Live: Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali UK Tour

Drawing on a rich vein of Islamic and Sufi poetry, Qawwali is a form of Sufi devotional music from the Indian subcontinent. Rizwan and Muazzam Mujahid Ali Khan come from a direct family line of spiritual Qawwali singers that spans five centuries.

Continuing the legacy of their legendary uncle, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rizwan and Muazzam are the contemporary torchbearers of this rich musical tradition. Performing together since the late 1990s, the brothers have developed a devoted worldwide following with their exceptional live shows and acclaimed albums, including A Better Destiny and Day of Colours.

Real World Records were also delighted to welcome the group to Real World Studios during their tour for an evening recording session where they treated us to an intimate, acoustic performance of new material in the The Wood Room.

On Thursday 28 March, the group performed at St. George’s Bristol. They opened the show with a classic hamd (praise song) ‘Allah Ho Ya Rehman’, popularly associated with their uncle Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Audiences were treated to a mixture of old and newer qawwals, in lengthy sets that typically spanned over twenty minutes, allowing for impressive vocal acrobatics and improvisations. The show concluded with ‘Dam Mast Qalandar’, received with an excited cheer by the packed audience, which included a magnificent solo by the group’s tabla player Zafar Ali Khan.

Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali conclude their tour tonight at Birmingham Town Hall. Find out more about the group and the music they have released on Real World Records at their artist page.