Led by Pakistani-born brother-sister duo Sukhawat Ali Khan and Riffat Sultana, the world fusion dance-trance band Shabaz boasts an eleven-generation continuum: the siblings at the heart of the band are the children of the great classical singer Salamat Ali Khan, and their lineage reportedly extends back to court singers for Akbar the Great. Sukhawat and Riffat have revived their acclaimed Shabaz, bringing updated visions of ancient traditions, classical fusions, Sufi songs, and even Bhangra and folk songs from India and Pakistan. Shabaz also features world fusion drummer Rami Ziadeh, producer Shiraz on bass and guitar, bansuri flutist and saxophonist Charles Mosselle, and Neil Prasad playing tablas and dhole.

Both siblings were trained in Qawaali, a traditional Pakistani singing style. Their voices complement each other perfectly, at times becoming indistinguishable. Where their father helped introduce Qawaali music to the world, Sultana and Khan also combine the music with Western styles such as hip-hop and rock. Riffat Sultana is a pioneering woman in a style that in her homeland can only be performed by men. Here she has led her own bands as well as guesting on CDs and concerts by artists as diverse as Jennifer Berezan and Cheb i Sabbah. Her own music can be heard on her CD, “Sufi Folk and Love Songs.”