'Mohammad Juma Khan mixed Indian and Yemeni heritage to create new musical style'

Kuwaitis had been emotionally connected with Adeni music for decades and that is evident in songs played at various folklore functions in the country. Perhaps the success of this style of music in Kuwait should be attributed to one Mohammad Juma Khan, the first to bring Adeni music to the country.

Adeni heritage expert Dr. Dhari Al-Rshaid indicated that Kuwaitis were first acquainted to Adeni music during their travels and visits to Yemen in the 1930s. Among Yemeni musical troupes entraining Kuwaiti sailors was Mohammad Juma Khan's group, which usually gathered for Sammrat (joyful gatherings), added the expert.

Khan, born to an Indian father and Yemeni mother, succeeded in seeping his dual heritage in his music, coming up with a new style of Adeni music, indicated Dr. Al-Rshaid who revealed that though Khan resided in Hadhramaut, Kuwaitis regarded his music as being from Aden due to them frequently visiting the latter city.

Kuwaiti singers in the 1940s and 1950s-including Abdullah Al-Fdalah and Hamad Khalifa-began to emulate Adeni music in their musical outputs, further promoting the style.
In the 1960s, Mohammad Juma Khan and his group visited Kuwait and held several concerts and even signed with a production company to distribute his brand of Adeni music, said Dr. Al-Rshaid, adding that more Kuwaiti artists such as Rashid Al-Hemeli, Juma Al-Tararwa, and Hamad Senan began to incorporate Adeni music in their albums and songs.

Kuwaitis artists began to excel in Adeni music, becoming virtuosos in the oud, a lead instrument in this style.
Dr. Al-Rshaid said that Kuwaitis cover Khan's songs and also came up with their own tunes based on Adeni music in the 1980s and 1990s. After this, production of albums and singles began to decline gradually in line with the global music industry trends.

Despite the new status quo, Adeni music still survived until this day through sheer popularity and numerous events held dedicated to this style of music, he affirmed, noting that millennials still sing and play the tunes of Adeni music thanks to Khan who initially planted the seed of this style.

By Amna Al-Shemmeri