The qawwali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan has always be something of a totem figure both to Real World Records and its sister organisation WOMAD, gracing their respective recording studios and stages on many occasions. Appreciation of that mesmerising, undulating voice has been declared far and wide, probably most famously by Jeff Buckley who once described Nusrat as ‘my Elvis’. Until his premature death in 1997, Nusrat was a phenomenally prolific performer, a man saluted by the Guinness Book Of Records for the staggering number of albums he recorded, an amount well into three figures.
Love & Devotion brings together two of the truly finest recordings from that teetering pile— the two 1992 records for Real World, Love Songs and Devotional Songs. They are perfect companion pieces, snapshots of a musical giant at the very height of his considerable powers. The artistry of his accompanying Party is faultless, a perfect balance of bubbling tabla drums, weaving harmonium melodies, handclaps and ensemble singing. But this is merely the frame for the masterpiece itself —the great man’s unearthly voice, whether ascending with power and commitment or cascading like a shower of glorious musical pearls.
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'In Gathering Trance' by Russell Mills, 1990. Photo credit: David Buckland.Open full screen image
The elevation in spirit intended by this mystical and inspirational music needs no translating. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was the man who brought the Sufi devotional music Qawwali to the masses thanks to extraordinary voice that transcended cultural barriers with its beauty and power.
★★★★★ Record Collector (UK)
After a decade or more of imitators, it is absolutely delightful to hear the real thing again —the maestro at the height of his powers...
★★★★ Songlines Magazine (UK)
This is Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in his full glory with his regular accompanists of family members and friends, giving free rein to his truly exceptional vocal expression on the ghazal and qawwali, the devotional music of the Sufi.
★★★★ R2 Magazine (UK)
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Credits
The Musicians: Majahid Mubarak Ali Khan: Nusrat’s cousin and senior member of the group Farakh Fateh Ali Khan: Nusrat’s younger brother, Lead Singer and Harmonium Player Mohammed Iqbal Naqbi: Chorus Singer, Secretary of the group Maqsood Hussain: Lead Singer Rahmat Ali: 2nd Harmonium Player Asad Ali: Chorus Singer Dildar Hussain: Tabla Player Ghulam Fareed: Chorus Singer Kaukab Ali: Chorus Singer Rahat Ali: Pupil Singer, 10 years old Majawar Abbas: Mandolin, Guitar
All songs written and arranged by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Except Ni Main Jogi De Naal lyrics by Baba Bulla Shah
Recorded at Fair Deal Studios, Middlesex Engineered by Bari Watts
The emotional intensity and soaring power of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s voice transcends all boundaries of language and religion, and has popularised Sufi music beyond Muslim peoples to audiences worldwide. Amongst Real World Records’ most emblematic artists, Nusrat was known as Shahen-Shah-e-Qawwali: The Brightest Shining Star in Qawwali.
The late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is today acknowledged as the great master of Qawwali who popularised this beautiful and inspirational music beyond Muslim peoples to a worldwide audience. Mustt Mustt is the first of two albums on which the singer collaborates with Canadian producer Michael Brook to place the music in a contemporary setting.
