**** (4 Stars) "No frills needed, just great playing from an Indian master" - Simon Broughton, Songlines
A packed Janskerk listens to the mesmerising Lakha Khan during Le Guess Who." The sindhi sarangi - a complex bowed string instrument from Rajasthan India sometimes sounds like a mesmerizing bagpipe, other times surprisingly melodic. It's a beautiful experience in the stately church, while spirits and gods from Hindu and Sufi traditions are honored through music. - NRC (NL)
"In the master's hand, the Sufi-influenced melody he coaxes from it (the sarangi) is transformative" - Michael Sullivan on National Public Radio (NPR) Weekend Edition.
His songbook contains the roots of India's national popular music" - Aaron Cohen, Chicago Tribune
In 2021 Ustad Lakha Khan was bestowed with the Padma Shri (or Padma Shree) - India's fourth highest civilian award for the arts. He is a living legend, and perhaps the greatest sindhi sarangi maestro, and a keeper of India's songbook, a voice of unity and secularism.
Born in the village of Raneri in Jodhpur district, Rajasthan, India into a family of traditional musicians from the Manganiyar community, he was trained at an early age in rendering the compositions of the Multan school of Manganiyars. His first public performances were in the late 60's and 70's in India, and toured Europe, UK, Russia and Japan through the early 90's. He resumed international touring in 2013 and has since toured the US and Europe several times. Today, Lakha Khan is one of the last remaining Manganiyars to have mastered this complex instrument and to carry forward the centuries-old musical tradition of Rajasthani and Multani folk and Sufi music.
His music is truly secular and straddles both the classical and folk domains, with a vast songbook that incorporates Meera bhajans, Sufi kalaams, popular Hindi tunes, and the ancient stories and oral histories of the region, spanning the western Indian sub-continent. He sings in over six languages including Hindi, Marwari, Sindhi, Punjabi and Multani. Bestowed with a powerful and melodious voice that perfectly compliments his instrument, Lakha Khan's music transcends boundaries and invokes a spiritual oneness in the listener. He is accompanied by his son Dane Khan on the dholak - the double headed Indian folk drum.
Touring group: 2 artists + 1 presenter/manager
Recent concerts include The Aga Khan Museum (Canada), Kabir Centre (Canada), Glatt & Verkehrt Festival (Austria), Resonator (Denmark), Roskilde Festival (Denmark), WOMEX Showcase (Tampere, Finland 2019), Le Guess Who? (NL), Bozar (Belgium), Amare (NL), RIFF (Jodhpur, India).
LAKHA KHAN (Rajasthan, India)
More Lakha Khan videos at the Aural Grooves YouTube Channel here
MUSIC
Lakha Khan has released four albums with the Amarrass Records - At Home (2013), Live in Nashville (2014), Live at Global (2017) and Live in Malmo (2020). All albums were produced, recorded and engineered by Ankur Malhotra. Lakha Khan albums can be accessed/purchased at the Aural Grooves Bandcamp page.