Tuesday, December 12, 2006

The mesmerising maestro

Staff Writer - Times Now.tv - Mumbai,Maharashtra,India
Monday, October 30, 2006

Sitar Sufi maestro Ustad Shujaat Khan's new album, ‘Hazaaron Khwahishen’ has his version of some celebrated pieces by Hazrat Amir Khusrau and Mirza Ghalib. What it doesnt have is a slick music video.

Ustad Shujaat Khan is a classical musician, with numerous hardcore classical albums to his name. However, there are many who say that classical music is a dying art form considering the contemporary mad rush for film music.

On being asked about the lack of music videos by him, Shujaat Khan said that, if Sufi singers start doing PR (Public Relations) activities by making videos and selling themselves as commercial commodities, then there wouldn't be any difference between Sufi singing and the rest of the contemporary genres of music.

He said music videos and Sufi singing are two absolutely different entities which can not be mixed. When asked about the limited audience for Sufi music, Shujaat Khan voiced his satisfaction with whatever crowd he is able to pull due to his art.

He says, he is not a mass artist and is content with the 5000 odd crowd that he usually manages to attract.

No comments:

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

The mesmerising maestro
Staff Writer - Times Now.tv - Mumbai,Maharashtra,India
Monday, October 30, 2006

Sitar Sufi maestro Ustad Shujaat Khan's new album, ‘Hazaaron Khwahishen’ has his version of some celebrated pieces by Hazrat Amir Khusrau and Mirza Ghalib. What it doesnt have is a slick music video.

Ustad Shujaat Khan is a classical musician, with numerous hardcore classical albums to his name. However, there are many who say that classical music is a dying art form considering the contemporary mad rush for film music.

On being asked about the lack of music videos by him, Shujaat Khan said that, if Sufi singers start doing PR (Public Relations) activities by making videos and selling themselves as commercial commodities, then there wouldn't be any difference between Sufi singing and the rest of the contemporary genres of music.

He said music videos and Sufi singing are two absolutely different entities which can not be mixed. When asked about the limited audience for Sufi music, Shujaat Khan voiced his satisfaction with whatever crowd he is able to pull due to his art.

He says, he is not a mass artist and is content with the 5000 odd crowd that he usually manages to attract.

No comments: