Mushfiq Ensemble at Calgary Folk Festival
Calgary Folk Music Festival staff
Mushfiq:

A belated thanks for performing at the 28th Annual Calgary Folk Music Festival and for your wonderful card...it was very sweet of you to send such thorough and glowing feedback! 50,000 folks over 4 days basking in the sunshine listening to the 67 artists we programmed was a glorious thing. There were so many great shows and fabulous sessions with the kind of collaborations that make me proud and thrill the audience. You did a wonderful job in your concerts and sessions. I thought the one with you, Moshav and the Crooked Jades was particularly strong. Canada's lucky to have such fantastic, authentic global artists residing here.

The Technique Belongs to All the World
Toronto Star
Buzz Section, April 15, 2007
Mushfiq Ensemble brings taste of Afghan music to Toronto. By John Terauds

Folk Alliance invades Memphis
American Journal of Jam and Roots: Honest Tune (Oxford, Memphis)
Artists like the Mushfiq Ensemble brought a touch of the Middle East to the stage, contrasting nicely with the bluegrass pickers and soulful acoustic folk music. Playing qawwali and a little Indian classical music, the Ottawa, Ontario-based but Afghani-bred act was nothing short of mesmerizing, even though no one could really understand the dialects of the lyrics, as lead singer Mushfiq Hashimi speaks about 8 languages over the course of a show.

Written by Josh Mintz
Tuesday, 27 February 2007

Moheb Hashimy: December 29, 2006
CBC Television
Persian Calligraphy demonstration at the Museum of Civilization's Petra Exhibit (Quebec, Canada)

Photographic Exhibit - woman journalists in Afghanistan
EMBASSY - Canada's Foreign Policy Newsweekly. Date Oct 11, 2006

Photo - The Mushfiq Ensemble with the Ambassador of Afghanistan to Canada Omar Samad and his wife Korsheid Samad. (Photo, no press review of our performance)

Workshop Success
ART BEAT, Erin Barnhardt Ontario Council of Folk Festivals
With great enthusiasm, compassion, humour and knowledge, Mushfiq Hashimi offers students new opportunities to see the world in different ways, encouraging them to take part in the making and appreciation of music. By introducing young ears, minds and hearts to diverse sounds and ideas, Mushfiq is able to explore and unfurl the unique aspects of each student's personality, and bring the collective to a common place, where they are able to share, play and learn together. His dedication to promoting music education, by connecting with students and teachers in the community, is an outstanding example of the potential for creating change and positive action through expression and creativity. It was an honour to have Mushfiq Hashimi and the Mushfiq Ensemble as a part of the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals' community outreach program, ART BEAT, this year! Mushfiq's ART BEAT workshops at Manor Park Public School in Ottawa culminated in beautiful and inspired performances and artwork, displaying both the results of Mushfiq's pedagogy and the brilliance of youthful interpretation and imagination.

NAC Arts Fair
The Ottawa Citizen - Date: Sept 15, 2006
Said Hashimy of the Mushfiq Arts Company plays the tabla during the NAC Arts Fair. (Photo. No press review of our performance)

M!M!M! Masala! Mehndi! Masti!
DESICLUB.com
"Meraqsam" is performed by Canada's Mushfiq. This is a soulful classical song, which is beautiful because of its simplicity. Although I'm not able to understand some of the Urdu lyrics, the vocal clarity is exquisite. The Tabla is strong without being overwhelming along with the harmonium's subtle accompaniment. Mushfiq is a vocal ensemble based in Ottawa lead by Ustad Moheb Hashimy, specializing in Afghani and Hindustani music styles. This is one of those songs you would enjoy listening to because it reminds you of a time where artists actually sang and paid attention to quality versus quantity.