Spanish academic, documentary filmmaker and musician, Michel Gasco, has collaborated with Australian Lachlan R. Dale on releasing an album following a series of visits to Australia, most recently in November.
The album, titled 'Afghan Music In Exile: Mashhad 2022' is due for release in June.
Mr Gasco has been working with Afghan musicians over the past 10 years and said he was saddened by the Taliban's crackdown on the playing of music, imposed when the group took control of Afghanistan in August 2021.
The duo had planned to work on a documentary film about Afghan music but changed tack when they saw and heard firsthand about the daily struggle of Afghan musicians both in Afghanistan and abroad.
“We decided to start a project that could benefit musicians in exile in a faster and more profitable way,” Mr Gasco said.
“We started a which was successful to record an album of the best musicians in exile in Mashhad (Iran), were able to pay them for their work and then, once the album is released, 100 per cent of its profits will go back to them.
“In our opinion, this kind of project benefits the musician in two key ways - economically and by sharing this incredible music culture with non-Afghan audiences.”
‘Countless individuals who need support’
Mr Dale told SBS Pashto that he had received calls from a number of Afghan musicians who needed assistance.
However, the “problem is so big” in Afghanistan and there are “countless individuals who need support”, he said.
“Since the Taliban took power once more (in August 2021), it is clear from my conversations with Afghan musicians both inside and outside the country that artists are under threat," Mr Dale affirmed.
“Some have been targeted, tortured and even killed; while others are unable to provide for their families, and are facing starvation. It’s an extremely serious and distressing situation.”
Love of the rubab
Mr Gasco first travelled to the city of Mashhad a decade ago to learn the rubab, or rabab - one of Afghanistan's national instruments - from Afghan refugees.
“In 2006, someone shared with me a rubab album from Herat, and I remember it was the first time I had listened to rubab and Afghan music and I was astonished,” he said.
“I love the Afghan rubab and the music. So, this is the reason I started learning [the rubab] and then it changed my life.
“I think it is very important to say that my work has been mostly about playing and spreading Afghan music, playing the rubab, recording albums of other artists, making documentary films or academic research.”
Michel Gasco practising the rubab (one of the national musical instruments of Afghanistan) at his master, Nasim Khoshnawaz's house. Credit: Supplied
‘Music is a human need’
Mr Gasco said he developed deep connections with Afghan musicians in exile.
He said that music exists in even the “most fundamentalist” societies and it had undergone a revival in Afghanistan following the fall of the Taliban in 2001.
“The rise of music in Afghanistan was really amazing, be it professional or amateur, or just as a hobby.
"A lot of Afghan people started to play music, it is a human need."
After the Taliban re-took power in the country, Mr Gasco said he saw a number of musicians fleeing to Iran.
Obviously, this is a disaster and we really don’t understand what is happening.Michel Gasco
“There was a constant flow of people coming [to Iran] and I remember when I left [Iran] in June, the musicians were still coming [from Afghanistan],” he said.
Michel Gasco with folk singer and actor from Herat, Nematollah Hosseinzadeh, and rubab player from Herat, Nasim Khishnawaz, after the interview and performance for next Michel's documentary film. Credit: Supplied
“I came to Australia last November and had eight beautiful shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Toowoomba. The first half of the concert was focused on oud music and the second half on rubab music,” he said.
He said he had been invited to Australia by Dr Gay J. Breyley from Monash University to give a talk on Afghan music and Afghan musicians in Mashhad, their music and their situation there.
Mr Gasco playing Afghan rubab at Sydney's 107 Projects in Redfern - one of his Australian concerts was with Tim Johannessen (pictured) who played the daireh. Credit: Supplied
He has been working with Mr Gasco on a number of projects to support Afghan musicians.
“With Michel Gasco, I have been working with Afghan musicians in-exile for the last few years, particularly with the Herati rubab master Nasim Khushnawaz," Mr Dale said.
“I commissioned his debut album, 'Songs From The Pearl of Khorasan', which was released earlier this year on my record label, 'Worlds Within Worlds'.
“Earlier this year, I held 'A Tribute To The Music Of Afghanistan', a fundraiser event for the wonderful International Campaign For The Musicians Of Afghanistan, which works to assist destitute musicians within the country.”
‘We have lost everything’
Asef Habibi is an Afghan musician who was residing in the Herat province of Afghanistan when the Taliban regained power.
A singer and music teacher to a number of students around the world, he was forced to leave the country for Iran after the Taliban came to power.
Asef Habibi during a music performance in Afghanistan. Credit: Supplied
“[Mr Dale and Mr Gasco] worked very hard and helped us. We thank them for working hard on this project and I think this process is still ongoing and the profit of this project was delivered to those who took part,” he said.
“It is very important to receive this sort of assistance in this difficult situation.
“At the moment, an artist needs help from foreigners more than anyone else - we have lost everything.”
