The great Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was a key figure in the emergence of qawwali music during the 1980s. Although the Sufi praise song tradition is over 700 years old, it was Khan who not only took the music to international audiences but also collaborated with artists from different musical backgrounds.
Faiz Ali Faiz – Hommage A Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, L'Amour De Toi Me Fait Danser
Qawwali is performed by a vocal ensemble, accompanied by two harmoniums, rhythmical instruments and hand claps. Texts are taken from Sufi poetry and classical poetry and are chanted to a cyclical song structure that uses repetition to create a trance-like state, or rapture.
When Khan passed away in 1997, many wondered who would take over his position as the leading qawwali artist. In fact, Khan had already seen someone who he knew would be more than capable of taking the music on. In the latter part of his career, Khan had taken ill and had to miss an important concert. He chose a young singer to take his place, Faiz Ali Faiz, who was not even a member of his family or group; this was highly unusual in the competitive world of qawwali.
Faiz Ali Faiz did not disappoint his master and has gone on to great success both on the Indian subcontinent and on the international stage. In 2005 he performed with flamenco artists Miguel Poveda, Duquende and Chicuelo at the Fes Festival of Sacred Music and subsequently released a CD-DVD of qawwali/flamenco fusion music to much acclaim. He has also worked with US gospel singers and French musician Titi Robin.
Born in Sharaqpur in Pakistan in 1962 to a seven generation family of qawwali musicians, he was trained in Hindustani classical music and Sufi devotional music. He began his professional singing career in 1978 and before his international breakthrough he released many recordings in Pakistan.
I saw Faiz perform at one of the Rainforest World Music Festivals about 10 years ago. His performance was mesmerising; he was one of the few musicians at that festival who could quieten the rowdy audience with the power of his music. I met him briefly at the festival and he told me that although he did not study with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the great master was his mentor and the biggest influence on his music when he first formed his ensemble.
He told me to get a copy of his 2004 album, Faiz Ali Faiz – Hommage A Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, L'Amour De Toi Me Fait Danser (Accords Croises, France). Unfortunately, I got to the festival music stall too late and all the copies had gone. Time passed, as it always does, and 10 years later I found a copy in a second-hand music store in New Zealand (it's amazing how music gets around). It has been in constant play since then; I kicked myself that I didn't get this great album before.
L'Amour De Toi Me Fait Danser features five tracks that were either composed by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan or made famous by his performances. To get the sound right, Khan's former harmonium player and Faiz's uncle, Rehmat Ali Khan, joined Faiz's Qawwali Party.
The album kicks off with one of my favourites, Akhian Udikdian (My Eyes Are Desperately Seeking For Your Look), which features the wonderful line, "My eyes yearn to see you and my heart calls out for you", and was inspired by Khan hearing two lines of poetry in a 1962 movie Nur Jahan. Haq Ali (Ali's Truth), a stirring praise song, follows. The third track is the title song and it is 20 minutes of sheer musical ecstasy as Faiz and his crew take the listener on a journey to sonic rapture, spirited away by Faiz's powerful soaring voice and the pulsing accompaniment.
My favourite on this fabulous album though is the final track, Lal Shabaz Qalander (The Red Falcon), which at just under six minutes is the shortest of the songs on the album. The song tells of a great mystic who is represented by the red falcon which takes flight to urge the audience to sing and dance. The song has such a joyful and uplifting mood to it; it certainly puts a pep in my step each time I hear it.
This is a fantastic album, well worth checking out. If you get the chance to see Faiz perform, take it. Failing that, this album is a great place to start your exploration of his music and discover the wonders of qawwali.
If you are looking for a special place to celebrate Valentine's Day on Feb 14, head on down to Studio Lam on Sukhumvit 51, for a special night, Lover's Rock, for which I'll be spinning some sweet sounding vinyl from 9.30pm onwards. More info on the Studio Lam Facebook page.
