Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - A Voice From Heaven

Rating:
Summary: Another Story from the Flesh and Blood Earth
Review: "A Voice from Heaven", a 75 minute film by director Giuseppe Asaro, serves as an oblique portrait of the late Qawwali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Qawwali is a classical music of the mystic Sufi traditions. It has a history, spanning some 600 years, which places a strong emphasis on improvisation within musical performance. It perhaps shares similar goals with American Gospel music: to inspire a devotional ecstasy among the assembled listeners.

Qawwali music is indigenous to South East Asia. The songs we hear in this video originated in Afghanistan and then migrated to Northern India and Pakistan, as a way of sharing the Sufi spiritual aesthetic.

Nusrat's ensemble is comprised of a lead singer and sometimes a secondary singer, both of whom play the Harmonium, along with junior ensemble members that provide rhythmic accompaniment through the clapping of hands.

In 1983, singer Peter Gabriel recorded this music for his Real World record label and introduced Nusrat's sound to a small international audience. In the 1990's, a musical collaboration between Western musicians and Qawwali voice, for director Tim Robbins and his movie "Dead Man Walking", brought this music to the attention of a wider American public.

The final fifteen minutes of the disc are dedicated to the story of how Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan [ Nusrat's Nephew ] was chosen to continue as leader of this Qawwali ensemble after Nusrat's death in 1997 at the age of 48.

The captivating cinematography of Pakistan, India, Canada and the United States, along with documentation of the visible passion of these musicians and their audience, will make this DVD a great resource for those interested in the various cultures of our diverse planet.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent introduction to the world of qawwali music
Review: Before seeing this film, I had never heard nor read about this type of music and the culture behind it. At the beginning I was a bit sceptic, but after a while I really enjoyed it, and I quite liked the music. Being a stranger to the culture and religion of the Middle East, I was amazed about the high status given to this music within the religious environment. In my view this film is a good introduction to qawwali music and I recommend it to everybody curious to learn more about other cultures and religions.

Rating:
Summary: If you are after the music, don't get this one......
Review: but if you are after the history, and more about the life of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, it is worthwhile. There are only snippets of his concert performances (really only one in particular) which as a whole, make this DVD fall far short of what I was looking for......

Rating:
Summary: Nusrat's voice is pure metaphysics!
Review: I love Nusrat in this film and I shared it with different friends who knew nothing about Qawwali music and fell in love with it.
I missed the last US tour of Nusrat and this film gives a wonderful immersion in the atmosphere.
Excellent footage shot in Pakistan and dreamy performance of Rahat on the grave of the Late Master Ustad Fateh Ali Khan.
A collector's must.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent film and wonderful atmosphere
Review: Not knowing much about this music nor the background to it I discovered a new world of high spirituality and rich culture. The film focuses on one if not the master of the Qawwali music.
The time witness interviews and especially the footage from its origins in Pakistan provide a rich and enlithening setting for the timeless pieces of the master himself.
Some of the core and most beautiful pieces of his musci are incorporated into the film.
The film is shot expertly and especially the footage from Pakistan and the concerts are rare to be seen.
It provides not only an excellent introduction but even for the initiated an in-depth experience of the master and his world. It allows at the same time to discover the man behind the artist.
Whoever likes "world music" and deep, spiritual-driven music, cannot miss this one.

Rating:
Summary: Skip This One
Review: The 1 star says it all. This video is only of interest to fans who like his raw un-westernized music. This DVD did nothing for me.

Rating:
Summary: Lackluster, but OK
Review: The reviews on the back of this video's box would make you think you are about to see something like "American Masters," an intelligent, well-produced examination of Nusrat's life and his artistic impact upon the world. Instead, the production is less than excellent, the history is slightly innacurate (Qawwali is NOT "Sufi music," but music performed by only a few Sufi groups in Southern Asia, not the entirety of sufism in the Islamic world). However, interviews with his various collaborators (Michael Brook) and samplers (Bally Sagoo) proved interesting, but not too essential. As far as the music is concerned, you're constantly teased by snippets of "Allah Hoo" and "Dam Mast Qalandar," but for the most part the soundtrack seems dominated by one or two songs played over and over ad naseum. Purchase this video only if you're a Nusrat completist. Better yet, just go rent it.

Rating:
Summary: One of only a couple dvds available on nusrat Fateh ali khan
Review: This Dvd has a few good moments.The picture quality was very good too.Sadly there was not enough footage of nusrat himself being interviewed before his death or peforming.The sound qaulity of nusrat singing was bad most of the time.Although this documentary possess a thrilling performance of nusrat's brother singing in great natural sound.One interesting moment was a rare interview with nusrat's widow.Overall this dvd was pretty okay,but could have been better.Still,I recommend this dvd.It's still worth seeing,cos there's not much available footage in the western world of this late master of the art of vocal music in the quwaal style.Nusrat is truely a voice from heaven.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent intro and guidance to this wonderful music/artist
Review: Unfortunately, I have never seen Nusrat perform live but in this film; and had only a limited knowledge about Qawwali music beforehand.
The film gives an excellent introduction to this music and the artist who is one if not the master of this very spiritual music.
The footage shot in Pakistan and other background pieces allow the un-initiated to gain more than just a newcomer's understanding and appreciation. Some of the masterpieces of this music are performed live and the performance of one of the core songs on the grave of Nusrat is breath-taking.
I found the interviews and comments by some of the time witnesses especially enlightening to understand the man behind the artist.
All in all, whoever is interested in what is termed "world music" has to have this one.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent intro and guidance to this wonderful music/artist
Review: Unfortunately, I have never seen Nusrat perform live but in this film; and had only a limited knowledge about Qawwali music beforehand.
The film gives an excellent introduction to this music and the artist who is one if not the master of this very spiritual music.
The footage shot in Pakistan and other background pieces allow the un-initiated to gain more than just a newcomer's understanding and appreciation. Some of the masterpieces of this music are performed live and the performance of one of the core songs on the grave of Nusrat is breath-taking.
I found the interviews and comments by some of the time witnesses especially enlightening to understand the man behind the artist.
All in all, whoever is interested in what is termed "world music" has to have this one.