Sukhawat Ali Khan (born 1960), son of Indian-PakistanivocalistUstad Salamat Ali Khan and nephew of Nazakat Ali Khan,[1] is a classical singer of Sham Chaurasia gharana tradition,[2] as well as a performer of North Indian and Pakistani classical music and related folk music.[3] He began singing and playing the harmonium at age seven[3] and has performed around the world.[2] He currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area[4] where he performs in the world-fusion ensemble Shabaz (formerly the Ali Khan Band) with his sister Riffat Salamat and her husband Richard Michos.[1]
About his heritage and music, Sukhawat Ali Khan has said:
Each song I do has classical thought behind it and I know how to sing it properly, but my style comes from my life, too. I spent time in New York. I go to clubs. I like the hip hop beat, Latin music, rave. ... There's a performing energy there that I also feel. It's the same kind of energy a good Qawwali singer has, and we can really express it freely in America.
[4]
Sukhawat Ali currently leads two music ensembles in the San Francisco Bay Area: A Ghazal/Qawwali/Folk collective and a Sufi world fusion band. He is also actively involved in teaching Hindustani Classical music.