7 Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan 7forceful rhythms, and energetic improvisations that
encourage a state of euphoria in the listener.
Nusrat’s father, Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, and two of his
uncles, Ustad Mubarik Ali Khan and Ustad Salamat Ali
Khan, were famous qawwals (practitioners of qawwali)
who sang in the classical form. Although Nusrat began to
display a penchant for music and a particular aptitude for
singing before he had reached age 10, he did not begin to
devote himself to the qawwali tradition until he sang at
his father’s funeral in 1964. Two years later he gave his first
public performance as a qawwal, singing with his uncles,
with whom he continued to perform until 1971, when
Ustad Mubarik died.
Qawwali originated in 12th-century Persia. The lyrics
are based on medieval Sufi poems that often use images
of romantic love to express deep religious faith. The
traditionally male qawwal, who knows these poems by
heart, unites phrases and passages from different poems
to create a new expression. Qawwali performances are
typically held in shrines and are marked by passionate
shouting and dancing. Qawwali is similar in spirit to
American gospel music.
Following his father’s death, Nusrat continued to study
the recordings of his father and uncles, using them as a
springboard from which to develop his own style. Within
just a few years he had established himself throughout
Pakistan as the outstanding qawwal of his generation,
singing powerfully and expressively in a very high register
(a family trademark), with remarkable stamina and melodic
creativity. In concert he was usually accompanied by tabla
(a pair of single-headed drums played with the hands),
harmoniums (or reed organs; small keyboard instruments
with a foot-operated bellows), and backing vocals.
As he matured as a performer, Nusrat made various
adjustments to his style, such as increasing the tempo, as a