Nasim Khushnawaz is a master of the Afghan rubab, one of the national instruments of Afghanistan. It’s a stringed instrument in a range of three sizes so that the smallest has 5 sympathetic strings, the medium has 19 strings and 13 sympathetic strings and the large has 21 strings with 15 sympathetic stings. It has a widely expressive range with a dazzling array of tonal, rhythmic and textural voicings that give the instrument its distinctive sound. Khushnawaz’s father is the late Ustad Rahim Khushnawaz who is considered one of the great players of the rubab and who helped to expose the West to the instrument and its music when ethnomusicologist John Bailey in the 1970s made recordings of Rubab of Herat, Afghanistan to an audience outside that country. The younger Khushnawaz recently put out his latest album of traditional Herati pieces and three classical Afghani including the lead track “Sahargah.” Captured with beautiful sonic detail and evocative power, one hears the musician’s technical prowess but also a masterful interpretive mastery with counter melody and rhythm switching effortlessly between single note syncopation and strumming utilizing drone and rapid arpeggios that give the music a fluidity and energy that is both inviting and immediately engaging even for listners who are unfamiliar with this style and form of music. The title means “Priceless” in English, a concept that should apply to one’s cultural heritage which Khushnawaz preserves ably here and across the entirety of the album Songs From The Pearl of Khorasan. Listen to “Sahargah” on Spotify and follow Nasim Khushnawaz at the links below.
Queen City Sounds and Art 
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