The piece I have chosen is Mast Qalandar by Sami Yusuf. The piece is a type of Raga called Kafi which is a heptatonic Raga which corresponds to the Dorian mode in Western Music. This Raga is performed in honor of the most revered Sufi Saint of Sindh Lal Shahbaz Qalandar of Sehwan Sharif. The Raga begins with a solo voice improvising then shortly after the instruments join in. The instruments you hear throughout the piece include clapping from the other vocalist, a Sitar, Tabla, a Dholak, and a Harmonium. The Raga is performed in a call-and-response form where the solo voice sings the words first then the other voices respond repeating the line. The solo voice improvises throughout the piece as well and all the voices join together to sing the same praising phrase together. Throughout the Raga you can hear the clear beat and rhythm being laid out by the clapping as well as by the Tala of the Tabla. Overall the Raga sounds joyful and honoring towards the Sufi Saint of Sindh Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.

Sami Yusuf – Mast Qalandar