Qawwali Singer Ali Kahn Shows He’s a Gifted Prospect

The first question that came to mind while hearing Badar Ali Khan perform at the El Rey Theatre on Friday was whether he could fill the gap left by the death a year ago of his cousin Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the legendary Pakistani singer. For most Western audiences, Nusrat was the voice of qawwali, the centuries-old form of ecstatic singing.

The short answer is that Badar Ali Khan is a gifted artist still in the process of developing his own style, but not yet ready to replace his influential cousin. He is, however, very good. Even in a relatively brief performance--unlike the hours-long presentations common in qawwali--he revealed his ability to add his own imaginative variations to the traditional forms.

Dressed impressively, if curiously, in a gold-braided, military-style jacket, Khan was clearly in command, leading his party of singers and instrumentalists with head nods, dramatic arm movements and the sheer power of his voice.

Qawwali makes extensive use of a pattern in which the lead singer’s lines are repeated by the party’s accompanying singers. And Khan made the process especially fascinating by employing driving, riff-like melodies that built up propulsive rhythmic energy. Balancing his vocal lines, his three solo accompanists added their own soaring, passionate high notes to the mix, producing a sound filled with melodically interweaving musical densities.

Lacking the sheer artistic mastery of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s performances, it nonetheless boded well for the future of qawwali in the West.