Unheard recordings by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan found and released for the first time
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Loading... - Kanti Goyal
- 30 Sep 2024
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Unreleased recordings by the legendary Pakistani Qawwali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan have been discovered and released for the first time, 27 years after his death. The tapes, originally recorded in 1990, were found in the archives of Real World Records, a label established by musician Peter Gabriel in Wiltshire, UK. These recordings, which had remained forgotten for decades, were unearthed during a routine cataloguing of the company’s archives by Odhrán Mullan.
Mullan described the discovery as astonishing, stating: "We were blown away by the musical performances on them." He explained the delicate process of preparing the tapes for playback, which involved gently heating them to remove moisture before transferring the content digitally. The results revealed the extraordinary performances of Khan, reaffirming his reputation as one of the greatest singers ever.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, widely regarded as one of the world's finest Qawwali vocalists, brought the genre to international prominence, particularly after being introduced to Western audiences by Gabriel, who invited him to perform at the WOMAD Festival in 1985.
The recovered recordings have now been compiled and released as a new album titled "Chain of Light", offering fans a rare opportunity to experience previously unheard performances from the Qawwali maestro.
