Raza Ali Khan

Ustad Raza Ali Khan born on 8th August, 1962, is a Hindustani classical vocalist of the Kasur Patiala Gharana and the current Khalifa of the Gharana.

He is the grandson of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and the son of Munawar Ali Khan. He is also an accomplished music director and composer. He received his early training from his Grandfather, the legendary Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and after that, extensively from his own father the illustrious Ustad Munawar Ali Khan. Raza's gayaki contains the magic of both his Ustads. His intricate taankari, hypnotising behlawas and electrifying sargams put his performances a notch above the current generation of Indian Classical Artists. True to the motto of his Gharana he believes in the purity of mousiqi (Music), perhaps that is the reason why his PR has suffered a bit and he hasn't yet attained the recognition that is due to him in his own right.

Ustad Raza Ali Khan gave his first solo performance at the Youth Festival in 1977 at the Eden Garden Stadium at Calcutta. From then onwards there was no looking back for him.

Ustad Raza Ali Khan has performed in all major music festivals in India. He has performed in the national program for Indian music at Doordashan TV and in the prestigious radio Sangeet Samelan, Dover Lane Music Conference, Calcutta, Gwalior Sangeet Samaro, Harballab Music Festival in Jullundar, Shankar Lal Festival, Delhi, Krishna Gana Sabah, Chennai, at the Nehru Center for performing Arts in Bombay, to name a few.

Ustad Raza Ali Khan was selected to perform at the 24hour Music Festival of India (the Millennium Show) at the Theatre de la Cartucherai in Paris, which was co-sponsored by ICCR Delhi.He also performed at the Nehru Centre in London. in June 1999.

Ustad Raza Ali Khan has 4 CDs to his credit:

- Gharana Lineage (NAVRAS Records, London) - 3 Generations (Gathani Records, Calcutta) - A Tribute to Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, (Audio Rec, London) - Homage to Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan

Ustad Raza Ali Khan has travelled the US, Europe, Middle East and Far East in concert tours and represented India as a cultural delegate to Afghanistan in 1986 and Pakistan in 1984.

His voice has a 3 octave range, a deep and sonorous voice, fast sapat taans, powerful gamak taan and complex sargam pattern and laykri (complex rhythm patterns), which won him a lot of admirers in India as well as abroad.

Ustad Raza Ali Khan is an A-grade musician of the All India Radio.

His capabilities as a singer are complemented by his work as a composer. His ghazals are well written. Some of his father's disciples having learned from him have been benefited to a considerable extent, namely Sangeeta Banerjee and Kumar Mukherjee.