Night Song

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Michael Brook

Credits

Real World Records
20 February 1996

Produced by Michael Brook
Mixed by Michael Brook and Ben Findlay
Recording Engineers: Richard Evans, Ben Findlay, Michael Brook
Michael Brook appears by kind permission of 4AD and is represented worldwide by Opium Arts.

A Real World design. Photography: Robert Leslie. All artwork copyright the respective creators. Used here without permission.

Tracks

My Heart, My Life (Michael Brook, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) 5'30

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: vocals
Michael Brook: infinite guitar
James Pinker: drums, percussion
Kauwding Cissokho: kora
Masamba Diop: talking drum
Robert Ahwai: bass

Intoxicated (Michael Brook, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) 7'34

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: vocals
Michael Brook: infinite guitar, string arrangement, electronic percussion
Dildar Hussain: tabla
Farrukh Fateh Ali Khan: harmonium
Joe Bruce: Hammond organ
Mick Karn: bass
Richard Evans: mandola

Lament (Michael Brook, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) 5'14

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: vocals, harmonium
Michael Brook: infinite guitar
James Pinker: drums
Richard Evans: acid wah treatment

My Comfort Remains (Michael Brook, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) 6'39

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: vocals
Michael Brook: infinite guitar, keyboards, electronic percussion
Kauwding Cissokho: kora
Robert Ahwai: bass

Longing (Michael Brook, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) 5'35

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: vocals
Michael Brook: infinite guitar
Dildar Hussain: tabla
Farrukh Fateh Ali Khan: harmonium
James Pinker: drums
Robert Ahwai: bass

Sweet Pain (Michael Brook, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) 6'28

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: vocals
Michael Brook: infinite guitar, bass (second half)
Caroline Dale: cello
James Pinker: drums
Robert Ahwai: bass (first half)

Night Song (Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) 4'47

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: vocals, keyboards
Michael Brook: drone

Crest (Michael Brook, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) 6'14

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: vocals
Michael Brook: infinite guitar, buzz bass
James Pinker: hi-hat
Joe Bruce: woodwinds, drums
Richard Evans: acid wah treatment

Notes

A review by Colin Glassey
(reprinted with permission from Colin Glassey's Home Page)

Aside from the lovely opening title track, this record is inferior in every respect to Mustt, Mustt. I can't say what exactly went wrong here. Maybe it is just me as other people and record reviewers thought this was great. I've heard Nusrat on quite a number of other records and this singing and music left me unmoved and bored.

Tragically, Nusrat (who was grossly overweight) died in London in August, 1997, en route to California where he was expecting to get an organ transplant that might have saved his life. By the time he died, Nusrat had become a global phenomenon, heard and recognized throughout the Moslem and Western world. I do not think we shall see his like again.

Of the various Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan records that I have heard, my favorite is Shahen-Shah, released in 1989, one of the very first records on Peter Gabriel's RealWorld Records. It is hard to say just what makes this record stand out. Perhaps it is the skillful editing, so that the songs don't drag on for 20 minutes (as they did in concert and on some later RealWorld releases). Perhaps it was the vast selection of interesting songs which Nusrat was able to draw from for this, his first recording for the English speaking world. In any case, I recomend Shahen-Shah, one thing is certain, you won't forget it. Warning: Some people hate this music. It sounds nothing like Elvis Presley.

Notes:
• Nominated for a Grammy award in 1997.
• Remixes of "Sweet Pain," "My Heart, My Life," "Longing," "My Comfort Remains," and "Lament" appear on Star Rise.

Images