Soulful Strain: Sufi exponent Shafqat Ali Khan’s draws upon Amir Khusro’s works for his new album.
Meher Fatma in cities.expressindia.com , Nov. 16, 2005
Shafqat Ali Khan had to cut his India visit short. The popular San Francisco-based Sufi singer of Pakistani origin was to enchant the audience with music of the Sham Chaurasi Gharana in Delhi, at The Qutub Festival last week.
The festival was cancelled following the death of former President K R Narayanan.
But Khan, who plays the Indian harp Surmandal, had more than one reason to keep himself busy in India. The singer has just completed recording six songs for an album titled The Tilted Hat for Muzaffar Ali. ‘‘The six songs have been sung in Persian and influenced by Hazrat Amir Khusro’s work,’’ informs Khan, who produced his first album in India way back in 1995 when he collaborated with Bappi Lahiri for Awara Sur (HMV). Khan has also sung for a Bollywood film, slated for release next year.
Belonging to the eleventh generation of a family that is known for their khayal singing, Khan trained under his father Ustad Salamat Ali Khan, who originally hailed from a small village in Eastern Punjab.
While the artist has often experimented with ghazals and east-west fusion during his concerts abroad, he prefers to stick to classical singing. ‘‘I make it a point to sing in the language of the region I am visiting. For my concerts abroad, I include a lot of ragas and less of lyrics as it’s easier to follow,’’ says Khan, whose has been singing in Hindi, Urdu, Persian and Punjabi.
While talking about his experience in India, Khan says ‘‘I always get the same warm response to my performances in India and Pakistan because people share the same taste and culture’’. In the past, Khan has entertained music lovers with animated jugalbandis with Indian artists like Zakir Hussain, Rabbi Shergill, Sukhwinder Singh and Hari Haran. But these performances are mainly held in the west, which has a large following in sufi music.
The musician who has been drawing full house since his first performance at The Punjab Music Festival in 1980, says it’s difficult to break away from a family tradition. ‘‘I have to shoulder the responsibility of keeping the musical tradition alive,’’ says the musician.
With that in mind, he is already training his two sons, Faizan and Nader Ali Khan, to take lessons in sufi singing. But, oddly, he has no plans for his daughter, Huriya, to take up singing. ‘‘Girls never sing in our family. Unlike here, gayakis do not draw respect in Pakistan,’’ says Khan who prefers to stick to societal norms.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
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Thursday, December 29, 2005
Sufi Singer Shafqat Ali Khan: Interview
Soulful Strain: Sufi exponent Shafqat Ali Khan’s draws upon Amir Khusro’s works for his new album.
Meher Fatma in cities.expressindia.com , Nov. 16, 2005
Shafqat Ali Khan had to cut his India visit short. The popular San Francisco-based Sufi singer of Pakistani origin was to enchant the audience with music of the Sham Chaurasi Gharana in Delhi, at The Qutub Festival last week.
The festival was cancelled following the death of former President K R Narayanan.
But Khan, who plays the Indian harp Surmandal, had more than one reason to keep himself busy in India. The singer has just completed recording six songs for an album titled The Tilted Hat for Muzaffar Ali. ‘‘The six songs have been sung in Persian and influenced by Hazrat Amir Khusro’s work,’’ informs Khan, who produced his first album in India way back in 1995 when he collaborated with Bappi Lahiri for Awara Sur (HMV). Khan has also sung for a Bollywood film, slated for release next year.
Belonging to the eleventh generation of a family that is known for their khayal singing, Khan trained under his father Ustad Salamat Ali Khan, who originally hailed from a small village in Eastern Punjab.
While the artist has often experimented with ghazals and east-west fusion during his concerts abroad, he prefers to stick to classical singing. ‘‘I make it a point to sing in the language of the region I am visiting. For my concerts abroad, I include a lot of ragas and less of lyrics as it’s easier to follow,’’ says Khan, whose has been singing in Hindi, Urdu, Persian and Punjabi.
While talking about his experience in India, Khan says ‘‘I always get the same warm response to my performances in India and Pakistan because people share the same taste and culture’’. In the past, Khan has entertained music lovers with animated jugalbandis with Indian artists like Zakir Hussain, Rabbi Shergill, Sukhwinder Singh and Hari Haran. But these performances are mainly held in the west, which has a large following in sufi music.
The musician who has been drawing full house since his first performance at The Punjab Music Festival in 1980, says it’s difficult to break away from a family tradition. ‘‘I have to shoulder the responsibility of keeping the musical tradition alive,’’ says the musician.
With that in mind, he is already training his two sons, Faizan and Nader Ali Khan, to take lessons in sufi singing. But, oddly, he has no plans for his daughter, Huriya, to take up singing. ‘‘Girls never sing in our family. Unlike here, gayakis do not draw respect in Pakistan,’’ says Khan who prefers to stick to societal norms.
Meher Fatma in cities.expressindia.com , Nov. 16, 2005
Shafqat Ali Khan had to cut his India visit short. The popular San Francisco-based Sufi singer of Pakistani origin was to enchant the audience with music of the Sham Chaurasi Gharana in Delhi, at The Qutub Festival last week.
The festival was cancelled following the death of former President K R Narayanan.
But Khan, who plays the Indian harp Surmandal, had more than one reason to keep himself busy in India. The singer has just completed recording six songs for an album titled The Tilted Hat for Muzaffar Ali. ‘‘The six songs have been sung in Persian and influenced by Hazrat Amir Khusro’s work,’’ informs Khan, who produced his first album in India way back in 1995 when he collaborated with Bappi Lahiri for Awara Sur (HMV). Khan has also sung for a Bollywood film, slated for release next year.
Belonging to the eleventh generation of a family that is known for their khayal singing, Khan trained under his father Ustad Salamat Ali Khan, who originally hailed from a small village in Eastern Punjab.
While the artist has often experimented with ghazals and east-west fusion during his concerts abroad, he prefers to stick to classical singing. ‘‘I make it a point to sing in the language of the region I am visiting. For my concerts abroad, I include a lot of ragas and less of lyrics as it’s easier to follow,’’ says Khan, whose has been singing in Hindi, Urdu, Persian and Punjabi.
While talking about his experience in India, Khan says ‘‘I always get the same warm response to my performances in India and Pakistan because people share the same taste and culture’’. In the past, Khan has entertained music lovers with animated jugalbandis with Indian artists like Zakir Hussain, Rabbi Shergill, Sukhwinder Singh and Hari Haran. But these performances are mainly held in the west, which has a large following in sufi music.
The musician who has been drawing full house since his first performance at The Punjab Music Festival in 1980, says it’s difficult to break away from a family tradition. ‘‘I have to shoulder the responsibility of keeping the musical tradition alive,’’ says the musician.
With that in mind, he is already training his two sons, Faizan and Nader Ali Khan, to take lessons in sufi singing. But, oddly, he has no plans for his daughter, Huriya, to take up singing. ‘‘Girls never sing in our family. Unlike here, gayakis do not draw respect in Pakistan,’’ says Khan who prefers to stick to societal norms.
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