Everyone knows Austin,Texas is great for country music, BBQ , and 700+ year old Sufi devotional music. Right?

Qawwali is traditionally Muslim. Riyaaz Qawwali, as a group, is not. From Texas, Riyaaz Qawwali is an ensemble that represents the unique diversity and plurality of Southeast Asia. The ensemble’s eight musicians hail from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh and also represent multiple religious and spiritual backgrounds. They weave songs and texts from Hinduism and Sikhism into the Muslim core material.

At its heart, qawwali is ecstatic music that aims to lead listeners into a state of religious ecstasy. The style achieved broad recognition through the work of the late, great Nusrat Fetah Ali Khan.

Qawwali was born in the religious practices of Sufi Islam in Southeast Asia. Sufis seek a mystical, personal connection with God. They often use joyous, ecstatic music as a conduit for this experience. The eight members of Riyaaz Qawwali want to share some of the feeling they experience performing it with their audiences, but by using other languages, and non-religious Southeast Asian text, they hope that that joy transcends religion.