Pakistan: Vocal Art of the Sufis, Vol. 2

Amazon.com essential recording
This release, recorded in Japan in the late 1980s, offers an excellent sampling of Nusrat at his least self-conscious. While the recording here isn't perfect, it's still decent and more importantly the earnest truth of Nusrat's art shines through well. This collection is full of the party indulging in wonderful tabla and harmonium intros, call-and-response chant, and slow crescendos of musical ecstasy. Just listen to the chilling, nuanced beginnings of "Haqq Ali Ali" with Nusrat swimming in the slow, undulating rhythms of the opening call-and-response before the party suddenly hikes up the tempo a notch and the listener is swept away into the throbbing rhythmic spirit. Nusrat's voice dances wildly in improvised phrasing while the ensemble keeps the pulsing tempo alive with tabla and clapping. A great companion to Qawwali: The Vocal Art of the Sufis I. --Karen Karleski

Tracks:

Allah-Hu
Yad-E Nabi Ka Gulashan
Haqq Ali Ali
Ho Karam Ki Nazar

Amazon.com essential recording

This release, recorded in Japan in the late 1980s, offers an excellent sampling of Nusrat at his least self-conscious. While the recording here isn't perfect, it's still decent and more importantly the earnest truth of Nusrat's art shines through well. This collection is full of the party indulging in wonderful tabla and harmonium intros, call-and-response chant, and slow crescendos of musical ecstasy. Just listen to the chilling, nuanced beginnings of "Haqq Ali Ali" with Nusrat swimming in the slow, undulating rhythms of the opening call-and-response before the party suddenly hikes up the tempo a notch and the listener is swept away into the throbbing rhythmic spirit. Nusrat's voice dances wildly in improvised phrasing while the ensemble keeps the pulsing tempo alive with tabla and clapping. A great companion to Qawwali: The Vocal Art of the Sufis I. --Karen Karleski

Customer Reviews:

Nusrat in Peak Form.......2004-06-30

This ranks as my favorite Nusrat CD. The songs are great (though I usually skip the light and happy track #2), and the sound is perfect, with just a little natural reverb. Every vocal and instrument voice is perfectly mixed. My only complaint revolves around the too-brief "alap" sections. I would enjoy more time to savor the clashing harmonies before the tabla fell into the mix. Still, that complaint is almost irrelevant; it's one of the very finest Nustrat CDs still available. Vol. I is pretty darn good too.

Pop Music:

Pop Music

Pakistan: Vocal Art of the Sufis, Vol. 2 - Qawwali