“I am blessed to be a musician”.....Amaan Ali Bangash

Jyothi Venkatesh

In a telephonic talk , orhestrated by PR person Vaibhav Joshi, Amaan Ali Bangash son of the veteran Sarod player Amjad Ali Khan and brother of Ayaan Ali Bangash ,humbly tells that every musician is playing his own instrument to create a new space.

You are trying fusion for the first time. How did you decide to do fusion after being in the industry for so many years? What were your expectations from this genre?

I would not say that we are trying fusion for the first time. I’d say that basically I am doing experimental music. After a long time, I am doing experimental show in public since most of the experimental music that I have done is for corporate companies

How was your experience of collaborating with Gino, Ojas, Navin and Sangeet?

I have been doing fusion music since the time I was only 18 and have always performed with a lot of drums. I am quite excited since we do more of acoustics though back in the day I have performed with Ojasbhai, Gino etc. I have also worked with fantastic Western musicians. Jino is one of the finest drummers in the world today. Ojasbhai is a great tabla player and also a maestro in the making. Navinbhai and Sangeet are also very good

Do you think fusion is a good way to keep new audiences still engrossed and tuned in to classical music?

Fusion is a different genre. I do not think you need to give different presentations to make Indian classical music sustain itself. Definitely this is a different genre, because let’s face facts, on sarod, I just cannot play sitar pattern or guitar. Gino cannot play Mridangam and Ojas cannot play Dholak. Everyone is playing his own instrument in order to create a new space.

How do you think fusion as a genre has changed over the years? Do you think it is necessary to keep it relevant?

All forms of music go though evolution of different kinds from what it was to what it is ultimately going to be. Music is essentially growing every day and a lot of musicians contribute to the growth of music.

What do you think of the current status of classical music in India?

100 % the classical music in India is growing day by day.. It is getting its due and everyone is being paid well and lives well and there are more social media visits for everyone. The presentation has to be worked out. I am not a purist any more. I cannot change how to play different ragas or else I will be a thief of my craft. You should play 7 different ragas.

What are you currently working on?

I have come back to our country after a tour of one month is US. I have finished an album which is going to release in September. It is in electronic space with Karish Carle.

A lot of youth is said to be interested in listening to classical music but there is no one who can be called the next big thing. Why do you think that is the case?

I do not know. For that you should do a poll to know who the next big thing is. The one person who sells the maximum number of tickets and is loved by the audience only can be the next big thing. It can even be my contemporary musicians like Ustad Rashid Khan

Finally, do you listen to contemporary music and would you ever try your hand at it?

You should listen to all sorts of music.  I like to play tabla and a little bit of piano too. I listen to a lot of music. It makes me more humble and hungry and more aware of who I am. I want to be a multi dimensional musician today as music has grown a lot. I am blessed to be a musician.

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Tags: Bollywood, Bollywood News, Bollywood Updates, Television, Telly News, Amaan Ali Bangash, Amjad Ali Khan, Ayaan Ali Bangash, veteran Sarod player