Mashkoor Ali Khan, born on February 27, 1957, is a distinguished Indian classical singer and instructor from the Kirana musical tradition. He is the grandson of Abdul Karim Khan, one of the Kirana style’s originators. His familial legacy further extends through his father, the sarangi virtuoso Shakoor Khan, who was his tutor during his formative years.
Renowned for his artistry, Mashkoor Ali Khan holds the rank of an A-grade artist affiliated with All India Radio. His eminence is also evidenced by his position as a senior teacher of the Kirana style at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy, a leading institution dedicated to the propagation of Indian Classical Music.
In the realm of musicology, Khan’s contributions are significant. Notably, he has undertaken the vital role of preserving traditional musical compositions, amassing one of the most extensive repositories of distinctive bandishes (musical compositions) globally. This trove is partially attributed to his familial ties as the grandson of Abdul Karim Khan and grandnephew of Abdul Wahid Khan, revered forebears who laid the foundations of the Kirana gharana.
Mashkoor Ali Khan’s tutelage has borne fruit in the form of accomplished disciples. Among them are his nephews Amjad Ali Khan and Arshad Ali Khan, along with notable names like Sandip Bhattacharjee and the late Shanti Sharma. Significantly, he has collaborated with American composer and pianist Michael Harrison, whom he also mentors. It’s worth mentioning that his own daughter, Shahana Ali Khan, is currently under his guidance as well.
Khan’s artistic skill has garnered commendation through a multitude of accolades. He was honored with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2015, along with several other distinctions such as the Abhinav Kala Sammelan (1993), the Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Award (1994), and the Swaranjali Award (1997), among others. Noteworthy among his accolades are the Ustad Niaz Ahmed Khan and Faiyyaz Ahmed Khan Memorial Award (2004) and the Gandharva Award from the Hindusthan Art & Music Society (2012). His standing within the cultural sphere of Kolkata is underscored by titles like Bandish Nawaz (1998) and Sangeet Ratna (2002), bestowed upon him by the Salt Lake Cultural Association.
On April 7, 2017, Mashkoor Ali Khan released the album Transcendence on Nimbus Alliance. The recording brought Mashkoor Ali Khan with the dazzling tabla maestro Anindo Chatterjee. First of a two-part release, the album featured five compositions extracted from Khan’s rich and unmatched collection of traditional ragas and bandishes. The tracks include a diverse set of ragas conjuring a spectrum of sentiments, spanning from a brief and vibrant taranaa in Bhupali to a profound and heartfelt rendering of Jhinjhoti.
Musicians on Transcendence: Mashkoor Ali Khan on vocals; Anindo Chatterjee on tabla; Kedar Naphade on harmonium; and Michael Harrison & Shampa Bhattacharya on tanpura.
The second volume, Transcendence Darbari came out on July 7th, 2017also on the Nimbus Alliance label. Raga Darbari is typically performed deep into the night. The raga Darbari exhibits both solemnity and an intense, profound yearning and devotion. It pushes the boundaries of even the most accomplished vocalists, placing it atop the musical repertoire. The intricate sentiments of Darbari find impeccable expression in this performance by Mashkoor Ali Khan. The rendition commences with a leisurely vilambit portrayal and gracefully progresses into a swifter drut composition. The lineup was the same as on the first volume, Transcendence.
Discography:
Raga Lalit / Miyan Ki Todi, with Samir Chatterjee, Jyoti Goho (India Archive Music, 2003)
Garland of Ragas, with Enayet Hossain And Humayun Ferzad (Aimrec, 2010)
Transcendence (Nimbus Alliance, 2017)
Transcendence – Raga Darbari (Nimbus Alliance, 2017)
Author: Douglas Sanders
