Essential Listening:
A Taan is a rapid succession of notes. Nusrat’s taans were legendary for their velocity. However, unlike instrumental taans which are linear, Nusrat's were Bol-Taans —using the syllables of the lyrics. Furthermore, his use of Sargam (singing the note names—Sa, Re, Ga, Ma) as a form of improvisation was distinctly classical. In the live recording Yaar Ka Gham , he engages in a sixteen-minute Sargam interplay with his ensemble that mirrors a traditional Khayal concert. nusrat fateh ali khan classical