Sarod Master Amjad Ali Khan, Amaan Ali Bangash & Ayaan Ali Bangash at Metropolitan Museum, New York

Sarod Master Amjad Ali Khan, Amaan Ali Bangash & Ayaan Ali Bangash at Metropolitan Museum, New York October 2011
A Raga Supernova Lights Up New York
By Aarti Virani
Maestro Amjad Ali Khan seemed to embody the definition of a raga, a term derived from the Sanskrit word for color and passion, as he took center stage at New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art earlier this week. Dressed in red velvet, he cradled his sarod, eyes half-closed, before launching into a mesmerizing rendition of the classic Hindu hymn, "Vaishanva Janato," which culminated in a crescendo of applause.
"When I'm able to connect with my listeners, my music is able to give them peace, harmony and tranquility," he told India Real Time in a recent interview. "That's the greatest award," added the 66-year-old legend and recipient of multiple honors including the Gandhi UNESCO Medal and India's prestigious Padma Vibhushan.
Mr. Khan's solo was followed by a duet performance by his two sons, Amaan, 34 and Ayaan, 32, and ended with a family sarod trio that featured what ardent fans have described as a "raga supernova"-exuberant bursts of carefully coordinated chords, interspersed with moments of spirited improvisation. "You generally don't perform after your guru, especially if your guru is Amjad Ali Khan," said Amaan Ali Khan, hinting at his father's liberal take on musical conventions.
As a sixth generation sarod master, Amjad Ali Khan was raised in the fort city of Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, and studied under his father, Haafiz Ali Khan. His guru was against outside influences-like film music-entering the Khan household. "We had no radio for awhile," Mr. Khan recalled with a smile.
More In Music "But my father was finally persuaded under the pretext of listening to the news. We listened to music, of course," he added. He described a particularly memorable meeting with Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first prime minister, who asked Haafiz Ali Khan whether he was revealing all his musical secrets to his son, Amjad. "My father assured him that he shared everything," Mr. Khan said.
It's this honesty and openness he extends to his own sons, who picked up the sarod when they were mere toddlers. "My father gifted me a baby sarod when I was just two years old," said Amaan Ali Khan. "At that point it was more about strumming and noise and looking cute." As a guru and father, the maestro ensured his sons were on a constant quest for improvement. "When I was much younger, after a concert, I'd ask him how I did," explained Ayaan Ali Khan. "And he would say, 'listen to the recording, you know what you have to do.' So the ball was always in our court."
Wednesday's concert, presented by Incredible India, comes as the trio is set to release a new album "Everything is Everywhere" with Carrie Newcomer, an Indiana-based singer-songwriter. Though the senior Mr. Khan has previously expressed his reservations towards fusion, likening such collaborations to "momentary flirtations," his young sons believe experimental performances propel them to find their own, distinct voices. "We enjoy it because it has no boundaries," Amaan Ali Khan said. "The idea is to decorate a beautiful bouquet rather than trying to bloom as a single flower," added Ayaan Ali Khan, who is regularly inspired by a wide panorama of unlikely influences, citing Lady Gaga as a recent example.
For their father, however, there are only two types of music: pure instrumental sound and pure human voice. After breaking into an impromptu alaap, the vocalized improvisation of a raga, to demonstrate, Amjad Ali Khan paused. "Indian saints and sages often mention that sound connects you to god," he reflected. "But it's a long journey from sound to music."
Aarti Virani is a New York- based arts, culture and entertainment writer. You can follow her on Twitter @aartivirani.

[@sarojghosh4474]

Wah wah ..... ..soooo.. melodious sarod.pranam ustad ji.🙏

[@jayantibhattacharyya8992]

outstanding composition of ustad ji

[@saumenmitra6304]

outstanding

[@kikibaba2970]

Hello from USA:
Please do one program with Anoushka Shankar and with your sons together.
We will hear your and Panditj's innovations.
Please consider!!!!!

[@talkorsing1114]

First comment. Hmm...If you don't like this I will be surprised.