((PKG)) Tabla for Two
((Banner: Tabla for Two))
((Reporter/Camera: June Soh)
((Map: Washington, D.C ))
((Main characters: 1 Male, 1 Female
((NAT of Music))
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
I think that it's a very big deal culturally, what we're doing, to bring these, especially
Afghanistan and America, together in music because music speaks all languages.
((NAT of Music))
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
I am from Erie, Pennsylvania and living here in the Washington, D.C. area. My most
respected teacher Masood Omari, he is originally from Afghanistan.
((NAT of Music))
Our band is called Tabla for Two. The tabla that Masood is playing and I also play, the
tabla is an Eastern percussion instrument. It’s a drum.
((Masood Omari, Tabla for Two))
This is the goat skin. And the middle part, the black here, burning the steel and it’s
coming from the steel powder and then pasting with a strong glue and put it in the
center here. And it makes a cosmic sound, you can see?
((NAT of Music))
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
We play three different kinds of music. We play classical music. And we play traditional
music of Afghanistan and India. And we play new music for the New World, we call it.
It's our signature music and it is composed by Masood. It's for two tabla players.
((NAT of Music))
((Popup Banner: The duo play every day in Greenway’s basement outside
Washington.))
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
Throughout this downstairs, which we call the Tablasphere, we create the music and
practice the music and occasionally have guests.
((NAT of Music))
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
I met Masood approximately eight years ago here in Washington. And it was a
showroom of beautiful Afghan antiques and clothing and rugs and jewelry. I have never
in my life seen their culture in that way. And I realized that he was this amazing tabla
player and I asked for lessons. I didn't know at the time where this was going. All I
knew is that I had a huge desire and a force pushing me to learn to play the instrument.
((NAT of Music))
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
After a life as a visual artist and coming from a family of artists, I grew up listening to
classical music and American Jazz. And my father was a classical violinist. I really was
very close to music.
((NAT of Music))
((Masood Omari, Tabla for Two))
When I saw first Abigail, she doesn’t understand the language of Afghanistan. She
understand the beat and melody. She was very exciting to learn. She learned quickly.
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
I felt this amazing challenge and I wanted to play the music. I just couldn't. I wasn't
getting there fast enough for me. I wanted to get there now. I practiced many, many
hours. I practiced every day.
((NAT of Music))
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
And then, he said I should learn to play the harmonium. I never thought I would be
playing the harmonium. So, I had my first lesson on the harmonium. I fell in love with it.
((Masood Omari, Tabla for Two))
Abigail playing harmonium this style. No one can play like this because she is playing
very soft, graceful and gentle.
((NAT of Music))
((Popup Banner: Omari fled Afghanistan to Islamabad, Pakistan when he
was 15 where he studied to receive his tabla mastership before coming to the United
States in 2002))
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
What's really extraordinary is that Masood is singing on top of his playing. He sings on
top of the classical songs. He's singing any song and playing tabla at the same time.
((NAT of Masood Omari singing))
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
We play at the embassies often. We play at the museums, at universities. And we play
here in the Tablasphere for special invited guests.
((Mandatory: YouTube logo))
People can see us on our YouTube channel, which is our same name, Tabla for Two.
((NAT of Music))
((Masood Omari, Tabla for Two))
I believe that I have an important role playing and preserving the music of my country,
Afghanistan, and sharing it with the world.
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
It's just the beginning. I've just started learning about a place that I knew nothing about
that has been so ravaged. And I'm thrilled to show Afghanistan in a positive, beautiful
light.
((NAT of Music))
((Banner: Tabla for Two))
((Reporter/Camera: June Soh)
((Map: Washington, D.C ))
((Main characters: 1 Male, 1 Female
((NAT of Music))
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
I think that it's a very big deal culturally, what we're doing, to bring these, especially
Afghanistan and America, together in music because music speaks all languages.
((NAT of Music))
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
I am from Erie, Pennsylvania and living here in the Washington, D.C. area. My most
respected teacher Masood Omari, he is originally from Afghanistan.
((NAT of Music))
Our band is called Tabla for Two. The tabla that Masood is playing and I also play, the
tabla is an Eastern percussion instrument. It’s a drum.
((Masood Omari, Tabla for Two))
This is the goat skin. And the middle part, the black here, burning the steel and it’s
coming from the steel powder and then pasting with a strong glue and put it in the
center here. And it makes a cosmic sound, you can see?
((NAT of Music))
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
We play three different kinds of music. We play classical music. And we play traditional
music of Afghanistan and India. And we play new music for the New World, we call it.
It's our signature music and it is composed by Masood. It's for two tabla players.
((NAT of Music))
((Popup Banner: The duo play every day in Greenway’s basement outside
Washington.))
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
Throughout this downstairs, which we call the Tablasphere, we create the music and
practice the music and occasionally have guests.
((NAT of Music))
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
I met Masood approximately eight years ago here in Washington. And it was a
showroom of beautiful Afghan antiques and clothing and rugs and jewelry. I have never
in my life seen their culture in that way. And I realized that he was this amazing tabla
player and I asked for lessons. I didn't know at the time where this was going. All I
knew is that I had a huge desire and a force pushing me to learn to play the instrument.
((NAT of Music))
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
After a life as a visual artist and coming from a family of artists, I grew up listening to
classical music and American Jazz. And my father was a classical violinist. I really was
very close to music.
((NAT of Music))
((Masood Omari, Tabla for Two))
When I saw first Abigail, she doesn’t understand the language of Afghanistan. She
understand the beat and melody. She was very exciting to learn. She learned quickly.
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
I felt this amazing challenge and I wanted to play the music. I just couldn't. I wasn't
getting there fast enough for me. I wanted to get there now. I practiced many, many
hours. I practiced every day.
((NAT of Music))
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
And then, he said I should learn to play the harmonium. I never thought I would be
playing the harmonium. So, I had my first lesson on the harmonium. I fell in love with it.
((Masood Omari, Tabla for Two))
Abigail playing harmonium this style. No one can play like this because she is playing
very soft, graceful and gentle.
((NAT of Music))
((Popup Banner: Omari fled Afghanistan to Islamabad, Pakistan when he
was 15 where he studied to receive his tabla mastership before coming to the United
States in 2002))
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
What's really extraordinary is that Masood is singing on top of his playing. He sings on
top of the classical songs. He's singing any song and playing tabla at the same time.
((NAT of Masood Omari singing))
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
We play at the embassies often. We play at the museums, at universities. And we play
here in the Tablasphere for special invited guests.
((Mandatory: YouTube logo))
People can see us on our YouTube channel, which is our same name, Tabla for Two.
((NAT of Music))
((Masood Omari, Tabla for Two))
I believe that I have an important role playing and preserving the music of my country,
Afghanistan, and sharing it with the world.
((Abigail Adams Greenway, Tabla for Two))
It's just the beginning. I've just started learning about a place that I knew nothing about
that has been so ravaged. And I'm thrilled to show Afghanistan in a positive, beautiful
light.
((NAT of Music))
