More than news & views -­ A complete source for South Asians

May 2002

HOME | ABOUT US | CONTACT | FEEDBACK | WEATHER | BACK ISSUES | ADVERTISE

 GLIMPSES

Tariq Mumtaz was born in Karachi, Pakistan,

Barbara, a French-Canadian, was born and raised in Montreal.

Tariq has been musically inclined ever since he can remember. His elder brother, Khalid Saleem, is a professional singer who has performed all over the world and is a well-known performer in Pakistan and a playback artiste for films.

Barbara’s father is a very good singer and musician.

They met in Montreal in 1978, moved to Toronto in 1981, married in 1982.

Barbara speaks Hindi and Urdu fluently and also sings duets with Tariq

In 1973, Tariq, when he was sixteen, moved to Germany, where he studied textile designing. In 1976, he was offered a job in Montreal and moved to Canada. There he met his dream girl, Barbara.

Tariq always had love for music. He says, “I used to sing a few songs whenever my brother, Khalid Saleem, was performing, which the audience appreciated and that encouraged me to continue singing.”

“In 1990, I started learning vocalization skills and dedicated lots of time to music,” he told South Asian Outlook.

“I would have gladly concentrated on singing only earlier, but I had needed a steady job. I stopped textiles and got into real estate and it’s only in the last few months that I have ventured out to do something new,” he adds.

“Tariq's repertoire is growing longer as the days go by. And even now, his repertoire is impressive - he does Mohammad Rafi's Suhani Raat, Yaad Na Jayee, Tute Huen Khwabon, Kishore Kumar's Roop Tere Mastana and a slew of other eternal love songs, so well that tears well up in the eyes of his spellbound audience. He evokes nostalgia and transports them into an era of simplicity and romance,” wrote a music reviewer in a local ethnic weekly in Toronto.

“When they (Tariq and Barbara) perform together, it's sheer magic, they share a great chemistry, so essential for artistes performing together.”

Tariq spends four to six hours doing Riaz. “There are a lot of improvements I need to make, I have got to improve my technique and get better,” he says. “I wish I could have started this ten years earlier.”

Tariq has performed in many Canadian and U.S cities and in April 2001 did few shows in Pakistan. He also recorded tracks for his new Ghazal and Geet CD, which was composed and arranged by famous Pakistani music director Mr. Niaz Ahmed. He is now working on the vocals and mixing of this CD, which will be released in the near future.

Tariq’s message is: “If you have a dream, don't let it die. Nurture it and develop it.”

Tariq and Barbara have two children, a 16-year-old son Nadeem and a 14-year-old daughter Sofia.

They have proved that people are people, whether they come from East or West, and, despite cultural, religious and social differences, the two can co-exist.