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Remembering Nusrat
A decade has passed since we lost the finest exponent of Qawwali music that the world has ever known. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan passed away in London on 16th August 1997, and in many ways it was fitting that he spent his final days in the UK rather than in his home town of Faisalabad in Pakistan.
Nusrat was an important Artist for several reasons, and as well as popularising the genre of Qawwali music across Asian audiences worldwide also introduced it to a wider global audience and in doing so helped change the World Music industry, enthralling the likes of Peter Gabriel (who duly signed him to his 'Real World' label), Eddie Vedder, Mick Jagger and countless other Western Rock stars along the way.
Even Jeff Buckley, the late American rock star paid tribute by saying 'Nusrat, he's my Elvis' in the introduction of one of his final albums.
Britain was a second home to Nusrat. It was Birmingham's Mohammed Ayub and the OSA Record Label who steadily built a loyal British-Asian fan base for him through a series of concerts and with a series consisting of more than 100 albums. It was Peter Gabriel and Real World who, despite some initial reluctance from the Asian Music industry, helped popularise this already revered Pakistani artist with new mainly non-Asian audience. Nusrat opened up a path that no other Asian artist has yet been able to follow, and has a legacy so powerful that his impact on the Qawalli music scene is still profoundly felt.
And it was remixer Bally Sagoo who converted a young Second Generation British-Asian audience to an Artist who may have been revered by their parents, but wouldn't have made it onto their sound-system.
I was fortunate to see Nusrat perform on several occasions, with the first being a memorable performance at London's Streatham Mela in 1993.
This week on Asian Network we commemmorate the greatest Asian music artist of all time.
Here's what some of our Presenters have to say:
Nerm:
"Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan has single handedly taken Qawwali out of the living rooms of Asian families and onto the global stage drawing fans from across the world, of every colour, age or any other demographic you care to name. His legacy continues to have an impact and, I suspect, always will".
Pathaan:
"Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Perhaps one of the most famous and revered ?Pakistani singers. With his popular appeal and frequent brow wiping, he was considered the PAVAROTTI of the SUFI world. He often performed his form of poetry, Qawwali to a younger audience with such passion, giving us the chance to discover the hypnotic groove of ?modern music may indeed have more ancient roots. ?From the many albums he recorded during his career, including some that fused Western sounds with the traditional songs, his voice touched many hearts and ?he travelled worldwide performing to packed venues. Get on youtube and discover his brilliance if you do not know already and see some classic footage. He is sorely missed !!!"
Noreen:
"I first heard of Nusrat when I was 13 and there was huge hype as he was due to perform at my school! I never got to go but started listening to his music and still am, Dub Qawalli by Gaudi is great. His voice is amazingly mesmerising and I've never come across anyone who doesn't appreciate his work. A true legend".
Panjabi Hit Squad:
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan? was an amazing, unique and such an inspirational person. You can never get tired of listening to him or his music.
Bobby Friction:
"Nusrat for me is like the Bob Marley of Pakistani music. He represented a belief, a music, a nation and its people through his voice. Like Bob Marley he got out of the musical Ghetto he was forced to live in at the time, and via interested western record labels managed to transcend national boundaries and become a true International musical icon. His voice was like hearing a hotline to God".
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Comments
Post your commentNusrat fatha Ali Khan was the all time greatest. I would have traveled the word to see him if he was alive today. But im sure he made many more fans where he has gone now. RIP Big Man.
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he is the lagend.no body like him.he is a great singer and great man.our all family like his voice.if u listen his voice u remember all life.god bless him.
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Nusrat Fateh ali khan saab...where do i start? i had the chance to see the legend face to face in 1993 i was only 7 years old but even then i knew that he was amazing! The concert took place in Watford Leisure centre. Their were 1000 people present...and that same concert was broadcast on Channel 4...and on the day of his passing away in 1997. I still remember his entrance on stage....the echo of his name when it was announced. the standing ovation he recieved from the audience and also his own party which included his brother and the young rahat fateh ali khan.
