Fazal Ahmadyar is one of the few living musicians who can speak firsthand about creating music in Kabul during Afghanistan’s Golden Era. A respected harmoniumist and songwriter, he was part of a pioneering generation that introduced Western instruments and modern composition to Afghan music.
In the 1960s and 70s, he socialized and collaborated with legendary artists including Zahir Howaida, Zaland, Rahim and Salma Jahani, Hakim Tabla Nawaz, Aziz Ashna, Masoud Jamal, Mawash, and Ahmad Zahir. Thursday-night gatherings at his home became vibrant spaces for artists and thinkers to play music into the early morning, bridging tradition and innovation.
As a close friend to Zahir and Kabir Howaida, Fazal witnessed the birth of the Amateur movement—a new genre that redefined Afghan music by blending folk and classical roots with Western sounds. This evolution laid the groundwork for modern Afghan pop and expanded the country’s musical identity beyond Kharabat, Kabul.
After immigrating to California in 1970, Fazal continued performing at community gatherings and weddings, keeping Afghan music alive in the diaspora. In 2015, during their return to Kabul, his daughter witnessed elders moved to tears, remembering the freedom and beauty of pre-war Afghanistan through her father’s song.
Today, his daughter collaborates with him to preserve and share his story—a legacy that honors Afghanistan’s artistic past and inspires new generations of musicians worldwide. Together, they aim to keep the sound and spirit of a free Afghanistan alive through song.