John_Stone Report This Comment Date: January 27, 2006 07:34PM
Qawwali's devotional themes of love come from Allah and are sung by men who
belong to a Sufi tradition and trace their music back over seven hundred years
to the spiritual Samah songs of Persia. There is a long tradition of Qawwali
singers in the Ali Khan family, including the man who brought Qawwali to the
West -- Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Like his father, uncles and grandfathers before
him, Nusrat sang with a fervor and style that reverberated within the being of
all his listeners. During his lifetime, Nusrat saw his audience grow from
Pakistani devotionalists to a larger, more international group comprised of many
races and religions from around the world.
When Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan passed away in 1997, having just completed his
biggest American tour to date, he was at his peak in popularity, and his voice
was clear, powerful and inspirational. His group also featured Rahat Fateh Ali
Khan, who continues the Ali Khan legacy. Longtime collaborator Baba Varma
recorded The Final Moment, a 1996 concert of ecstatic Sufi compositions — a
celebration for all who attended — now a vital and loving document of the
Voice of the Century.
...And a link with some RealAudio samples of his stuff... "Mustt,
Mustt" is particularly good, IMHO.
[
www.birdmanrecords.com]
