s u f i m o o n

sher miandad khan singer-composer of Qawwali music

Born in 1968 in Pakpatan Sharif (Pakistan), Qwal Sher Miandad Khan started his career at the age of 10. According to his family tradition he also selected music as a career and learned the art of Qwali from his father, Din Mohammad Qawal , who also tought Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, a cousin of Sher Miandad Khan. His audio and CD recordings have been released in England, USA, India and Pakistan. He has taken part in several Pakistani TV programs and has composed the music for a Pakistani movie called « Akheeyan Audikdiyan » and has composed music for the famous female pakistani folk singer Abida Parveen. He participated in the first « Sufi Soul World Music Festival Pakistan», held in Lahore in February 2000.

waris ali balu khan tablas

Waris ali Balu Khan commes from a family of traditional classic musicians and singers. He was taught and trained to play tabla in the traditional way and he is a gifted and noted player. He started training under the guidance of his older brother Amjad Ali Khan, and later played with Master Ejaz Hussain Balu, a reknowned master tablaists. Balu has performed with talented artists in Pakistan like Ustad Fateh Ali Khan. He has also trained and performed as soloist in England, USA, Canada, Australia and France. He participated in the first « Sufi Soul World Music Festival Pakistan», held in Lahore in February 2000.

robert morgenthaler trombone, didgeridoo, alphorn

Born in Bern. he learned to play the trombone at Zurich Conservatory and at the Swiss Jazz School. Since 1979 teaching at Swiss Jazz School and Jazzschule Luzern. Worldwide activities as a trombone player and composer. Has been touring Europe, Africa, the U.S., South America, Asia and Russia. Various radio, TV and CD productions. Morgenthaler has performed alongside Bill Coleman, Lee Konitz, Hannibal Marvin Peterson, Graig Russel, Kenny Weeler, Victor Lewis, Mel Lewis, Steve Swallow, Bob Stewart, Daniel Humair, Franco Ambrosetti, Moondog, Makaya Nzoko, Jean-Paul Bourelly, Robin Eubanks, Hiram Bullock, Carla Bley, Günter Baby Sommer. Recordings: Pro Helvetia, Roots of Communication; Drôles d’Oiseaux Schaller, Siron, Pedretti, Morgenthaler; Live in Detroit, François Lindemann Montreux Jazz & Swiss Movement.

jean-jacques pedretti trombone, shell, alphorn

Jean-Jacques Pedretti studied classical trombone at the Conservatoire de Musique de Genève, but later turns to jazz and improvised music. In 1992, he recieves the first « artistic prize » of the Municipality of Nyon, Switzerland. He has played with, amongst others,; Butch Morris, François Lindemann Montreux Jazz and Swiss Movement (tour in USA 1991), Martin Schütz, Hans Koch, Michel Wintch, Sylvie Courvoisier, Michel Godard, Yves Robert, Günter ‘’Baby’’ Sommer, Gérard Pansanel, Doudou Gouirand, Christoph Baumann (Swiss Inproviser), Fransizka Baumann, Peter Schärli, Hervé Provini, Vinz Vonlanthen, Longineu Parson, etc. He has toured in the USA, North Africa, Asia and Europe. Member of ‘’Roots of Communication’’ (with Robert Morgenthaler and Lucas Niggli), he was also solist in the Swiss pavillon designed by Peter Zumthor with music composed by Daniel Ott, at the Universal Exhibition in Hannovre 2000. With Roots of Communication he participated in the Sufi Soul World Music Festival in Lahore, Pakistan in march 2000. Recordings: Pro Helvetia, Roots of Communication; Le chant de Waamat Michel Wintch Drôles d’Oiseaux, Schaller, Siron, Pedretti, Morgenthaler; Live in Detroit, François Lindemann Montreux Jazz & Swiss Movement; L’invisible trio Siron-Pedretti duo; François Lindeman Septet; Border Meetings, Pedretti, Schütz, Niggli, Grichting, Label Altri Suoni.

anna grichting vocals, tuning box, lyrics

Born in Switzerland, brought up in England and Ireland, her first musical encounters are with celtic music. Back in Switzelrand, she follows workshops at the AMR, local jazz association while following a classical musical training. From her english pop and irish celtic influences, she turns to rythmn & blues with her group the « Mad Hatters » who play venues from 1985-1990 and she is also a member of the music-hall troup called the « Batignolles » where she interprets songs by Mistinguette. In the past years, she has revived her interest in folk music, especially indian, pakistani and celtic music, and she also explores the world of jazz and new technologies. With the trombone player Jean-Jacques Pedretti, she created and produced Border Meetings, where she writes and sings lyrics composed around the concept of borders, limites and divided cities like Belfast, Nicosia and in the past, Beirut, Berlin, a project which includes Martin Schütz on cello and Lucas Niggli on drums. She also sings in « Songs Trio », with Michel Bastet on piano and Jean-Jacques Pedretti on trombone and plays in duo with the female pianiste and composer Ariane Besson. With Jean-Jacques Pedretti, Anna Grichting founded "Sufi Moon" after participating in the Sufi Soul World Music Festival in Lahore in 2000. This project is the encounter between alphorns and qawwali music centered on the theme of the Moon. They have toured Switzerland and Pakistan and played in the Sufi Shrine of Baba Farid in Pakpatten for the Urs of the Sufi Saint. They will release a CD of Sufi Moon with Sher Miandad Khan and Warisali Baloo Khan early next year.

Recordings: Border Meetings, Altri Suoni, Juin 2000.

Anna Grichting

Architect Urbanist Musician

NEWS