He captured the romanticism of a thumri in his distinct style with ‘Mora Saaiyaan Mose Bole Na’, an evocative piece in raag Khamaj, backed by band Fuzon’s soft rock sound. He subtly inflected the classical flavour amid vigorous guitar riffs in the geet ‘Aankhon Ke Sagar’, another Fuzon hit. Then came the melodious ‘Mitwa’ (Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna), his big ticket to Bollywood, in which he displayed the expansive range of his voice, as it plunged and rose along the octaves. Through his raw, impassioned tone in ‘Raske Bhare Tore Naina’ (Satyagraha), Shafqat proved that his singing was an effortless collage of classical, Sufi and new-age notes.
“Ghar toh Patiala gharana hai,” says the Lahore-born Shafqat Amanat Ali, talking about how he is rooted in the classical, belonging to the ninth generation of a musical lineage. Son of maestro Ustad Amanat Ali Khan, Shafqat’s grandmother was his first teacher. “Swar and taal were my siblings,” he laughs. “Aunts, uncles, brothers and, of course, my father… there were enough people to groom me, but it was under my uncle Ustad Bade Fateh Ali Khan that I began to train consistently.”
The name Fateh Ali Khan instantly reminds one of Pakistani qawwali sensation Nusrat, who like India’s sitar icon Pandit Ravi Shankar took the West by storm with his exceptional collaborations, vocal agility and mystic music. Shafqat too has been pushing musical boundaries, with his appeal extending well beyond Pakistan.
Shafqat’s solo journey began when he encountered new sounds in the form of pop, blues, metal and rock. He enjoyed being in this innovative cultural space and the cosmopolitan twist that it gave to his traditional music. “In my mind, I had built a bridge to connect the two worlds while my heart spelt out the tunes. And somewhere I was amazed by my own virtuosity,” says Shafqat.
He formed Fuzon (which means fusion in Urdu) with like-minded friends, which became his creative lab. The band’s tracks were the outcome of constant stylistic reinventions. “It wasn’t like I was trying to be a rebel; breaking convention. I was only taking a fresh route to the ragas to place them in a global soundscape. After all, classical elements lend soul to a composition. Music derives its meditative quality from them,” he points out.
His album, ‘Tabeer,’ had a composition in raag Darbari while one of the tracks in ‘Kyun Dooriyan’ was inspired by a Saraiki (western Punjab) wedding song his grandmother used to sing. ‘Muh Dikhai’, the album that Shafqat released early this year has a ghazal, ‘Dil Dhadkane Ka Sabab Yaad Aaya,’ by Nasir Qazmi, originally composed by Shafqat’s father. These songs are where he lets his real feelings show. The essence of these albums lies in their driving rhythms, succinct refrains and spiralling improvisations. “It is my taleem (training), my heritage that has helped me look beyond the predictable or the routine. Before you venture to seek something unfamiliar, ensure that you have a good understanding of whatever is your own.”
Excited about his debut visit to Chennai, Shafqat says it has been long overdue. “I am looking forward to performing for people who are known to be discerning music lovers. I have heard a lot about the region’s thriving film and music industry. We are all fortunate to be part of a culture where art is intrinsic.
And what’s heartening is the growing interest of youngsters in the traditional genres and people’s acceptance of experiments with sound. The open-mindedness of both the listeners and artists has led to unbelievable exchanges,” he says.
Besides his many film assignments and studio projects, what drives Shafqat’s creativity are live shows. “Social media has shrunk the world but being face-to-face is definitely more recharging,” he says. And for an artist what can be more joyful than seeing the audience sing along, clap, break into a jig, or just insist “aaj jaane ki zid na karo.”
At a Glance
The schedule:
Venue & Time: Music Academy, 7:30 p.m.
Nov 19: Shafqat Amanat Ali
Nov 20: Kaatrinile... Remembering MS - S Sowmya, Nithyasree, Priya Sisters
Nov 21: Subramaniams in concert - L Subramaniam, Kavita Krishnamurti Subramaniam and Family
Nov 22: Three to Jive - Karthik accompanied by Shweta Mohan and Shakthisree Gopalan
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