the Dombyra

Akbar Faizi comes to play. I’ve only ever heard this instrument on vinyl from one of my weekly selections at  Nottingham City’s wonderful library back in the 80’s, and to hear it live now is stunning.  Akbar was a professional singer and performer in Afghanistan for 12 years before he had to escape, arriving in Augsburg only 3 months ago. The Taliban regime have forbidden music. What?!  I had no idea they had done this too. Even instruments are burnt. Can you imagine? A world without music? We can’t really communicate through spoken language but our connection is immediate. I also have several Afghan friends here, and by the time he leaves and we are grinning like fools at the energy of his songs, I think he understands my invitation for dinner here together next week.