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I heard on NPR yesterday, that an Italian DJ named Gaudi (a namesake of the original, obviously) has remixed some of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s early work to a reggae beat. He got some forty-year-old reel-to-reel of tapes of unreleased sessions from Khan’s record label and spent two years wading through all of it, isolating the vocals and then layering it on dub reggae beats. He spent a lot of the time listening to the music, even hiring a translator, before he came to a realization that inspired him to mix the music and create an album.
“Because the message of that music and the message of reggae is exactly the same,” Gaudi says. “It’s peace, love, and spirituality. So that was my common denominator for me, just to try and unify the two elements.” [link]
Although I haven’t heard the entire album, I heard some clips on the radio during the show yesterday, and there are two songs that are available for streaming on the NPR story page. I have to say the music reminds me of Bally Sagoo’s old Bollywood mixes, but Khan’s music is infinitely superior. ‘Ena Akhiyan Noo’ has a nice, melancholy groove to it, but the other song, ‘Bethe Bethe Kese Kese‘ opens with a Gandhi quote (spoken by Gandhi himself) which was somewhat disenchanting. If you can get over that, then it’s worth a listen.
The album is on Amazon already (has been for about a week, actually), and is on its way to be shipped to me.
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7 responses so far ↓
1 Shanita Mehta Patell // Aug 11, 2007 at 10:50 am
I have bought this album DUB QAWWALI by GAUDI + NUSRAT FATEH ALI KHAN and I genuinly think that is a gem! A couple of weeks ago I heard this album on BBC RADIO and I instantly loved it so much, that i’ve made a research on Gaudi, his project and the record label Six Degrees which released this cd. The association with the famous Spanish architect Gaudi made on this articles, has nothing to do with this music producer also called Gaudi, he just carries the same surname (info found on the net, from the DUB QAWWALI -Official Press Release). He apparently has been contacted by Nusrat’s Pakistani original lable to compose new music around Nusrat original vocals from the 60’s, this is what the Press Release reported. I have also found a quote from “Music bible” BILLBOARD: “a brilliantly realized concept and a stirring world music album”.
Thanks.
Shanita Mehta Patell.
2 The Great Ganesha // Aug 11, 2007 at 1:06 pm
thanks for the comment, shanita. i took the liberty of editing it slightly and added a link to the press release instead of the entire pasted version.
3 Peter R. // Aug 12, 2007 at 1:11 pm
So so so beautiful!!! This cd is stuck in my stereo and i’m listening to it on and on and on…. Gaudi did an incredible job, he created a perfect balance between Qawwali music and Reggae, a magic combo! This album “Dub Qawwali” fully keeps the integrity and passion of Nusrat’s voice adding an extra “modern touch” to the original compositions. I own now 4 cds by Gaudi and i have to say that they are all amazing, surely an artist with great sensitivity! Pete (Derry, Northern Ireland)
4 James Goodwell // Aug 15, 2007 at 5:13 am
In this great tribute album the music flows super well in its Reggae rendition and never strays to far from the original Qawwali atmosphere. Amazing disc, great to listen to when you are just sitting and chilling out. Gaudi elegantly gave a new beautiful color to the music of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the Ambassador of Qawwali!!!! James Goodwell
5 Robert Bakshi // Aug 23, 2007 at 11:22 am
i own this one, Dub Qawwali is simply splendid!!!!!!! Rob B.
6 Patrick D. // Sep 20, 2007 at 7:12 am
one of my favorite cd of this year! five stars!
7 Gavin Hashley // Jan 19, 2008 at 7:28 am
a gem!!! best album of 2007, no doubs about it!
Gavin
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