An evening with Art Fazil

After last night, I am convinced that in my other life, I must have been a back up singer of sorts. Or even a member of a groupie. An aborted plan to go to the movies saw us back at Mawar, listening and singing along with Art Fazil. Art Fazil on a Saturday night at Mawar is worth missing the X Factor for. He was in his elements, playing to a packed audience enjoying their fried koayteow, and some appreciative ladies dancing to his rendition of ‘My Girl’.

But for me, his version of ‘Engkau Laksana Bulan’ and ‘Fatwa Pujangga’ was enough to get me singing all the way down Edgware Road competing with the Saturday night revellers making their way home. My husband has perfected the art of listeningbut not hearing, if you know what I mean, while my children pretended they are not with me.

The week before Art surprised us with an old song the title of which escapes me right now – but something about an adik manis walking in the rain without an umbrella, being chatted up by an abang who offered to walk her back. Alas, she had to let him down gently as she has ‘Anak lima’....This is what I like about Malay songs. Some are so downright flirtatious.

But an old time favourite of mine that Art knows he has to sing whenever I am around, is “Anak Melayu di Kota Inggeris "– a song that he wrote himself, and dare I say about himself! In his voice that has a kind of rough edge that would send Sharon Osbourne swooning, he lamented about life in this Kota Inggeris and missing petai and sambal tumis. And, he says, "Aku masih suka gadis Melayu!" Can’t wait for him to release this song, and it is about time too Art, after your album Nur.

Art has a knack of writing songs that touch you where it is supposed to touch you.
Take his Merindu Kepastian, for example :

Andai kau menjadi merpati,
biar ku jadi sang bayu
agar kita sering bertemu

or this one

Andai esok aku menjadi tanah,
sudikah engkau menjadi bunga,
hiasi dadaku.....

All together now............Ahhhhh!

Art should actually try for X factor and I will round up a group of supporters to hound Simon before he could even form a smirk on his face. I know I have Ewok's support.

I think, having failed to realise my ambition to be a forensic scientist, I would have loved to be a back up singer, swaying in the background, snapping my fingers in rythm. Did I not write about my debut with Raihan a few months ago? And what about the time when I sat on the steps with David Arumugam, holding the mike while he sang Hingga Akhir Nanti? I couldn’t manage the high note, though, but suffice to say, he gave me the honours to say, “Ma kaseeehhhhhhhh!”

High notes are a no no to me. Alas, my voice is one that you hear in the lift saying, “ Tingkat Satu, Tingkat Satu” or on the plane “Kita akan mendarat sebentar lagi, sila pasangkan tali...” or recorded messages that go, “Nombor yang anda dial tidak ada dalam perkhidmatan. Sila cuba sebentar lagi”. messages thatdrive you crazy!

Art Fazil can be found here and he sings at Mawar Restaurant on Saturday nights, accompanied by the wonderful and talented Mofa on drums.
(and Kak Teh in the background!)

This entry is dedicated to fans of Art Fazil who keep writing to me asking about him.