About Qawwal And Party, Volume Two
Qawwal And Party, Volume Two is a studio album by Pakistani qawwali vocalist Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and his ensemble. The label WOMAD Records released the album in 1988 on 12\" vinyl as part of its series promoting global traditional and folk music. The recording captures Khan’s signature fusion of classical qawwali with devotional Sufi poetry, accompanied by harmonium, tabla, and chorus responses from his party.
The album contains six tracks, each extending the improvisational and rhythmic structures characteristic of qawwali performance. Notable compositions include \"Woh Hata Rahe Hain Pardah\", a piece emphasizing the mystical theme of divine revelation, and \"Yeh Jo Halka Saroor Hae\", which explores spiritual intoxication through repetitive melodic phrasing. \"Biba Sanda Dil Morr De\" and \"Yaadan Vichhre Sajan Dian Aiyan\" incorporate Punjabi folk influences, while \"Sanson Ki Maala Mein\" and \"Un Ke Dar Pohchne To Payen\" reflect the traditional qawwali repertoire’s focus on longing and devotion.
The release coincided with Khan’s rising international recognition in the late 1980s, facilitated by collaborations with Western artists and labels. WOMAD Records, founded by musician Peter Gabriel, provided a platform for Khan’s work beyond South Asia, though specific sales figures or chart performance for this volume remain undocumented. The vinyl format aligned with the era’s distribution norms for world music releases, though later reissues or digital adaptations are not confirmed in available sources.
Critical reception from the period highlights Khan’s vocal virtuosity and the album’s role in introducing qawwali to non-Urdu-speaking audiences. The recording process preserved the live interaction between Khan and his accompanying musicians, a hallmark of his performances. No producer or session details are explicitly attributed to this release in public records.