I understand why professional-class Indians flocked to see Amjad Ali Khan on Friday. The 65-year-old sarod virtuoso is a superstar in India, revered for his expressive, vocalized playing on that lute-like instrument.
By my estimate, however, about a third of the crowd at Roussel Hall looked like they came from street bands in the French Quarter: those young, slightly grungy fiddlers and jug-band-types that blend folk, early jazz and campfire sing-alongs into a potent style — and lifestyle — of their own.
Khan’s playing explained why everyone was there: not just to study the exotic harmonies and complex rhythms of an ancient musical tradition, but to experience string music that spoke directly to the heart. Khan’s soaring improvisations on Indian melodies, evoked memories of country blues, rock guitar rave-ups, and the brainy-but-pastoral jazz of Pat Metheny.
Most of all, Khan’s string sound resembled a human voice: a point driven home when he sang a long, complex raga of his own devising, then proceeded to elaborate on the sarod. Gliding fingernails over the strings of his fretless instrument, Khan conjured ululating vocal flights, sighs and whispers, punctuating those lines with explosive rhythmic burst. In his hands, the sarod’s 25 strings produced a rich palette of overtones, further mimicking the complex tone colors and expressive range of the human voice.
Khan displayed those virtues all night, sometimes playing unaccompanied and sometimes with the deft support of two hand drummers: Abhijit Banerjee and Salar Nader. Tuning their tablas to blend with Khan’s sarod, the percussionists created a closely knit ensemble sound.
The mood changed decisively when Khan’s sons took over for the middle section of this three hour show.
Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan are the seventh generation of sarod virtuosos from this remarkable family, and they are already putting their own stamp on the instrument. Both men focussed on the explosive rhythmic possibilities of the sarod, trading densely patterned improvised runs with each other, and demanding that the two drummers answer with blazing solos of their own. Though the sons never strayed from family tradition, their roaring performance had me thinking of guitarists such as Jimmy Page and John McLaughlin, who also soared in dramatic face-offs with drummers.
So how do you top that? The Khans did it by gathering on stage together, trading ideas and trading the spotlight, as they proved, once again, that the road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom. Rock on, Khans!
Chris Waddington / nola.com
