by Maria DeBlassie
Daily Lobo
The music of Ustad Rashid Khan enhances blissful awareness.
That's what Sachin Patkar, director of A Summer Night Dream, said.
The event, held at the National Hispanic Cultural Center on July 13, will feature classical Indian vocal music by Kahn and food from Bombay Grill.
"The concert is bringing a taste of India to Albuquerque," he said.
Indian classical vocal music has been around for thousands of years and is the most challenging type of music to learn, Patkar said. It comes from a tradition in which the master passes on the singing knowledge orally to the student, he said.
"Vocal Indian music is not heard in this part of the country," he said. "It is very unique and takes the audience on a spiritual journey."
Subhendu Banerjee, Kahn's manager, said what makes this music different from Western classical music is its lack of restrictions.
"Once the music is on the page in Western music, it has to be followed exactly as written," he said. "But with Indian music, it is pure creation from the mastery of knowing how to play with the notes."
He said Kahn has the title of Ustad, or master, because he is considered to be one of the finest singers of India today.
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He said the vocalist represents the future of a style of music that is difficult to pass on to new generations of musicians.
Originally from Bombay, India, Patkar has lived in the United States for five years. He said there are many similarities between Indian and New Mexican culture, including spicy food, strong familial respect and deeply rooted traditions. He also said Western and Eastern culture help balance each other.
"India has a rich traditional history and culture that is very colorful," he said. "But in the U.S. people are more open to different cultures and ideas. That's something that sometimes is not there in Indian culture."
Banerjee, having lived in America for 30 years, said that while many people here have been brought up in various cultures and traditions, there is little difference between individual human beings.
"Look at how the Indian culture is flourishing here," he said. "America is a great country to allow that to happen."
The vocal music, he said, is based on the seasons, the time of day and the vocalist's mood, making the music a meditative journey. Brahma, the creator-god of humanity in Hindu religion, is associated with Indian classical music, emphasizing its spiritual quality.
Banerjee said what makes Kahn so unique is that he has not only the skill and technique of the music, but also passion.
"His music is immediately caught in the ears of listeners," he said. "He infuses emotional content into his melodic elaborations."
Banerjee said CDs will be available for purchase for those who become enchanted by the music. Dinner will include flavored rice, two main dishes, rice or mango pudding and lassis, an Indian yogurt beverage.
