Search - Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali :: Better Destiny

Rizwan and Muazzam Mujahid Ali Khan, the nephews of the great qawwali artist Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, happily exist in two completely different musical worlds. They can mix it up with British dance club denizens such as Temple of Sound and Jah Wobble, as they demonstrated on their CD People's Colony No. 1. Then, without missing a beat, they can return to their Pakistani roots on A Better Destiny, a collection of exquisitely performed traditional qawwali. Backed only by tabla, harmonium, and handclaps, Rizwan and Muazzam perform these sacred Sufi texts with a mesmerizing blend of vocal precision and emotional abandon. Although the two brothers are still quite young, they have studied this music for years, and their delight in using their considerable talents to praise God is infectious. The music on A Better Destiny is simultaneously a virtuoso musical performance and a fervent, ecstatic prayer. Even if you don't understand the meaning of the words, the hypnotic rhythms and sinuous melodies will carry you along. --Michael Simmons