Rizwan-Muazzam (Urdu: رضوان ـ معظم) Qawwali is a Pakistani Qawwali group led by Rizwan and Muazzam, the nephews of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Since 1998, they had stage performances at several World of Music, Arts and Dance Festivals in the United Kingdom and have released multiple albums showcasing their rich musical heritage.
The brothers come from a distinguished lineage of Qawwali music that spans over five centuries. Their grandfather, Mubarak Ali Khan, was Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's uncle and played a pivotal role in teaching Nusrat the art of Qawwali. Rizwan and Muazzam honed their craft under the guidance of their father, Mujahid Mubarak Ali Khan, who died in 1996, and later received mentorship from their uncle, Nusrat.
Career
Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali Group is made up of the two lead-singing brothers, Rizwan and Muazzam; five secondary singers who lead the choral response with vigorous hand clapping; two harmonium players; and a tabla player. They perform in traditional Qawwali style - sitting on the ground rather than on seats - which they believe brings them closer to God.
The brothers, sons of Mujahid Mubarak Ali Khan, have been performing together as Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali Group since the late 1990s. They played their first major concert in 1998 at the Womad Rivermead festival in Reading, England.
They have given many joint performances at the Coke Studio in Pakistan in collaboration with various other musicians, including Shazia Manzoor, and became very popular in Pakistan.
Their music was showcased to the world at the annual world music festival WOMAD in Reading, England, in 1998. The group performed at WOMADelaide (the edition of WOMAD taking place in Adelaide, South Australia) in 2003, and are scheduled to perform there again on the long weekend of 11-13 March. As of 2023 the group includes the two brothers, along with seven male artists on harmonium, chorus, and hand percussion.
Discography
Day Of Colours (Real World Records, 2004) is an album of traditional qawwali, recorded in four days in a tiny studio in Lahore, with songs in Persian, Urdu, and Punjabi languages. "Sayyedo-Sarwer Muhammad" (light of my life) was written by the 13th century Persian poet and mystic, Rumi.
Other albums include:
- Attish: The Hidden Fire (WOMAD Select, 1998)
- Sacrifice To Love (Narada, 1999)
- A Better Destiny (Real World Records, 2001)
- People’s Colony No I (Real World Records, 2001)
- Sufi Sama (Tabaruq Records, 2007)
See also
References
- ^ McConnachie, James (2000). Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali Group. Rough Guides - World music: the rough guide, Volume 2 via Google Books website. p. 203, 208 and 211. ISBN 978-1-85828-636-5.
- ^ Ali Raj (24 August 2015). "2015 Coke Studio Season 8 - Episode 2: Sugar, spice and some things nice". The Express Tribune newspaper. Archived from the original on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ Angel Romero (19 November 2018). "Artist Profiles: Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali". World Music Central website. Archived from the original on 5 March 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- ^ "Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwal profile and performance". Coke Studio (Pakistan) website. Archived from the original on 27 May 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- ^ "Profile of Rizwan & Muazzam Mujahid Ali Khan-Qawwal". Archived from the original on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- Tripodi, Annette (3 March 2023). "Music gems to discover at WOMADelaide 2023". InDaily website. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
External links
- Website Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali Group (Archived)
- An interview with Muazzam Fateh Ali Khan (Archived)