Koi Bole Ram Ram, Koi Khuda
29.50 minutes

By Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Party
Live at Gurdwara in London, UK 1989.

I first saw Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan on tv on a Sunday morning at age 12, and was so struck by his sheer commitment, I completely forgot the breakfast in front of me.

He was by far the most generous artist I've ever experienced in a live show. I got to know him and his group later in the US as they grew from small rooms with a few hundred to the Universal Ampitheater packed with 25,000.

This is the best performance of this shabad sung 21 years ago (1989), which means: 'Some call it Rama Rama, some call it the Creator.' Fortunately someone had the foresight to record this one time inspired rendition, the melody in all other versions is different, and not as good in my opinion.

Koi Bole Ram Ram, Koi Khuda is a shabad written by Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji in the Sikh Guru Granth Sahib revealing one universal reality, source and existence regardless of differing labels or forms of worship. Sung by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and party in a Sikh gurdwara in London, UK approx 21 yrs ago. He was by far simply the most generous performer I've ever experienced in a live performance.

Sikh despite unquestioned cultural traditions means only ‘seeker of truth’ - so in its true sense any sincere seeker of truth is a Sikh. The word "Qawalli" has it's origins in the Arabic word "qawl" (utterance). The lyrics, at this stage were primarily in Persian, Turkish and the occasional word of Hindi, celebrated Allah and the Prophet. It's musical form relied heavily upon sophisticated ragas combined with exultant spontaneity, and it's repetitive yet lyrical force at times sent people into trances.

Qawalli became an essential part of Muslim worship at Sufi shrines (spiritual part of Islam, largely persecuted and forced underground for centuries by the orthodox), and as a result of it's popularity an important element in the conversion of Indians to Islam.

In recent times the foremost practitioner was 41 year old Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan from Faisalbad, Pakistan whose family have passed on and developed the tradition for over six centuries (father to son only, as it requires extreme endurance). Nusrat's career started with blessings by a number of mystics at a sufi festival in Pakistan, hence he always started each concert with the song Allah Hoo. Nusrat & party gave their first British performance in Birmingham in 1979 and since then toured the country almost every year.

All the party sing, some are soloists, others act as a chorus. The music is provided by harmoniums (hand pumped organ like instrument), hand clapping and a set of tablas (a small pair of drums). From this combination emerges a sound of surprising variety and complexity, from angelic solo heights to awesome choral power. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's voice and the tabla combine in ecstatic improvisations, set against striking melodies.

At the turn of the 13th century, 40 years before the birth of Geoffrey Chaucer and 150 years before that of Leonardo De Vinci, Europe was steeped in the dark ages. In contrast, the Muslim world was flourishing from the maghrib (the west) in Spain where Muslim scholars were rediscovering and putting to use the lost knowledge of the Greeks, to the mashriq (the east) in India where a synthesis between Persian and Indian culture was taking place.

In India, Amir Khusrau was in the employ of princes and nobles as a poet and historian. However, his real allegiances lay with Sheikh Nizam-ud din-Awliya, the leader of the Chisti order of Sufi saints which had played an active part in popularizing Islam within India. Apart from inventing the sitar and the ghazal (poetic lovesong), Khusrau was responsible for inventing Qawalli.

Peter Gabriel was so inspired by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's power and range, he dubbed him as 'The most powerful voice in the world.' He consequently managed Nusrat's career and tours in the West. Nusrat was part of the soundtrack for The Last Temptation of Christ, Dead Man Walking & Natural Born Killers.

A true Sufi in spirit, upon his untimely death in is early 40s, Nusrat was discovered to have been supporting hundreds of orphans and widows in Pakistan, yet wore the most simple attire, a mere $5 pair of shoes the biggest expense.