Cassius Khan releases a phenomenal album, "Mushtari - a live concert"

Dec. 27, 2010 - PRLog -- Canada's Ghazal/Tabla Wizard, Cassius Khan has finally released his long awaited release, "Mushtari - a live concert" in January of 2010 in memory of his guru and mother figure, the Late Mushtari Begum ( Dec.25th 1934- Mar.14th 2004)

  The album, released in Jan. 2010 was recorded live at Gary Sill Studios in Vancouver in front of a live audience. The musicians accompanying him were Amika Kushwaha on Harmonium and Lavika Kushwaha on Taanmandal.

  Khan, who has overcome many obstacles in his life as a musician of Indian classical music, has overcome one of the greatest obstacles ever in this recording: playing the tabla and singing ghazals simultaneously in a recording atmosphere. This is the only recording in the world which features a ghazal singer playing tablas to his own voice.

  "This is by far the greatest challenge I faced in my life so far," said the 36 year old wizard,"and I am deeply indebted to my beautiful wife who skillfully played harmonium to my voice as if I have played it myself!"

Which is true. Most ghazal singers play harmonium to their own voice, as their fingers follow the patterns of their voice in their head. Amika Kushwaha, however, blended her fingers into Khan's voice as if they were one! This, according to Khan, is the greatest challenge for any harmonium player playing for another musician.

" Amika is a master Kathak dancer, and harmonium is actually her secondary instrument. However, because she is such a genius at her musicality, she has literally danced her fingers to the notes of my voice on her harmonium. She is the most talented musician I know" smiles Khan.

Khan also played a blistering tabla solo recital for his album, which is the last track of the album. His sheer prowess on the tabla was a divine experience, and at the end of every composition he played the audience's cheers were delirious with intoxication.

Gary Sill, the recording engineer, was responsible for the wonderful and seamless blending of the instrumentation on the album. "Gary is an amazing sound engineer, and he did a wonderful job on this recording. I am very happy with how everything turned out."

 Khan has gained international status and fame as the only musician in the world who has combined tabla playing and ghazal singing in his repertoire, and many senior Indian master musicians have recognized him as the creator of this new style.

  "My guru Mushtari Begum ji had always stressed to me that I must be different with my talents, and it is thanks to her that I am able to do what I do. Mind you, it took many years for me to perfect the technique, and I am still perfecting it everyday, and will be perfecting it for the rest of my life", says Khan.

Khan hopes that the album will be a success." The genre I am performing is limited to a smaller audience, but I hope that "Mushtari" will be widely received by the international audience. I am very excited, and I hope that Canada will support it fully as well as the world. I think that people would love to own an album which is unique in every way: tabla player andclassical  ghazal singer with a harmonium player playing for the ghazal singer/tabla player and a live audience..... and also, a Canadian of Indian decent born in the Fiji Islands! I guess I am quite the package!" Khan laughs.

Cassius Khan's album, "Mushtari - a live concert" is available world wide through itunes and many other sites, as well as www.indiepool.com

You can also visit Khan's website at www.cassiuskhan.com