Cassius Khan

 

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Cassius Khan (born June 7, 1974) is the only known Indian Classical musician in the world who plays tabla and sings ghazals at the same time. This is extremely difficult and is thus a rare feat in Indian Classical music.

Born in Lautoka, Fiji Islands to Muslim parents, his family moved to Canada in 1974 and moved back to Fiji Islands in 1983, when he was only nine years old, and returned in 1987. He met his teachers in Vancouver, BC, Canada, emminent Ghazal singer Mushtari Begum ( 1934-2004) Harmonium/Qawaali singer Sheikh Mohyudean (1920- ) and Tabla Ustad Rukhsar Ali (1945-) and started learning Ghazal singing, Harmonium playing, and Tabla playing. He was a vey intelligent child and learned very quickly.

At a young age he was introduced to great legends of Indian Classical music such as Ustad Mehdi Hassan, Ustad Ghulam Ali, Ustad Tafo Khan, Munni Begum, Farida Khannum, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Ustad Abdul Sattar Tari Khan and other maestros who helped him realize his potential.

At the young age of 14 Khan already recorded his first album "A live Tabla Solo" and sold an undisclosed amount of copies. His manager at the time took all the rights to the album and Khan did not earn a penny. Bad promoters plagued his career as a musician in his early stages. Most managers took advantage of the "Young Tabla Wizard"( Roots Magazine) and stole money from his concert earnings, others ripped him off on the contracts and soon, Khan had to start over with a clean slate. Money was always tight, as thousands of dollars were taken right under his nose with these bad promoters.

Another problem was the majority of the Indian/ Pakistani audiences, who were more interested in Bollywood music. To survive as a classically trained artist in Canada was very hard. Khan refers to those days as "painful" and "financially difficult." After many trials and tribulations, he decided to get out of low paying mehfil performances and find a better, more appreciative audience.

After completing his BA from college, Khan decided not to take a career in Law and focused only on improving his tabla playing and singing. His practice consisted of eight to ten hours of vigorous riyaaz, or practice, and meditation. For a few years, Khan stayed with his teachers and improved his knowledge and skill in music.

Playing tabla requires immense skill, strength and concentration. Most players focus their concentration only on playing tabla. There is a great play in mathematics and physics in this ancient instrument. Ghazal singing is an art that not only requires immense skill and strength, the lyricism is the main aspect of Ghazal. One has to know how to emulate the moods of the couplets, and how to use the proper notes to create the atmosphere. To combine the two together would be impossible for all, but Khan can do both of them with style. If a person has their eyes closed, they would never be able to tell that it is only one person playing tabla and singing ghazals. This talent of his won him international fame.

Khan's other greatest attribute was that he could sing the "Tarrannum" or recitational style of Ghazal singing while playing the tabla which is a phenomenon in itself.

In 2001, Khan composed the "Asia" Music for the World Track and Field Championships under the guidance of composer Jan Randall. The piece he composed gained him international fame and finally the doors that were closed for him in the beginning of his quest started opening.

He was the only Indian artist to be invited at the prestigious Albertascene Festival in Ottawa in 2005, in which he presented a Ghazal concert at the National Arts Centre. His concert was received with rave reviews, and was later on awarded the "Salute to Excellence" award by the City of Edmonton for being an artist that has brought prestige and honour to the city.

After many collaborative concerts in the folk festival scene, in 2006, Cassius Khan was invited by the Salmon Arm Folk Festival to present his first Ghazal performance as a tabla player/vocalist in a folk music festival.

Khan's first album in world music was with the Late D"arcy Greaves called "Angel of Sevilla." ( 1999) and then recorded with artists such as Pavlo ("I Feel Love Again"-2002), "Mani Licks" with Dan Mani (2002), "A Demon's Dream" with Dave Martone (2002), and "The Alchemists" with Dave Martone (2002).

More recently, he has released an album " Dark Clouds" (2006) with famed Jazz Pianist Stu Goldberg[1] ( Mahavisnu Orchestra) and "Mystic Bridge" with famed Slide Guitarist Ellen Mcilwaine. Khan recalls fondly in his live concerts on how he used to listen to McIlwaine's record, "We the People" when he was in his teens, and thought " if only this song had tablas..."

Khan has also accompanied the famed Mohan Veena exponent, Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, who won a Grammy Award in 1995 for his album "A Meeting By The River" with Ry Cooder, has collaborated with one of the few living Rubab players of Afghanistan, Ustad Majid Qiyam,has also accompanied Sarode exponent, Ustad Aashish Khan Debsharma, and more recently worked on an album project with" Ace is Bass" vocalist "Chin".

Cassius Khan is married to Kathak dancer Amika Kushwaha in 2006, who is also a brilliant Harmonium player who accompanies Khan in his Ghazal/Tabla solo concerts.

Khan is currently signed by the Yarlowe Artist Group and enjoys an international career in music.

Website

• http://cassiuskhan.impendo.com

Discography

Cassius Khan-Young Tabla Wizard- tabla solo 1987

Angel of Sevilla- D'Arcy Greaves 1991

I Feel Love Again- Pavlo 2002

Mani Licks - Dan Mani 2002

A Demon's Dream- Dave Martone 2002

The Alchemists- Various 2002

Dark Clouds - Stu Goldberg and Cassius Khan with Jennifer Lauren 2006

Mystic Bridge- Ellen McIlwaine with Cassius Khan 2007

What the critics say about Cassius Khan

" His personality and aura is breathtaking when he comes to the stage, when he sings, it is divine, when he plays, there is thunder, a real phenomeonon...This is Cassius Khan..." -Apna Roots, Vancouver

"Khan is a truly complete musician, a tabla wizard, or as a festival reviewer put it, a "Tabla Tornado.." - www.ejazznews.net

"...Cassius Khan is one of the best multi talented musicians in the world,a class of his own, with a unique and incredible tabla and singing style.He's the only one on the entire planet who can play tablas and sing at the same time!... -M.Revoir, music critic www.ejazznews.net

.."Cassius Khan is an uncanny musician with incredible mastery of the tabla and his voice...a real phenomena of Indian Classical music.." -Dr.P Kalia, Asian Times

"If Cassius Khan is any example, the next generation of Canada's world music artists will be well prepared to explore truly multi-faceted careers." -Roger Levesque, Edmonton Journal

"An incredible tabla wizard, vocal sensation..his hands dance on the tabla with awesome power..what a powerful stage presence!" -Micheal the Lion, Planet A A J

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