Image 04 - Ustad Faiyaz Khan in a concert 1 Most of what we have of Ustad Faiyaz Khan’s renditions of Raaga  Ramkali comes to us in fragments. The recording quality of most tracks remains poor or, at best, average, and most versions are incomplete. And despite these limitations, what has survived offers a goldmine of musical insight. These tracks allow us to witness different facets of Khan sahab’s genius , each  rendition of Ramkali standing out for a different reason. Here,

Image 03 - Ustad Faiyaz Khan True musicianship is not only about command over the form, but about the ability to transform the very space one sings into. Ustad Faiyaz Khan was a "master of maahol " - a term Pt. Kumar Prasad Mukherjee uses while speaking about his music. 1 This quality perhaps comes through most strikingly in his Darbari. There are multiple  recordings of Khan sahab’s Darbari available today. In fact, some of the longest surviving recordings of his are in this

Image 02 - Ustad Fayaz Khan Raaga Bhoopali  Among the many recordings of Ustad Faiyaz Khan that I have heard, Raaga Bhoopali has come to occupy a special place for me. Perhaps because this recording makes it especially clear how much meaning and depth he could create with very little .  There have been several musicians known for their command over specific aspects - voice quality, breath control, rich content, alaap, laykaari, taankaari, or bhaav amongst several others. A f

Image 01 - Ustad Faiyaz Khan So much has been written and said about Khan sahab’s gayaki , and yet it never feels enough, the music itself continues to fascinate and draw one back.  Each new attempt to engage with his art feels as absorbing as the last.  It leaves one with a sense of awe that never quite settles,  reminding one of how much there is to learn from these recordings. (For a background on Ustad Faiyaz Khan's life and musical lineage , see following profiles: ‘...