Riffat Sultana

Sufi, Folk And Love Songs

Riffat Sultana channels the musical wisdom of 500 years and eleven generations of master vocalists from India and Pakistan.  She is the daughter of the late Ustad Salamat Ali Khan, who is universally recognized as the finest Pakistani Classical singer of his time, and is the first woman from her family’s musical lineage to publicly perform in the West. Riffat’s stunning vocals have been recorded for numerous labels including Ark 21/Universal, Triloka/Mercury, Hearts of Space, City of Tribes, and Six Degrees.

In summer 2011 she performed with Quincy Jones’ Global Gumbo group in Morocco and headlined at such venues as the Skirball Center in Los Angeles.   Her group of, tabla, guitar and bansuri flute will perform a wide variety of traditional and modern materials from Pakistan and India, including Sufi, Geet, Ghazal, Filmi, Qawwali, and Light Classical.Highlighting her performances are her devotional and ecstatic Pakistani Sufi songs to great saints like Shahabaz Qalander and Baba BuleShah.Sure to move your heart and feet.

Riffat Sultana: voice
Shiraz: 6 and 12 string guitars
Neil Prasad: tabla
Swapan Gandhi: bansuri flutes

“During the concert, her deep and modulating voice and ecstatic singing were enthralling”. – Yatrika Shah-Rais