Biography
Sukhawat Ali Khan, an Indian classical vocalist pronounced sue-ka-vat, descends from Ustad Salamat Ali Khan as his son and from Nazakat Ali Khan as his nephew; together those two relatives achieved worldwide renown under the name “Ali Brothers.” Drawn to melody in childhood, the singer began harmonium lessons at age seven. By ten he was already broadcasting alongside brother Shafqat Ali Khan on a Lahore radio outlet, an early platform that soon expanded into international stages. In time he made the San Francisco Bay Area his home and offered instruction in Indian classical traditions there.
Forming the Ali Khan Band in 1998 with sister Riffat Salamat and her spouse Richard Michos, he issued the albums Taswir and Zindagi before the group adopted the name Shabaz to distinguish itself from other performers sharing the surname, notably relative Nusrat Fatah Ali Khan. Under the new moniker the ensemble delivered the album Shabaz. On July 24, 2007, Megawave Records, through a licensing arrangement with Jah Nur Music, introduced Sukhawat Ali Khan’s first solo project, Shukriya, throughout the United States.
Forming the Ali Khan Band in 1998 with sister Riffat Salamat and her spouse Richard Michos, he issued the albums Taswir and Zindagi before the group adopted the name Shabaz to distinguish itself from other performers sharing the surname, notably relative Nusrat Fatah Ali Khan. Under the new moniker the ensemble delivered the album Shabaz. On July 24, 2007, Megawave Records, through a licensing arrangement with Jah Nur Music, introduced Sukhawat Ali Khan’s first solo project, Shukriya, throughout the United States.