 | Journey to the Mystical Heart of Islam
rating: 5
In recent years, Sufism (the mystical practices of Islam) has become a popular subject in the West. No small part of this is due to the passionate and powerful singing of the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the undisputed master of Pakistani Qawwali music. Naturally, he is included on this CD, but Sufism exerts a pull across the Muslim world, and this CD shows other forms of Sufi music as well. Hassan Hakmoun shows the African-tinged music of Morocco's Gnawa brotherhood, Orchestra al-Kindi (led by Hamza Shakkur) and Sheikh Yasin al-Tuhami demonstrate classical Arabic music traditions, Ostad Elahi performs the music of Iran's Kurdish dervishes, and Boubacar Diagne shows the ceremonial music of the Quadiriya brotherhood of West Africa. Fans of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan are in for a treat, since there are also incredibly moving performances of Qawwali by the Sabri Brothers and Abdia Parween, as well as music from Turkey's Mevlana mystics (the famous 'whirling dervishes'). Drawing upon music from Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Morocco, Iran, Senegal and Syria, this CD is an incredible journey across the Muslim world, showing many different forms of devotion to God through music. Anyone interested in the musical heart of the Islamic faith should check this CD out, as it's cheap, easy to find, and very enlightening.
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enthusiastic endorsement!
rating: 5
I am no scholar of in Sufi music by any means, but... this is wonderful music. I imagine that any expert in Sufi music must think this is a meager selection, though obviously a single album must be just a sample. At any rate, the selection of artists is diverse: from Pakistan, Iranian Kurdistan, Egpyt, Turkey, Syria, Senegal, Morocco.
But in a sense, all that is beside the point. If you are even considering buying this CD, then you are probably not an expert in Sufi music any more than I am. You probably are just curious, or you have some related interests. Well, I'll tell you my experience with this music. I'm pretty familiar with Christian sacred music, including American Protestant traditions, Byzantine and Slavic chant, and the classical tradition. I've studied Islam a little, as an outsider, and I'm a little wary of the popular enthusiasm for Sufism. Nevertheless, I was curious, and willing to drop a few dollars for an interesting experience. So what happened?
This is awesome music. You have to listen to it loudly, like rock and roll or, to an extent, the blues. I know that comparison will rankle, but folks'll have to deal with it. The comparison is that you have to let your bones feel it, the music has the power to hit you, to make you dance and want to scream with it. It is powerful music, overwhelming, intense; I'm tempted to say tribal or primitive. Brutal, passionate and soaring. Borrowing one of my friend's bon mots, I like to say that the music of Marie Keyrouz makes me want to go to church. He said that of Bach and Stravinsky. Well, this Sufi music makes me want to go to wherever I can participate in it. If you let it move you, this music will make you want to love God. (However, I should probably reveal that I strongly doubt that any deity exists.)
If it's your first CD of Sufi music, it won't be your last.
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