Search - Ali Shafqat Khan :: Sufi Songs

Mysterious and mystical sound from the distant past

Joanna Daneman | Middletown, DE USA | 09/23/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is absolutely eerie and very beautiful: the slightly echoing envelope sound of the chamber where this was recorded (a marble palace?) gives this a feeling of hearing voices of the exotic past.



Sufi is a mystic Islamic sect; the singing here is in the "kafi" style which is Punjabi and quite ancient and rare. Shafqat Ali Khan sings to the accompaniment of tabla, harmonium (shruti), tanpura, sarangi and surmandal, a kind of zither played by Khan himself as he sings. There are ragas on this CD, love songs and thumri or a sort of light classical music. My favorite song was "Piloo", sung in a very sad sounding scale, slowly, and with a very dark, thin, tragic tone. Khan's voice is flexible, with a wide range and very great variety of tone, from ornamented and intricate, to clear and soaring. An amazing voice.



There are a wide variety of songs on this CD, all in the interesting Indian/Pakistani Islamic tradition. If you are interested in Islamic music or music of India and Pakistan, this is a must-have CD. Quite amazing."

A Powerful, Meditative Performance

Dr. Debra Jan Bibel | Oakland, CA USA | 08/06/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Reissued in 2010 with two indirectly related bonus tracks, this album by Shafqat Ali Khan is evidence that the Sham Chaurasi tradition of classical singing, going back 11 generations, is in good hands. Indeed, I find his voice more enjoyable than that of his father, the late Salamat Ali Khan. Indeed, at age 12 he was given the title of ustad, master. Accompanied by tabla, harmonium, sarangi, and tanpura drone, the various Sufi songs and ragas (Bharvi, Piloo, Yaman Kalyan, Bhutyar) are powerfully performed. The recording is engineered bright with a sense of being in large open chamber. Listening intently to Khan's artistry in the thumri, the semi-classical form, and the serious pure raga style, I was struck by his control and crisp ornamentation. These are strong, emotional pieces yet meditative in effect. Afterwards, I seem to move as if in a dance. This is an excellent recording that may surprise even those unfamiliar with classical Indian vocal forms.



The first bonus track is a poem by Hafiz sung by Zohreh Jooya and an Irani ensemble; the second bonus, while also related to Sufism, is by the Gülizar Turkish Music Ensemble. With these additions, the album is 79 minutes in duration."