Cassius Khan

"Khan is a Tabla Tornado..." - Vancouver Folk Festival -2011

The internationally renowned Cassius Khan is a master performer and exponent of the Classical styles of Ghazal/Thumri singing and the Tabla, the North Indian pair of drums. He is the sole disciples of the late Malika e Tarranum Mushtari Begum (Dec 25th 1934-March 14th 2004) and Tabla maestro Ustad Rukhsar Ali. 

A charismatic personality both on and off stage, Khan is the only professional performing artist in the world who executes highly skilled Tabla compositions and sings traditional Classical Ghazals (Urdu poetry) and Thumris (light classical compositions in Hindi) simultaneously. His talent has stunned audiences since most Ghazalists play Harmonium. Combining Indian Classical singing with Tabla, for a single artist, is a first in Indian classical music and many noted Indian Classical Music gurus have proclaimed that singing and playing Tabla in unison is a near impossible feat to master. Khan's trademark is performing the extremely rare and difficult Tarranum Ang Gayaki style in which the lyrics share a different meter from the rhythm, but meets at the Sum point in a certain phrase. Tarranum Ang Gayaki is as difficult to sing for vocalists as it is to accompany by Tabla players because of the bending of timing, but Khan has been crowned as the inventor of singing Ghazal and playing Tabla simultaneously in this rare style and has etched his contribution into the field of Indian Classical Music.

The great maestros of the Mohan and Satvik Veenas, Grammy Award Winner Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and his son, Juno Award Nominee Pt. Salil Bhatt, conferred the title "Ustad" to Cassius Khan at the Shri Festival in Jaipur in 2012 for his outstanding ability on Ghazal singing with Tabla accompaniment.

Khan's charming persona does not stop there as he is also featured in an international TV commercial for Nanak Foods in which he plays the part of a Tabla player/vocalist, who, upon being served a Nanak Foods sweet dish by his wife Amika Kushwaha, becomes instantly inspired and plays and sings a few lines in praise of the product.

Khan has performed extensively internationally in over 20 countries, and has collaborated with the World's most critically acclaimed musicians such as Grammy Award winning  Mohan Veena master Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Satvik Veena player Pt. Salil Bhatt, Slide guitar Legend Ellen McIlwaine, and Jazz Pianist Stu Goldberg. Khan's first solo album, "Cassius Khan, Young Tabla Wizard" was released by KM Prom/HMV India in 1987. Khan is also featured on Ellen McIlwaine’s release “Mystic Bridge” (2006), on Stu Goldberg’s “Dark Clouds” (2006),Dave Martone's “A Demon’s Dream” (2004) and “The Alchemists” (2004), ROAM’s, “Baby Steps” (2008) and 20,000 Miles with Slide to Freedom ( 2011). Out of his 20 + album recordings, Khan's Ghazal/Tabla album, "Mushtari-a live concert" has also been nominated for the 2011 WCMA for World Album of the Year.

Hailed as Canada's Multifaceted Indian Classical Musician, Khan has lent his hands and voice to literally every genre of music, spanning from Pop, Rock & Roll, Electronica and Rap to Asian, African, Aboroginal and South American Contemporary and Classical music genres, to Roots and Blues, Country and Jazz, to Indian Classical, Ballet, Flamenco and Tap Dance.

Khan also has students around the world who learn Indian Classical singing and Tabla from him, and teaches when he is off the touring season. He is married to acclaimed Kathak Dancer/ Harmonium player Amika Kushwaha, and they reside and teach Music and Dance in New Westminster, BC, Canada.

It is also noteworthy to mention that Cassius Khan also founded the Mushtari Begum Festival of Indian Classical Music and Dance, which aims to showcase Classical musicians and dancers to the Canadian audiences which takes place every year in the summer months in New Westminster, BC Canada. The festival debuted on August 25th 2012, and is the dominant Indian Classical Music festival in Western Canada.