Well, it seems like Nusrat peaked quite some curiosity as well as kept some people up last night. As I mentioned, his offerings range from the traditional to the radical... might I say even weird... the mix that is. I think for those unfamiliar with Qawwali, Night Song with Michael Brook, may be an accessible entree. After that, you might choose to listen to his more traditional style and then swing to the disco/electronic style with full effects,i.e., lots o' reverb, echo effects, looping, etc. You might be able to find some of the later, modern style by doing a search and including the word "remix" or something like that.
I was introduced to him in S. Asia in the Indian Sub-continent where his music is a plenty, and there are more Nusrat albums than "Carter has pills"... okay, I've dated myself. In addition to Night Song with Michael Brook, here are some other titles that can be had here in the US: Devotional & Love Songs also on Real World; The Greatest Hits of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (of course!) on the Shanachie Entertainment label; Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - A Sufi Supreme Master Recordings on Mantera World Music; Swan Song His Final Performance on Narada EMI.
You can also check out his collaboration with Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam on the "Dead Man Walking" movie soundtrack. Oh... if you find this type of music evocative, then you also might want to check out the Peter Gabriel productions that he did for Martin Scorsese's movie "The Last Temptation of Christ." He produced 2 albums for Real World: Peter Gabriel "Passion" (the actual soundtrack) and Passion Sources - Various Artists which features tracks of world music including Nusrat.
Next, I'll have to turn you guys and gals on to Ali Farka Toure who is coined as the "John Lee Hooker of Africa" and another east meets west, rockin' jazzy blues band called "Jai Uttal."
More later and sorry for the long-winded post.
