s kind of funny because I spent the first half of my career playing with all these Latin bands, and
now I’m playing a lot of music that’s influenced by the music of India and Pakistan. And if I look at the
record collection my parents have, especially what they’ve had since I was a kid it’s all Indian and South
American music. So as much as I might want to feel that I’m my own man, and I created myself, and all
that, I think we’re pretty much a product of our environment.
I agree one hundred percent. No matter how hard I try to do
something else I’m always going to be half Pakistani, and half
Chilean.
When did you start playing guitar?
I started playing piano when I was 8 or 9, and began to play
guitar when I was about 11, when my voice was changing, and I
started to get hair on my upper lip, and all that. So I’m sure
there was some social influence too.
Fareed with Goran Ivanovic
Definitely, everyone wants to be a guitar player right?
Totally, I think the first song I ever learned was "Stairway to Heaven." In fact I remember now, I was
playing in a Fog Hat cover band, and we actually were going to play "Stairway to Heaven," and I was the
piano player in the band, and the guitar player couldn’t play it, so I picked up the guitar and played it. And
that was the start.
And then through out high school, and then a jazz scholarship lead you to North Texas, is that
correct? Right.
And then I’m curious, I also read that you got more involved with classical guitar and that lead
you to Northwestern, is that all correct information?
Absolutely. I spent one year at North Texas and completed most of their guitar classes, and was kind of
done with whatever classes that were available to me, and then it was a matter of, well if there aren’t any
more guitar classes for me to take, what am I doing in Texas, when I could be in the birth place of jazz
(Chicago), or one of the birth places of jazz. So I ended up with a little scholarship to go to Northwestern
to study classical, and just played around the city as much as I could.
That’s something else I was curious about. When you were through with college what exactly did
you do for your musical career?
Well, when I was a sophomore in Chicago I was already starting to sit in at as many places as I could,
and play with as many people as I could, and I met up with Howard Levy, from Bela Fleck and The
Flecktones. And Howard and I spent a lot of time playing together, and he hooked me up with Paquito
D'Rivera’s group and by the end of my junior year and my senior year in college I was pretty much
already starting to head out on the road. So by the time I graduated from college, I wasn’t even at my
graduation I was off somewhere playing, I was already out doing it. That’s kind of why as a teacher I try
to encourage people to have a reality meter, if they’re not out already hustling trying to make a career
happen, it’s very hard to try to jump start it from scratch, when you graduate. At that point your 20, 21, 22
years old, old news.
What and when was the first group you put together yourself?
Well I started playing with Paquito, and I would always put together little gigs in local clubs in Chicago,
because club owners would ask me, “Why don’t you bring your own band?” So I would just play with
some students from college, or friends of mine. But eventually after a few years of Paquito, I met up with
Christine Reed, who at the time was the president of Pangea Records, a label founded by Sting. And
she heard me playing with Paquito and asked me to please send her a tape or a demo of some kind. So
at that moment I had to kind of make some decisions about what my musical tastes were, and how I
wanted to represent myself, in fifteen short minutes. So I went into the studio and did a little recording of
three or four of my tunes featuring me playing mostly acoustic classical guitar, and Sting heard it and
signed me to Pangea for a couple of records. Through that time I was mostly considered an acoustic
guitar player. I played electric here and there, but I was pretty much devoted to the acoustic. So it’s only
been the past couple years that I’ve been playing more electric, and kind of getting known as someone
who can play a fair amount of electric.
I’m trying to get a time line going in my head here, so when did Garaj Mahal and the Fareed
Haque Group come to be?
Well the Fareed Haque Group started as early as 1988 when I was first signed to Sting’s label. And I
think I had met Jonathan Paul as early as the Opaque record, which I believe was '94 or '95, my second
Blue Note record, and then Joe Bianco, my drummer, I met right around the time of my Déjà vu album,
a little before, maybe a year before. Then I started working more and more with Tabla and Eric Levy,
one of my students, form Northern Illinois. And we became kind of a family, and still are a good, strong
musical unit, a lot of history, a lot of crazy gigs, and a lot of crazy after gig parties. And then I started
working with Garaj about a little more than a year ago, and we were looking for a keyboard player that
would complement the band, and Eric came up. So it’s been kind of a natural progression from playing
with my band, and now playing also with Garaj Mahal.
In your mind are you putting more effort toward one collaboration or
the other?
Not really, I mean right now Garaj Mahal is
working a lot, and it’s a pretty popular group.
So I’m just trying to balance Fareed Haque
Group with Garaj Mahal. And partly, maybe,
Garaj Mahal is a little more commercial, not
in a bad way, in a fun way. You know there
is some singing, and antics on stage; we
play some funky songs about poodles, and
all kinds of fun things. The Fareed Haque
Group is a little more of a groove band. We
have this indo-funk kind of groove going. We
have a DJ spinning with us, and tablas
playing with us. So it’s definitely more of a
deep trance like groove. When you go to a Fareed gig, your going to get 3
or 4 hours of non-stop high intensity trance like music. People just kind of
start going kind of kooky.
