Album Notes

Riffat Sultana
Classics CD shows many beautiful and exotic sides of this soulful Pakistani vocalist.

Riffat Sultana is a daughter of the Sham Churasi Gharana, channeling the musical wisdom of 500 years and eleven generations of master vocalists from India and Pakistan. Child of the late Maestro Ustad Salamat Ali Khan, incomparable and legendary classical singer from Pakistan. Riffat is the first woman from her family's musical lineage to publicly perform in the west. Her stunning vocals have been recorded for numerous record labels including Ark 21/Universal,Triloka/Mercury, Hearts of Space, City of Tribes, 6 Degrees and XDot25. Recently she recorded songs for Miles Copeland's Bombay Bellywood production, and is looking forward to her second collaboration with Quincy Jones in 2011.
Riffat performs a wide variety of traditional and modern materials from the Indian sub-continent, including, Sufi, Geet, Ghazal, Filmi, Qawwali, and Light Classical, along with her Acoustic and Electronic fusion She leads a unique, intimate acoustic ensemble featuring tabla, world percussion, and her husband and producer, Richard Michos (aka Shiraz Ali Khan) on 12 string guitar. Riffat Sultana & Party, is the perfect vehicle to showcase one of the most passionate and exciting new voices in world music. Her original material is featured on her three albums with her world beat dance band Shabaz (formerly Ali Khan Band), and her 2006 solo album, "Sufi, Folk, and Love Songs" both available on I-Tunes. Highlighting her performances are her devotional, and ecstatic Pakistani Sufi songs to great saints like Shahabaz Qalander and Baba Bule Shah, which are sure to move your heart and feet. Today, all roads are open to Riffat ,she is making her family, her country, and her ancestors proud, and bringing a truly spectacular voice and talent to the world stage.