"When I sing for God, I feel myself in accord with God, and the house of God, Mecca, is right in front of me.

And I worship.

When I sing for Mohammed, peace be upon him, our prophet, I feel like I am sitting right next to his tomb, Medina, and paying him respect and admitting to myself that I accept his message." - Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, May 1997.

I first heard Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan when he collaborated with Peter Gabriel on a track recorded for the Grammy nominated soundtrack of Martin Scorsese's "Last Temptation of Christ". This is one of my absolute favorite movie soundtracks -- the best selections therein are those which feature Khan's delicate voice. It wasn't until another Peter Gabriel collaboration however that I realized just how interesting a sound this man created. This time around it was a track for Oliver Stone's "Natural Born Killers". The sound is riveting and, once listened to, indellible.

I went on to listen to much of the man's music and came to be a fan. Much of my interest in the arena of World Music stems from the opening of my eyes brought about by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. He will be dearly missed.

Chances are the music of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is like nothing you have ever heard before. Often revered as Pakistan's most popular musician, Khan's collaborations with mainstream artists like Peter Gabriel, Bruce Springsteen and Eddie Vedder have propelled him to world celebrity. In his native country he is considered a master of the locally popular Qawwali music and his fervent following there has spanned generations. His Qawwali roots have recently been merged with more modern, Western influences, the result a hybrid sound which is absolutely original and fresh. This melding of culture is showcased on "Star Rise", a full-length project featuring re-mixes of earlier Khan tunes.

Each song on "Star Rise" has been delicately reconstructed by a different set of hands, producing dramatically different sounds and textures throughout. Most of the tracks have taken on a more funky, club-like feel as noted mixers such as Earthtribe, The Dhol Foundation and Joi have reshaped the landscape and turned something 'old' into something new and fresh. The sound on this disc retains its basis of Middle Eastern influence, but I think several of the songs would fare well in dance clubs in Europe and even here in the States. The beat is definitely there and the sound is just unusual enough to maybe throw a few raves into a whole new category of dance!

My personal favorites on "Star Rise" are the laid back, yet emotional "My Heart, My Life", funky and absolutely infectuous "Taa Deem" and of course, the closing track, one of my favorites, "Lament". Every track on this disc has something different to offer; perhaps this is because of the disparity of the contributors who remixed the songs, but I think it's more on account of the broad range of Khan's abilities.

Remix puristss and Nusrat fans should take note however, though the house has been moved, the foundation still remains. The performance of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan still is still as wonderfully indellible as ever, making it almost impossible not to enjoy this disc. For the newly initiated, you don't have to understand the words to become entwined in Khan's web. Don't try to categorize or compare it, because I don't think there's anything else close out there. Nusrat was a one-off prodigy. "Star Rise" with the assistance of all those who contributed to the remixes, drives that fact home.

"Eighty Days is the second single from Marillion's most recent disc, "This Strange Engine" (See: May1997, September1997) and, like many of the band's previous single releases, contains stuff that makes it a must-have for fans. "Eighty Days" is a mellow, autobiographical song about life on the road. The lyrics draw directly from singer/songwriter Steve Hogarth's personal experiences and shed light on the man's more delicate, personal side. ("Staring down from this high window/at the faces in the line/cold from hours of waiting/how many people can you love?"). Hogarth's lyrical depth and pop sense combine to give this song some real airtime potential worldwide.

"Eighty Days is a good song and a logical pick for a single from this particular album, but the real treats on this disc are the bonus tracks. Recorded earlier this year, the two live tracks ("This Strange Engine", "Bell in the Sea") are well produced and mixed -- they really capture the essence of a live Marillion show. "This Strange Engine" is one of the best songs I've ever seen the band perform and the live version featured on this single is no disappointment. Hogarth really pours his heart out on this song, both lyrically and performance-wise. It's seventeen minutes of pure Marillion and even by itself is more than worth the cost of the disc. "Bell in the Sea" is also a special treat for fans, since the boys don't play this song live very often and, to the best of my knowledge, it's never been recorded for a live release in the past. The song, recorded during the "Season's End", the first Hogarth-era album, is based on a folk tale about a bell which was deposited at the bottom of the ocean after the ship that was carrying it sank in rough water. The lore states that on stormy nights you can still hear the tolling of the bell as it rolls in the rough water on the ocean floor. It's an excellent song, indicative of the recording session for "Season's End". The band does a great job rehashing this 'oldie' some 9 years later. The sound is tight and confident and the crowd reacts with their normal near-fanatic zeal.

With "Eighty Days" as the featured song, this single should sell in the markets where Marillion is always strong. For the rest of the world where fans come out of the woodwork to support their favorite band, this is one to buy for the great bonus tracks. I play it again and again and just can't seem to get enough!