The BBQ master
I can’t wait to see it. It’s really pretty intense.
Ya I’ve been listening to a little bit of it, and it sounds right up my ally. Ya it’s a good sound, and
what you have isn’t even mixed yet, we don’t even have the DJ stuff on there yet.
That’s something I’m really interested in, what’s the DJ’s name? DJ Cappo.
I read somewhere, DJ Frontline? Ya, I’m not sure if that’s his official name, I think there might be a
copyright issue.
Same gentleman? Ya, same guy.
Now does he actually spin while you guys are playing? Oh, absolutely. Have you ever listened to
Bhangra? No.
Bhangra is already kind of historically a movement of mixing DJ and remixes with Indian and Pakistani
movie music. It’s a big movement in Britain and England, and Toronto where there are big Indo-Pakistani
communities. So having the tabla and the sitar, and the DJ has always been, in recent history, pretty hip
among the South Asian community. So in a way, we are kind of doing like . . . Sector 9 plays Bhangra,
with wacky guitar playing over the top.
Which happens to be probably my favorite band right now..
Oh Sector 9 is awesome. And so we have kind of a jungle thing happening on some tunes, and some
pretty cool beats, but we’re actually all still playing too.
For the Fareed Haque Group do you play the sitar when it’s played? Oh ya.
I assumed so, but wasn’t sure if there was some type of addition.
I have a custom built guitar/sitar, made by Kim Schwartz in New Mexico. The cool thing about this is that
it’s a sitar, but I can actually play pretty loud and rock on it, which is not the case for most sitar’s, it’s a
pretty soft, acoustic instrument.
You are familiar with the band The Slip I imagine? Ya, Brad and I have played together a bunch of
times. I assumed so, now does he have a similar. . . He has a Choral sitar, I think it was designed in
the sixties and seventies to be an electric sitar, and it has some of the qualities of the sitar, but I haven’t
played with that much, so I’m not sure how similar or different it is from what I have. Mine has 13 different
drone strings in addition to the guitar strings, so it has some of the harp like, sympathetic strings the
guitar has.
The more I talk to you; the more excited I am to see the Fareed Haque Group.
It’s a fun band. It’s kind of a pity that in a way it’s going to take a minute for people to distinguish between
Garaj and Fareed Haque Group. In Garaj Mahal I’m basically rocking out all night, which is a blast don’t
get me wrong. Fareed Haque Group is funkier, a little more intense, hypnotic, Indian, funky, and also a
little jazzier.
I was thinking again, I still have this DJ running around in my head, when he’s spinning while you
guys are playing what type of beats is he spinning? Do you even know what he’s putting on his
decks?
Well ya, because we argue about it all the time (laughing light heartedly). No I mean I’m into beats. A lot
of jungle beats, a fair amount of samples, things like that, some loops, and some Indian drumming and
Indian vocals and things like that.
I think that’s really, almost necessary, to push forward with DJ’s, because it seems to be the
movement of the future.
Well I think that what’s happening now, is that we’ve all been exposed to many different types of music.
So what’s fascinating now is how those things interface with each other. And it’s been going on for a
while all over the place, and I think the new thing is to try to keep that interest in camber and different
types of grooves, and different sounds, and the huge palate of colors that a DJ offers, but to be able to
do it spontaneously. Not to have it be something you have to go out and buy a single, not
preprogrammed, but where music can once again be part of the social structure of society, where it can
be part of our everyday lives, and still be hip, and
technologically current.
Definitely. And I interview maybe two people a month, and
I’m surprised how many musicians that I certainly respect
are almost bull headed about electronic music and DJ’s. . .
You mean anti that?
Yes very anti, not all by any stretch of the imagination, but I
just actually had a conversation a couple of days ago, with
an individual and we just couldn’t seem to see eye to eye
on the topic. I had no idea that there was even a DJ in the
Fareed Haque Group because as you said, on the samples I
have the DJ isn’t mixed in yet.
Fareed rocking out with KDTU
We are always walking a fine line, we don’t want it to be techno pop 101 either – (starts making the
signature 4/4 house beat with his voice) – bump, bump, bump, bump.
Ya I hate that house beat. It’s a cool beat for a while, but we don’t have strobe lights going all night
long. So I think there is a balance. The issue is there are plenty of DJ’s out there, and there’s plenty of
DJ’s that are lousy musicians, and all I’m referring to in terms of that is taste. Because ultimately good
music is a matter of taste not a matter of talent. And as far as I’m concerned there are some cats who
have unbelievable taste, and their music is wonderful. I don’t care what elements you take, whether it’s
chopsticks, paint, the English language, or sound bytes, it’s all just a puzzle to be assembled into an
artistic form.
Definitely, and that’s a wonderful way of putting it. This has been part one of the two part series.
Just the tip of the iceberg, if you will. Be sure to check back soon for the whole story.
The Kayceman JamBase | Head Quarters Go See Live Music!