Michael Brook Line

Night Song

(1995, Real World)

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Night Song

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The second collaborative effort between Michael Brook and master qawwali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was recorded in nomadic fashion around the campus (including lounges and offices, in addition to the proper studios) of Peter Gabriel’s Real World facility near Bath. The nature of collaboration between Michael and Nusrat begun with Musst Musst continued to evolve. At the project’s inception, Nusrat contacted poets in his native Pakistan to provide lyrical inspiration; in addition to the hand-pumped harmonium keyboard, a staple of qawwali music, he became enamored of the sounds available from a Korg synthesizer (Nusrat is heard playing the latter near the end of Night Song). For his part, Michael found himself gathering the raw materials of performances by Nusrat and his concert party and other guest musicians present at Real World, fitting parts together via tape editing to fashion the final shape of these tracks.

Regrettably, owing to their respective schedules, Nusrat and Michael only ever performed once together in public, at a festival in Bari, Italy. After his extended residency at Real World, Michael moved to Palo Alto in California’s Silicon Valley, to participate in developing new musical interfaces at Interval Research. He attributes much of Night Song’s lasting impact to its being heralded at the time of release by the taste-making dj’s at public radio station KCRW in Los Angeles, the city where Michael would next relocate.

9 Comments to Night Song | Leave a Comment

  1. Rajeeb

    hi,
    i have listend to each composition countless times. and i have no word to describe how this album touched me, and became part of my life. never had the chance or opprtunity to thank you for this great masterpiece. may ustad nusrat fateh ali rest in peace, and mr. brook the living legend thank you once again for the great music. if u ever need a Tabla player when you are in Canada let me know, i will be at ur service.
    Thank you once again for this great album, i have been listening to this for the last 10 years.

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  3. sadam

    greatest ever composed miusic a tremendoua collaborayion of east and west

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  5. Lori

    So, so beautiful. The song “Longing” would have to be on my list of ten most gorgeous recordings ever.

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  7. ck

    I was introduced by the album by one of my best friends just after I lost my beloved mother.The album cured my soul as it expressed all the complex feelings a human may feel after such a happening.

    Ruhun şad olsun Nusrat, eline sağlık Brook.
    (RIP Nusrat, thanks Brook.)

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  9. Zia

    one of the greatest music albums ever, i have no word to describe the greatness of this album.

    Mr.Brook u had done a great job by producing such a superbb album with Late Ustaad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan….
    its awesome.

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  11. LPs from the Attic: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Michael Brook — Night Song « The Brown Tweed Society

    [...] talent, and they serve as good entry points into less commercial, emotionally incendiary output. Night Song is a solid add to the discography but, in keeping with its “evening soundtrack” theme, [...]

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  13. Mahfuz

    Nice Songs, Touched My Heart Deeply!

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  15. surleen

    I would like to purchase this album- can I do this directly through the website?

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  17. Luisa

    A friend gave me this cd two years ago. It was the candle that put back light and warmth again into my life. That summer was really tough. When you don’t have an idea of what is going on in your life and suddely you have the privilege, the blessing to receive a gift like this you can only think music can make miracles.
    For me this music of the whole cd is a long prayer. When I listen to it my heart can breathe. There are things that you don’t understand sometimes, when you listen to prayers like this you don’t need to understand, you just realise you are living again.
    My great thank will be forever. I still listen to Night Song and I see the light. Thank you, Luisa

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  Michael Brook Line
[Michael Brook The Official Website: www.michaelbrookmusic.com © 2010 Michael Brook] [Credits]