The Music
The Art of Sami Yusuf
Live in Concert 2015
Albums
2015
Recorded at London’s iconic Cadogan Hall on 1st of May 2015, Sami describes this outstanding performance as his most authentic musical expression to date. As thrilling as it is meditative, as masterful as it is traditional, as artistic as it is sacred, listening to Sami Yusuf’s highest calibre live performance induces a feeling one can only imagine would have been felt by bystanders watching Michelangelo paint the Sistine Chapel: in awe of the Divine source of such beauty. One has come to expect goose bumps from Sami Yusuf’s electrifying performances, and this is no exception. One almost slips into a trance of love and oneness with the divine with every beat. A performance of this calibre will leave even the most sophisticated and discerning listeners feeling inspired, uplifted, and finally at home, in The Centre.
1
Introduction (Navā)
Just as the centre of a circle draws together all the radii surrounding it into unity, the Centre brings together all of the crucial elements of the spiritual journey. Putting aside self-centred doubt and ungratefulness we come to understand that the Here and Now is the doorway between the limited and the Infinite, between time and Eternity. To pass through this doorway is 'To find the key to all existence.'
2
The Centre
Just as the centre of a circle draws together all the radii surrounding it into unity, The Centre brings together all of the crucial elements of the spiritual journey. Putting aside self-centred doubt and ungratefulness we come to understand that the Here and Now is the doorway between the limited and the Infinite, between time and Eternity. To pass through this doorway is 'To find the key to all existence.'
3
Go
We all have doubts in our lives but ‘Go’ is a call to action. While hesitation is the enemy of self-confidence, faith & belief, ‘Go’ inspires us to follow our dreams and listen to the "drum that beats from inside you, to the light that shines just to find you".
4
Pearl
The album The Centre takes us on a spiritual journey. ‘The Pearl’ is at the heart of this journey, the hidden beauty that is revealed once we peel back these layers of self discovery. Lying in darkness at the bottom of a deep ocean, protected by a hard shell, the pearl is waiting for anyone with the determination and patience to find it.
5
Khorasan
‘Khorasan’ is inspired by the stories 'In Baghdad Dreaming of Cairo: In Cairo, Dreaming of Baghdad' by Rumi, and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Sometimes the treasures we are looking for have been with us all along, but it can take a long journey to discover this. Khorasan is a historical region of Persia that provides the destination of this spiritual journey, where we discover the answers to the secrets of this world were inside us all along.
6
Lament
The encounter with the Transcendent inspires an unspeakable awe, in the face of which our worldly existence appears as a source of separation and sorrow. ‘Lament ‘meditates on lines written by Ibn 'Arabi communicating the terror and wonder of an experience of the infinitely Beyond. The poet uses visceral language that associates the desolation of the lover with the desolation of the desert to evoke the meeting of overwhelming attraction and overwhelming fear in a heart that trembles in the face of the Absolute.
7
You Came to Me
8
Ya Mustafa
9
Hasbi Rabbi
10
Cadence
11
Circle
The circle is a symbol of many things to different people: purity, unity, equality to name a few. There are no corners, no angles, just a pure arc that continues infinitely. Inspired by the Sufi whirling dervishes, the circle is another symbol in this album that represents oneness with our physical presence on this earth and our spiritual presence beyond.
12
Forgotten Promises
13
Ya Rasul Allah
14
Jaaneh Jaanaan
‘Jaaneh Jaanaan ‘resonates with the tones of a tradition of divine love poetry in Persian that has resounded through the hearts of lovers for a millennium. ‘Jaaneh Jaanaan’ is an intimate conversation with the true Beloved, whom the bewildered poet sees everywhere. He sings of earthly beauty, of the spiritual guide, and of the Divine Beloved Himself, for all true love is ultimately the love of the Divine.
15
The Key
In an album of search and struggle, ‘The Key’ represents a source of obstruction. We may feel imprisoned in this physical realm, but sometimes the easiest way to free ourselves is to first free our minds. While the key can keep us captive, it can also set us free.
16
Let Us Not Forget
17
Sari Gelin
‘Sari Gelin’ is a famous Azerbaijani folk song hugely popular around the world, particularly in Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Persian-speaking countries (Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan) as well as Uzbekistan, Greece, Bosnia, and Serbia, to name just a few. There are many traditional versions of this hauntingly emotional melody. Sami Yusuf has created an English version of this beautiful love song based loosely on translations from the original.
18
Fire
Throughout history humankind has always been drawn to fire; it provides warmth, protection and a place to gather. It is the symbol of community where ‘it warms from every side’ regardless of who we are or what we do. The fire has a meditative quality where we can gather our thoughts, talk to our friends & make new ones. Even the most solitary journeys require the help of others at times and the fire is a place where we can find that help.
19
Go (Encore)
We all have doubts in our lives but ‘Go’ is a call to action. While hesitation is the enemy of self-confidence, faith, and belief, ‘Go’ inspires us to follow our dreams and listen to the "drum that beats from inside you, to the light that shines just to find you".