Yusuf Islam - back on song

By Tony Watts - Editor - 29/06/2007

No-one who was seriously into music in the 60s and 70s could ignore the talent of Cat Stevens. For me, he was part of the sound track of my University years: we’d all sit solemnly listening to the lyrics, looking for the layers of meaning and in awe of such a sensitive a voice that also carried so much power and passion.

His songs didn’t just sing about love lost or found. He eloquently voiced the growing concerns about peace, the environment, about the generation gap, about the shallowness of life led without a purpose. He articulated so many of the recurring themes of a period of history that has – perhaps belatedly – shaped the way society sees itself today.

But with his conversion to Islam, the albums stopped appearing. He felt that his previous life as a musician was incompatible with his faith and Cat Stevens was no more. But almost three decades later, he was persuaded to return. New songs emerged – delightful, tuneful material which reflected his new stance on life and the perspective of an older man. “An Other Cup” is a spiritually inspiring album, mesmeric in places. He has succeeded in uniting his faith and his art. Songs with purpose as well as passion. The man was back.

On March 1st 2007, Yusuf Islam made a historic return to the live arena performing a full length set to an invited audience at The Porchester Hall in London. This was the first time that Yusuf had performed a full concert in over 28 years.

He kept everyone happy with revisits to classic material such as Peace Train and Father & Son as well as a newly-worked version of the all time favourite Wild World. And the new material was in there too.
 
On June 25th the concert was made available on a DVD entitled Yusuf’s Café Session. The package also includes an insightful one hour documentary ‘A Few Good Songs’. The 60-minute film, originally entitled ‘Imagine’ and shown on BBC1 in May 2006, features Yusuf talking openly to Alan Yentob about his extraordinary life experiences. It now includes new exclusive unseen footage.
 
The DVD comes in single disc form in a six-panel Digipack, complete with 16-page booklet and poster as well as the videos to Heaven/Where True Love Goes and Midday (Avoid City After Dark).
 
Catch it if you can. It is a gem of a performance.

Tracklisting:

Wind East & West
The Wind
Midday (Avoid City After Dark)
Don’t Be Shy
Maybe There’s A World
In The End
Where Do the Children Play
The Little Ones
I Think I See the Light
Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
Heaven/Where True Love Goes
How Long/Peace Train Blues
The Beloved
Father & Son
Wild World (Zulu Version)
Peace Train


Yusuf’s Café Session DVD is released through Polydor, Catalogue No: 1733728