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Rizwan-Muazzam
Qawwali, Sacriffice to Love, Realworld Records (review appeared in Zein's World Music Newsletter, 2000) If I ask you....name a Qawwali singer (for those of you who don't know what is that...it is the spiritual love music that is based on devotional-sufi text/music of Muslim Pakistan)....I bet that 90% of the answers would come back saying "Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan", right??? I love Nusrat's music and his voice is God-sent....and for those of us who appreciate the music, we will forever be indebted to him for introducing this amazingly inspiring form of music to the rest of the world....but, can we please move beyond him; after all, there is so many incredible qawwali musician other than him.... The Sabri Brothers, when it come to the "Qawwalis" (my term for those who make the music :-), a re my favorites....but this week, I was so pleasantly surprised by this week's recommended CD artist...Rizwan and Muazzam Mujahed Ali Khan (no not everyone in Pakistan has the last name of Khan....) those guys are, none other than, Nusrat's nephews. Still in their teen but you wouldn't guess it from the music.....wow....what voices....is it in the water they drink???? :-) I think they must sing before they speak for them to have such capable, beautiful voices at that age. It may explain it that their family has been making Qawwali music for over five centuries. This duo were introduced to the world last year at the WOMAD festival in the UK and, in my words, blew everybody away.... Be ready to get in trance even if you don't move off your seat but most likely you are going to want to spin around a few times....the music is so high energy (unlike a lot of the Qawwali stuff you hear)...this is when you have a clear image of what you hear about qawwali live perfrmance---peole getting in trances, beating their chests and moving about in twirling frenzies (if you get the chance to hear this music live, drop everything and do it....it is so incredible....how do I know?? Central Park in NY last year with Abeeda Parveen--the only female Qawwali singer I know of--it is an experience that will most likely bring you to your humble knees). Anyhow, lots of rhythm, lots of clapping and melodies that take your breath away...can you tell, I really like this :-))) The CD is only 4 cuts but for this kind of music, that is pretty average since each cut can lat up to 30 mins.(the longest on this CD is 16 mins). The third cut is the mellow-est but still, with lots of rhythm. Highly recommended....so if you get it, ENJOY. |
