ISLAMABAD, Nov 30: The rooms of Kuch Khaas resonated on Saturday night with the strains of rich musical tradition generated by probably the last of the Charsadda Setar player and accompanists.

Ustad Zainullah Jan music allowed the listener to peek into the ancient forms of music, while incorporating the familiar sounds and passionate tunes of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Organised by the Institute for Preservation of Art and Culture (IPAC) and Kuch Khaas, the instrumental performance was the tenth concert of the Instrumental Ecstasy series.

“The Setar from Charsadda is also a long-necked lute played in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. It is not related to the North Indian classical sitar and its name is probably derived from the Setar a Central Asian and Iranian long-necked lute,” said the CEO, IPAC, Umair Jaffar who introduced the instrument to an audience made up of locals and diplomats.

He also introduced Ustad Zainullah Jan as probably the last Setar player alive in the region.

Nonetheless, a 15-minute sound check preceded the performance, which the audience enjoyed as if the concert had started. The music began with the quiet dignity of traditional folk tunes of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The concert rooms resounded in an ebb and flow between the melodic strains from the masterful performance and the applause of the audience.

Zainullah Jan and Ustad Malang Jan on Mangai (clay percussion) enthralled their listeners by sheer and clean beauty of their skills – fingers racing the length of the six-stringed instrument.

The subtle mesh of the two instruments and their creative styles, distinctly their own, provided a refreshing perspective on the techniques of playing the Setar.

Listeners particularly appreciated his sensitive yet controlled handling of the instrument, which was testimony to his talent and dedication to his music.

In the hour plus concert, Zainullah Jan performed Pakhtun folk compositions such as Lar Shah Pekhawarta, which the performer translated for his guests as ‘go to Peshawar and get me a black shirt along with three to four roses’.

His rhythmic vitality shone throughout the concert when he played compositions like paro ro ke da qadamoona ashna, which meant ‘takes steps slowly’, and an Afghan devotional folk song, which roughly translated to how his heart belonged to God.

The night was infused with energy, which added to his impressive playing.

Zainullah Jan explained how there were only a few who had passion to play the Chitrali sitar including one of his students. Not even his own children wanted to take after their father in keeping the music alive.

IPAC is a private endeavours to preserve and promote traditional art forms and cultural heritage of Pakistan.