ISLAMABAD, Dec 10: Singer of devotional songs, Abida Parveen thrilled a responsive audience at a musical soiree hosted by the French embassy and the Alliance Francaise on Saturday evening.

She sang until the wee hours of the night to the accompaniment of Nazir Khan on Tabla, Manzur Hussain on harmonium and Karamat Husain on drums.

The frenzied beat of her dhamal numbers sent listeners into ecstasy who burst into repeated applause at peak points of her rendition.

The accompanists delighted with their ability to resonate and pursue her variations closely in the wide range she commands and the spontaneity that is a feature of her folk artistry. She sang a number of kafis from her repertoire of mystic poetry.

Abida also likes to sing ghazals. Qamar Jalalabadi seems to be her favourite a couple of whose ghazals she has sung in her strong style and these have become quite popular too.

It was a full fair with all the richness Sindh’s devotional music offers and Abida Parveen renders with her typical gusto.—A Reporter