Several words come to mind immediately to describe Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan......eloquent, exquisite, mesmerizing, gifted beyond belief. I happened to stumble across one of his cds, Rapture and ohhhh, when I played it I felt I had come home. My eyes closed, I leaned back and it was pure enjoyment.
He has this way of piercing straight through to your heart. His music carries you, transports you. Whatever your worries are, they are easily put on the side as you travel along with this giant of a person, like a gently rocking train ride. It was my fortunate day to discover him.
My favorite songs on this cd are Man Atkeia Beparwah De Naal, Sad Vird Karo Allah Allah (this one makes you feel so uplifted and floating along on a wave of pure magic), and last but not least I really like Dam Dam Karo Fareed. But like all the musical giants, I don’t think there is a song he sings that I would not like.
Eventually I will, God willing, have all of his cds. It is like a precious discovery and gratefully accepted gift that I found. It is in a style called Qawwal, its like classical in a way but more like devotional (thats my opinion). Very very inspiring and pure.
The cost is about average, sixteen or seventeen dollars and if I can find music of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan on a little island in Hawaii, then I’m sure you will have as easy or easier access to his music. Really you cannot go wrong to try it.
My only regret is that I didn’t find it sooner. Our main bookstore, Borders, is only few years old and it took me a while to learn they had a foreign music section. Now that I know, its the first place I go.
Nusrat was a big person, in body but more importantly, in his expression and contribution to the world. We all have a unique gift and his was felt all over the world. I am thankful and appreciative that he opened his mouth and sang. Think what we would have missed had he not.
I was sad to learn he passed in 1997 at age 49. He was open to lots other music styles from around the world and experimented with them. But to me, I love from my heart, the way he sang to God, for God. His music makes my heart soar.