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Raza Ali Khan (born on 8 August, 1962) is a Hindustani classical vocalist of the Kasur Patiala Gharana and the current Khalifa of the Gharana. He is also an accomplished music director and composer.

[edit] Personal life and education

Raza Ali Khan was born in Mumbai to Hindustani classical vocalist, Munawar Ali Khan and he is the grandson of Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. He received his early training from his Grandfather, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and after that, extensively, from his father, Munawar Ali Khan. He accompanied his father on concerts and sung alongside.^[1]

He married actress, Neelima Azeem in 2007.

[edit] Career

Khan's gayaki contains the magic of both his Ustads. His intricate taankari, hypnotising behlawas and electrifying sargams put his performances a notch above the current generation of Indian Classical Singers and make him the foremost exponent of Kasur Patiala Gharana. Raza is always at home while rendering Khayal,Thumri,Dadra,Ghazal,Geet,Sozkhani,Noha Khani,Manqabat. He gave his first solo performance at the Youth Festival in 1977 at the Eden Garden Stadium at Calcutta. From then onwards there was no looking back for him.

Khan has performed in all major music festivals in India and abroad. He has performed in the national program for Indian music at Doordashan TV and in the prestigious radio Sangeet Samelan, Dover Lane Music Conference, Calcutta, Gwalior Sangeet Samaro, Harballab Music Festival in Jullundar, Shankar Lal Festival, Delhi, Krishna Gana Sabah, Chennai, at the Nehru Center for performing Arts in Bombay,Qilla Mubarak Festival,Patiala,Allaudin Khan Festival,Maihar,Triveni Kala Sangam,Chandigarh to name a few.

He was selected to perform at the 24hour Music Festival of India (the Millennium Show) at the Theatre de la Cartucherai in Paris, which was co-sponsored by ICCR Delhi.He also performed at the Nehru Centre in London. in June 1999,he also performed at All Pakistan Music Confernece,Pakistan 2005.Zurich and Basile Festival,Switzerland ,1987,Sadrang Music Festival,Queen Elizabeth Hall,London,1999.

[edit] Discography

Raza Ali Khan has 6 CDs to his credit:

- Gharana Lineage (NAVRAS Records, London) - 3 Generations (Gathani Records, Calcutta) - A Tribute to Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, (Audio Rec, London) - Homage to Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan,Raagleela and Shadab released from Venus,Ustad Raza Ali Khan live in Karachi released by APMC.

Raza Ali Khan has widely travelled the USA, Europe, Middle East and Far East for concert tours and represented India as a cultural delegate at Afghanistan in 1986, Pakistan in 1984 and Bangladesh in 1998.

His voice has a 3and half octave range, a deep and sonorous voice, fast sapat taans, powerful gamak taan and complex sargam pattern and laykri (complex rhythm patterns), which won him a lot of admirers in India as well as abroad.

Ustad Raza Ali Khan is an A-Top musician of the All India Radio.

His capabilities as a singer are complemented by his work as a composer. His ghazals are well written. He has composed Ghazals for Ghulam Ali which was released from Venus,'Moods and Emotions'and for Penaz Masani which was released from Polydoor, 'Dharkan'He remained the chief music director of Venus for four years.Raza also gave music in a Telefilm named Bindia which was produced by Doordarshan and was directed by Uma Vasudeva. Some of his father's disciples having learned from him have been benefited to a considerable extent, namely Sangeeta Banerjee and Kumar Mukherjee.Raza Ali Khan has trained Nabhodeep Chakraborty who will represent his gayaki and will keep the Kasur Patiala Gharana alive.

[edit] References