New Delhi: On this day in 1948, legendary Pakistani musician Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was born in Lyallpur (now Faisalbad) in the Punjab province of Pakistan.

One of the greatest singers of his generation in the genre of qawwali, Khan brought the modest form of devotional singing to international attention. He collaborated with and influenced countless musicians.

What happens when you take recently found recordings of a legendary (and now deceased) singer from West Asia and give them to a reggae obsessed, Italian DJ in London in 2007? The result is Dub Qawwali, an album released to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the passing of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

Paying tribute to one of the world’s great vocalists, Brooklyn Qawwali Party formed to honor the legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, reworking his thunderous songs for an eclectic, eleven-piece orchestra comprised of groundbreaking jazz musicians. Funky, smart, and loving, BQP captures the joyful spirit of this Pakistani folk music in a unique instrumental blend of jazz and Qawwali. With five horns, guitar, bass, harmonium, and three percussionists, this band's buoyant rhythm will be sure to get you on your feet and clapping.

The ensemble includes:

In contrast to his relationship of equals with Youssou N'Dour, Gabriel has
proclaimed the qawwali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan as a major influence. In
his tribute to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan following the latter's death in 1997, Gabriel
wrote ‘My two main singing inspirations, Nusrat and Otis Redding, have been
supreme examples of how far and deep a voice can go in finding, touching and
moving the soul' (RWN 5: 1997).

On November 1st, Zayn Malik will tell all with his autobiography Zayn. In the book, which will feature personal photos and illustrations, the former One Direction member charts his childhood in Bradford, England to his quick rise as part of the global musical phenomenon.

The first time I heard the voice of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was in Harlem, 1990. My roommate and I stood there, blasting it in his room. We were all awash in the thick undulating tide of dark punjabi tabla rhythyms, spiked with synchronized handclaps booming from above and below in hard, perfect time.

I heard the clarion call of harmoniums dancing the antique melody around like giant, singing wooden spiders. Then all of a sudden, the rising of one, then ten voices hovering over the tonic like a flock of geese ascending into formation across the sky.

The rich tapestry of recorded sound is made up out of hundreds of instruments, weaving together into a kaleidoscope of tones and timbres. But one instrument reigns supreme as the one you can't buy, rent, borrow or steal - the human voice. Either you're born with the ability to sing or you aren't, and no matter how much vocal training you shell out for, you'll never be able to transcend the biological limitations set upon you by your genetic code.

CNN has launched its poll in collaboration with Songlines to highlight the top five most iconic musicians from the past 50 years.
Songlines were approached by CNN for non Anglo-Saxon recommendations in order to create a truly global list of music icons.
CNN had the final say in the shortlist of 20 but we're delighted to announce that Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is one of them.

The results from the poll will be announced on CNN's new arts programme 'icon' on August 25.

Resurrecting the dead is nothing new in music. Remember Natalie Cole singing and dancing with her late father, Nat King Cole? The latest luminary to be revived is the Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. August 16 marks the tenth anniversary of his death.

In his short life, Nusrat was the world's greatest singer of qawwali, a boisterous and passionate music of mystical Islam. He embraced western pop music, teaming up with Peter Gabriel and Eddie Vedder. Now, Nusrat returns with the help of Italian dub reggae producer Gaudi. Their new CD is called Dub Qawwali.

All this year, NPR is bringing you the stories of 50 great voices from around the world. Of course, when you're making such a list, there's bound to be debate. But when it came to the late Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, there was a hushed reverence within our selection committee.

Many Americans first heard his haunting voice in the film Dead Man Walking, but he also introduced a new generation of Pakistanis to their own traditional music.