Historic Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan live recording set for July release

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s performance at WOMAD Festival in 1985 was the first time the legendary Qawwali singer had performed in front of a mainly non-Asian audience, and marked the beginning of his relationship with Real World Records and Peter Gabriel.

The recording of this landmark concert, unheard for 34 years, has been carefully restored from the original analogue tapes. The power and beauty of Nusrat’s voice comes rushing back through the years and lifts us up to the ecstatic heights of Sufi expression.

Three of the finest songs from the concert have been selected for this release (with a fourth available as a download), including a full-length 21-minute version of the iconic song ‘Allah Ho Allah Ho’. In this raw and visceral live recording, the songs extend and grow in a way that rarely happens in the studio.

This is a remarkable record of a magical event that changed the perception of Sufi music to a wider audience and set Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan on a path to the international recognition of his genius.

Paired with this, the first recording of Khan’s music for Real World Records, his final album Night Song will be issued on vinyl for the first time. Originally released in 1996, the album was Nusrat’s second collaboration with the Canadian producer Michael Brook, following the success of Mustt Mustt in 1990.

The album was is fusion of Western and Asian musical influences, and upon its release Billboard called it “an album for the ages, solidifying Khan’s stature as one of the world’s pre-eminent singers”. Time Out declared it “the Best World Music Album In The World… Ever!” and MOJO listed it in their Top 40 albums of 1996. The following year, the album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best World Music Album.

Also released on 26 July is a new compilation album, Worldwide: 30 Years of Real World Music. Celebrating three decades of discovery and enlightenment, this window into Real World music traces a path from Tanzania to China, Ireland to Tibet, Colombia to Papua New Guinea. The label has chosen tracks that opened our minds and hearts to sounds from all around our planet— an enriching and joyous experience.

Launched in 1989, Real World Records has grown into a label of wide-ranging, world-class music from all corners of the globe. There’s an enormous variety of styles, moods and genres within the music catalogue that bears the famous colour bar logo, but they all have these things in common— the quality of the recording, the superb production and music of great passion.

“When we look back now over our catalogue we realise how lucky we were to be working with so many of the world’s great artists.” Peter Gabriel

Many of the label’s releases are recorded at Real World Studios where the live interactive spaces provide an environment capable of capturing the excitement and vitality of musicians in performance.

“Whatever the music, whatever the technology, great records come from great performances.” Peter Gabriel

Live at WOMAD 1985 (CD/Vinyl/Digital), Night Song (Vinyl) and Worldwide (CD) will be released on 26 July. Live at WOMAD 1985 and Night Song are available to pre-order together at a discounted rate, and our entire Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan vinyl range is available in a bundle offer via the Real World Store.

Pre-order Live at WOMAD 1985

Pre-order Night Song on vinyl