3 song stood out to me that day...nit khair manga, saare nabiyan da nabi (you will never get a better sufi qawali than this with such a deep and religious meaning) and finally...the main one
Akhiyan Udeek Diyan....that became a family anthem every member of my family knew the lyrics to sing along to it!
2 songs give me the greatest reminder of his talent and i always listen to them in his memory. Tere bin Nay Lagda which has its own tribute at the beginning of the legend and Wohi Khuda Hai.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN..MAY YOUR MUSIC AND THE FEELINGS YOU PUT INTO IT BE WITH US FOREVER!
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I am of Srilankan Tamil orign and not too familier with Pakistani music or Qualis. I come across the legend Nasrath-Ali-khan by accident really and blown away with simplicity of his music with a few instuments and ofcourse his voice.He will be missed for sure.
Thanks
Jethro.Kandasamy
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Hes a Legand!! full stop! x May Allah bles his soul ameen x
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true legend
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He is a legend. I have been mesmerised by his powering, unique voice as early as I can remember. I dont believe anyone else could pull of some of the things he has done. I can still spend hours listening a pieces by him, floating away into the almost hypnotic beat.
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I can remember seeing Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan performing Qawali on a 成人论坛 TV programme years ago, and just being mesmerised by the sound. Just from hearing him once the first time, I'd recognise his sound anywhere that I'd hear it playing in shops or from people playing it in their cars driving around the asian areas.
I was even more captured after hearing the Real World works of Mustt Mustt and collaborations with Michael Brooks and Jan Gaberek. He was master of his art form who brought universal sounds to a universal audience.
It was very saddening to hear of his passing, and that it's poignantly close to the dates that India and Pakistan celebrate independance days - he was loved and admired from both sides.
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Nusrat Fateh has left a vacum that will never be filled. Nusrat was the greatest artist of all time, I had the pleasure of seeing him perform on many occasions, in the 80's at the Digbeth Civic Hall then, which is now known as the Custard Factory, Also his performances in Town Hall Birmingham were mind blowing. He was gifted with amazing vocal talent and the raags, pa da ni sa!! the way he used to use the raag with the music the tabla, phenemonal.
Memorable moments, the crowd would go in to a frenzy, especially the Sikh emptying out their wallets on this truly amazing talent.
Others have tried to emulate but can't reach the parts that he touched. May Allah Subhanatallah give him paradise. Inshaaallah....
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My memory of Nusrat Fatah Ali Khan were many. I first heard his music in Germany in 1973 and the music was excellent. The experience repeated itself in Venezuela in the late 1970's and early 1980's.
Europe in the 1980's including Great Britain was a chance to listen to more of his music. In 1995, in Miami Florida; my wife was pregnant with our daughter. While my wife was asleep, I turned on the TV and there was a video of his music.
If the world wants peace, they should listen to Nusrat Fatah Ali Khan.
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I would like to add that I heard the song "Sun Mere Yaara" with my daughter Veronica. She loved Nusrat Fatah Ali Khan and she is 11 years old. "Sun Mere Yaara" and "Mustt Mustt" are my favourites.
Nusrat Fatah Ali Khan was Pakistan's Version of the Late Cuban Artist Beny More and the US Latin [Puerto Rico] Artists Tito Puente.
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I'm sorry i have to break this shameless display but im always amazed at how people can praise ustaad without sparing a thought for his troupee. Ive heard solo performances of nusrat, and where they dont rely on much vocal creativity and elasticity, it becomes a great piece. But anyone who knows his work will attest that the truly legendary pieces are the ones that are a collaborative effort of Ustaad nusrat fateh ali khan 'AND PARTY'. I mean whoever recollects Mujahid, farukh, rehmat, maqsood, rahat, dildar hussain, majawar abbas, mohammed iqbal naqbi, asad ali, ghulam farid or kaukab ali. Without their respective profficiency at complimentary instruments, vocal scales, and established qawwali melodic institutions, who would remain to compliment ustaad and reinforce and sustain the form and theme of the qawwali. Always remember, Alexander Graham Bell once said, “Great discoveries and improvements invariably involve the cooperation of many minds. I may be given credit for having blazed the trail, but when I look at the subsequent developments I feel the credit is due to others rather than to myself.” Thank You
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