In the USA

In the USA

In the USA

Sufi mysticism extends into musical passion in the form of Qawwali, the music performed by such artists as the Sabri Brothers and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. This 1978 recording of the Sabri Brothers and ensemble captures the 9-piece group on only its second U.S. tour, recorded by ethnomusicology pioneer David Lewsiton. These performances abridge Qawwali spirit brilliantly, with the harmonium chuffing alongside the ensemble's hand percussion and call-and-response vocals. The songs exude a passion, wailing and careening with exultation. At times conversational, the Sabri Brothers emphasize vocal virtuosity and storytelling prowess. This is a key early Qawwali recording, traditional and yet trailblazing at the same time. --Andrew Bartlett

In the USA

Rizwan and Muazzam Mujahid Ali Khan, the nephews of the great qawwali artist Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, happily exist in two completely different musical worlds. They can mix it up with British dance club denizens such as Temple of Sound and Jah Wobble, as they demonstrated on their CD People's Colony No. 1. Then, without missing a beat, they can return to their Pakistani roots on A Better Destiny, a collection of exquisitely performed traditional qawwali. Backed only by tabla, harmonium, and handclaps, Rizwan and Muazzam perform these sacred Sufi texts with a mesmerizing blend of vocal precision and emotional abandon. Although the two brothers are still quite young, they have studied this music for years, and their delight in using their considerable talents to praise God is infectious. The music on A Better Destiny is simultaneously a virtuoso musical performance and a fervent, ecstatic prayer. Even if you don't understand the meaning of the words, the hypnotic rhythms and sinuous melodies will carry you along. --Michael Simmons

In the USA

In the USA

In the USA

In the USA

In the USA

In the USA