is no doubt one of the finest jazz guitarist in the region. An ‘old soul', at a tender age of 5, Farid was already singing Frank Sinatra's ‘Strangers in the night' in a Singapore radio show.

Whilst his peers grew up listening to Hendrix and Deep Purple, Farid was listening to the likes of Sinatra, Nat King Cole, the Carpenters, Perry Como etc. He first laid his fingers on a guitar at the age of eleven and began performing soon after in school talent contests and at small parties. Farid's parents had hoped that their youngest son with an inquisitive mind to be a lawyer. However, Farid's destiny changed at age 16, the moment he was introduced George Benson's “Weekend in LA” album. Shortly after, he began listening to Jose Feliciano, which led Farid to turn his attention on his guitar. Farid's greatest influences include Chet Atkins , Earl Klugh , Toninho Horta , Joe Pass, Pat Matheny and of course, Benson, amongst other guitar greats.

These days Farid listens to anybody and everybody especially to World music and music of his origin. The last few years saw Farid embark on playing the Lute or known famously “Gambus” in Malaysia. Farid is constantly doing research and developing a concept of the Jazz Gambus. In February 2004 Farid performed with Bobby McFerrin at the Singapore Esplanade, That performance had boosted his confidence with the instrument and had sparked his decision to record his very first solo CD featuring his Gambus.

Learning Continues

Farid left for the US at the age of 19 to attend music academic training at the Guitar Institute of Technology, California. With a Diploma in Performance in hand, he made his way to and gained a music degree at the Berklee College of Music, Boston, USA. With his penchant for learning, Farid continued his ‘education' during the next nine years, performing around Boston and in the music, arts and jazz festivals around the US. The catalyst to his career took place in 1988, when he won the best arranger award at the Curacao international song festival. Invitations to perform at festivals around Europe and the USA continued thereafter. Farid has added to his accolades a few prestigious awards, such as, the Distant Accord Award at the Wiltern Theater, Los Angeles, conferred by the World Festival Organization. In 1992, he was awarded the World Peace Movement Award in LA.

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