When this revered Pakistani qawwal (a singer of qawwali, an improvised Sufi devotional music) died in 1997, one of the world's most beautiful voices was stilled forever. Supported by his "party," a group of skilled and hig... more »hly intuitive musicians and backup singers, Nusrat's fleet, soaring tenor took his devotees far away from daily realties into a state of helpless, trusting bliss with no past or future; his audiences existed entirely in the moment. As his reputation reached the West, he attracted a coterie of admiring pop stars and graced such film soundtracks as The Last Temptation of Christ and Dead Man Walking. So many of his recordings are still in print that a curious beginner might well wonder where to start, but these four tracks (qawwali is often sung for a half-hour without stopping) are a perfect introduction to the works of an incomparable, much-missed musical genius. --Christina Roden« less
When this revered Pakistani qawwal (a singer of qawwali, an improvised Sufi devotional music) died in 1997, one of the world's most beautiful voices was stilled forever. Supported by his "party," a group of skilled and highly intuitive musicians and backup singers, Nusrat's fleet, soaring tenor took his devotees far away from daily realties into a state of helpless, trusting bliss with no past or future; his audiences existed entirely in the moment. As his reputation reached the West, he attracted a coterie of admiring pop stars and graced such film soundtracks as The Last Temptation of Christ and Dead Man Walking. So many of his recordings are still in print that a curious beginner might well wonder where to start, but these four tracks (qawwali is often sung for a half-hour without stopping) are a perfect introduction to the works of an incomparable, much-missed musical genius. --Christina Roden
CD Reviews
Prepare to be blown away
NY Lou | 06/01/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"When I was first told about N.F.A.Khan I must say I was skeptical. People were saying that this guy had the best voice they had ever heard. Being a newspaper reporter that reviews CDs, one quickly becomes weary of being told "this guy is great!" I'm familiar with the likes of Pavarotti and other great western singers, so I seriously doubted this. I don't like to compare things that are too different to be able to weigh against one another in an intelligent fashion, but I will tell you this much - N.F.A. Khan is every much Pavarotti's equal and maybe better. The intensity with which Khan renders his improvisations is absolutely astounding. The first track on this album "Haq Ali Ali" (which clocks in at 25:00) absolutely had my head and heart spinning the first time I heard it. I think it is the fact that most great music stems from religious inspiration. I'm a Christian, but I think someone of any faith could appreciate the fervor, devotion, sincerity and passion with which these pieces are rendered. The four pieces on this album are all "pure" Qawwali, not the watered-down experiments with Michael Brook, or anything from the Bollywood or Lollywood (Indian and Pakistani movie industries respectively) soundtracks. This is the good stuff. Khan's voice soars, swells and undulates in frentic waves of ecstasy. This will be a welcome addition to any record collection. I literally cannot think of anyone I've let hear this music that hasn't loved it immediately. I do see where it could sound strange at first to some, but be patient and remember, the greatest rewards are not easily won..."
Deceptive Marketing
NY Lou | New York, USA | 01/09/2003
(2 out of 5 stars)
"This is actually not a bad CD. What really bugs me about this is the way it is marketed. This, like just about all of Nusrat's CDs, is full of magnificent qawwali music. This is sacred Pakistani sufi music. It is inspiring, and even mesmerizing. You would't have a CD of "Top 10 Prayers", so, having this sacred CD of religious music being marketed as a "greatest hits" CD is preposterous. This record company should be ashamed of themselves. Further, this CD isn't really a collection of "famous Nusrat songs". Yes the songs on here are good, but, basically, all the record company (Shanachie) did was license an old tape of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's from Pakistan, and called it "Greatest Hits" to fool American buyers.If you want one of his best traditional qawwali recordings, go for REAL WORLD'S CD, SHAHEN SHAH, or the Live Boxed Set on OCORA. If you want Nusrat's hits (he had some great pop-remixes done), then maybe MUSST MUSST is for you."
Worth taking the time to explore
NY Lou | 09/07/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you are open to unusual music and are willing to invest a little time, this is a great CD. Nusrat is an incredible vocalist, one of the best you will ever hear. His music has almost-African-type rhythms, call-and-response, unusual time signatures, and is imbued with a passionate intensity. I have hundreds of CDs, yet I always find time to listen to this one every other week."
This man's music is legendary
arrow-142 | Johannesburg,South Africa | 02/27/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Nusret Fateh Ali Khan is without a doubt the Elvis Presley of Qawali.He has a golden voice that encapsulates any,and I mean any audience combined with some brilliant Oriental Pakistani music from an excellent band of musicians.He adds a different dimension to the music industry and if any of you have wondered what the unique brand of music called Qawali sounded like,I highly recommend that you purchase this wonderful collection by this great musician.Many do not understand the language it is sung in,but in this album a song like Mangte Hain Karam(my favourite) with the man's sublime voice and the excellent melody of music by his band means that this cd and the vol.2 cd are a must have in any album collection."
Track Listings (4) - Disc #1