Customer Reviews

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - A Voice From Heaven 2001

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This Dvd has a few good moments.The picture quality was very good too.Sadly there was not enough footage of nusrat himself being interviewed before his death or peforming.The sound qaulity of nusrat singing was bad most of the time.Although this documentary possess a thrilling performance of nusrat's brother singing in great natural sound.One interesting moment was a rare interview with nusrat's widow.Overall this dvd was pretty okay,but could have been better.Still,I recommend this dvd.It's still worth seeing,cos there's not much available footage in the western world of this late master of the art of vocal music in the quwaal style.Nusrat is truely a voice from heaven.

but if you are after the history, and more about the life of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, it is worthwhile. There are only snippets of his concert performances (really only one in particular) which as a whole, make this DVD fall far short of what I was looking for......

Before seeing this film, I had never heard nor read about this type of music and the culture behind it. At the beginning I was a bit sceptic, but after a while I really enjoyed it, and I quite liked the music. Being a stranger to the culture and religion of the Middle East, I was amazed about the high status given to this music within the religious environment. In my view this film is a good introduction to qawwali music and I recommend it to everybody curious to learn more about other cultures and religions.

The reviews on the back of this video's box would make you think you are about to see something like "American Masters," an intelligent, well-produced examination of Nusrat's life and his artistic impact upon the world. Instead, the production is less than excellent, the history is slightly innacurate (Qawwali is NOT "Sufi music," but music performed by only a few Sufi groups in Southern Asia, not the entirety of sufism in the Islamic world). However, interviews with his various collaborators (Michael Brook) and samplers (Bally Sagoo) proved interesting, but not too essential. As far as the music is concerned, you're constantly teased by snippets of "Allah Hoo" and "Dam Mast Qalandar," but for the most part the soundtrack seems dominated by one or two songs played over and over ad naseum. Purchase this video only if you're a Nusrat completist. Better yet, just go rent it.

Not knowing much about this music nor the background to it I discovered a new world of high spirituality and rich culture. The film focuses on one if not the master of the Qawwali music.
The time witness interviews and especially the footage from its origins in Pakistan provide a rich and enlithening setting for the timeless pieces of the master himself.
Some of the core and most beautiful pieces of his musci are incorporated into the film.
The film is shot expertly and especially the footage from Pakistan and the concerts are rare to be seen.
It provides not only an excellent introduction but even for the initiated an in-depth experience of the master and his world. It allows at the same time to discover the man behind the artist.
Whoever likes "world music" and deep, spiritual-driven music, cannot miss this one.

Unfortunately, I have never seen Nusrat perform live but in this film; and had only a limited knowledge about Qawwali music beforehand.
The film gives an excellent introduction to this music and the artist who is one if not the master of this very spiritual music.
The footage shot in Pakistan and other background pieces allow the un-initiated to gain more than just a newcomer's understanding and appreciation. Some of the masterpieces of this music are performed live and the performance of one of the core songs on the grave of Nusrat is breath-taking.
I found the interviews and comments by some of the time witnesses especially enlightening to understand the man behind the artist.
All in all, whoever is interested in what is termed "world music" has to have this one.

I love Nusrat in this film and I shared it with different friends who knew nothing about Qawwali music and fell in love with it.
I missed the last US tour of Nusrat and this film gives a wonderful immersion in the atmosphere.
Excellent footage shot in Pakistan and dreamy performance of Rahat on the grave of the Late Master Ustad Fateh Ali Khan.
A collector's must.

I had been interested in this DVD for a long time, and I finally bought it. I had relatively high expectations for it. I was disappointed all around. The cinematography is terrible, especially the interviews. The documentary is short on factual information. There is not enough of Nusrat in it, for the most part, it is the same information repeated over and over again. There also is not enough music in it, it is more or less clips of the same songs over and over again, and poorly-filmed clips of Nusrat's students singing. If you are interested in Nusrat, or information, or documentaries, you will be disappointed.

The 1 star says it all. This video is only of interest to fans who like his raw un-westernized music. This DVD did nothing for me.