Come watch Cassius Khan and Amika Kushwaha perform live at Queen’s Park this Sunday, July 14th, at 2:00 pm!
Canada’s most recognizable Indian Classical musician, the globally renowned Cassius Khan is a performer of combining the Classical styles of Ghazal/Thumri singing and the Tabla, the North Indian pair of drums and presents both, simultaneously. He is the senior disciples of the late Malika e Tarannum Mushtari Begum (Dec 25th 1934-March 14th 2004) and Tabla maestro Ustad Rukhsar Ali, who belongs to the Delhi Gharana of Tabla playing.
Combining Indian Classical singing with Tabla, for a single artist, is a first in Indian classical music. Many noted Indian Classical Music gurus have proclaimed that singing and playing Tabla in unison is a difficult feat to master as Tabla playing requires skill and strength, as well as an absolute concentration on the kaleidoscopic rhythm patterns of the repertoire, and singing requires absolute skill in the execution of notes and vibrations of the voice and excellent breathing control. Khan’s trademark is performing the extremely rare and difficult “Tarannum Ang Gayaki style” in which the lyrics share a different metre from the rhythm but they join at the Sum point in a certain phrase.
Outside of Indian Classical Music Khan has also lent his hands and voice to literally every genre of music spanning from Pop, Rock & Roll, Heavy Metal, Electronica and Rap to Asian, African, Aboriginal and South American Contemporary and Classical music genres, to Roots and Blues, Country and Jazz, to Indian Classical, Ballet, Flamenco and Tap Dance. This has resulted in him being hailed as “Canada’s Multifaceted Musician” by the Edmonton Journal.
Have a listen to their music!
Every summer, Arts New West hosts the Queen’s Park Summer Concert Series.
With diverse genres from jazz and R&B to classic rock, enjoy this live concert series in the city’s most beautiful park.
Can’t wait to see you on July 14th at 2:00 pm at the Queen’s Park Bandshell!
