Peter Gabriel's score for
Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ, released as the album
Passion, was a fair introduction to world music forms for the complete novice, as the music was filtered through
Gabriel's more accessible western pop sensibility. The far superior
Passion - Sources (the first release on
Gabriel's incipient Real World label) presents the original performances that inspired
Gabriel's music, and as such is both a handy second step for those intrigued by the soundtrack and an entertaining collection for the more experienced world music fan. Due to the physical location and spiritual themes of the film,
Gabriel's source material focuses on the Middle East, northern Africa, and southern Asia and incorporates much religious and ceremonial music. Strict purists have balked about this collection, as it includes one fairly dire piece of Indian pop music by Shankar & the Epidemics, shortens some tracks (most unfortunately, a spine-tingling performance by the great
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, cut from over 11 minutes to not quite five), and overdubs some of
Gabriel's musical associates onto others, like
Manu Katche's somewhat distracting percussion overdubs on an otherwise enchanting Moroccan wedding song. For most listeners, however, these will be only minor annoyances, and there are plenty of "purer" representations of these musics available.
Passion - Sources is in most ways an exemplary collection that did much to launch Real World as one of the most viable high-profile world music labels in the world.