Josh David Tabla

Abdul Sattar Khan, who is widely known as Ustad Tari Khan, is a Pakistani tabla player and vocalist. He belongs to the Punjab gharana of tabla playing.

Early life and education

Tari Khan was born in Lahore, Pakistan. He comes from a traditional Rababi family of Muslim musicians who were employed in the royal Darbar Sahib at the chief Sikh temple in Amritsar. His father worked as a classical vocalist. At the age of 6, Tari became captivated by the tabla playing of Ustad Miyan Shaukat Hussain Khan. For the next 8 years, he listened to the tabla performances of Ustad Mian Shaukat Hussain Khan at various events. He formally became a student of Ustad Miyan Shaukat Hussain Khan at age 14 to begin his journey into the instrument. Three years after starting his formal training, he performed for over 2 hours at the death anniversary of the tabla master Miyan Qadir Baksh.

Career

Ustad Tari became famous as the accompanist for the ghazal singer Mehdi Hassan and Ghulam Ali. He is recognized for providing crisp thekas and quick laggis to punctuate musical verses. This international exposure allowed musicians in India to hear his work during a period when little cultural news escaped from Pakistan. Recently, he has transitioned into a tabla showman. He has accompanied various classical artists including Pandit Jasraj and Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. His list of collaborators also includes Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Roshan Ara Begum, and Ustad Bade Fateh Ali Khan.

He has performed alongside many other notable figures such as Ustad Salamat Ali Khan and Ustad Ghulam Hassan Shaggan. His extensive history of accompaniment includes Ustad Shafqat Ali Khan, Ustad Rais Khan, and Ustad Sharif Khan Poonchwaley. He has also worked with sitar players like Ustad Vilayat Khan and Pandit Ramesh Mishra. Among renowned singers, he has accompanied Jagjit Singh, Talat Aziz, Hariharan, and Shankar Mahadevan. Hans Raj Hans, a Punjabi Sufi music singer, reported that his fingers produce an amazing resonance on the tabla.

Some of his famous compositions include "The Train," which mimics the sounds of a locomotive. He also performs "International Keherwa," a piece featuring different world styles within an 8 beat cycle. Tari Khan performed at the 130th and 132nd Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan, which is the oldest ongoing Hindustani classical music festival. During the 130th festival, he played a Teentaal solo and provided a vocal performance. The Tribune India noted that his performance at the 132nd festival was the limelight of the evening.

In 2019, he appeared as a headlining performer at the Festival of Tabla organized by the Ravi & Shashi Bellare Arts Foundation. He presented a Teentaal solo accompanied on the santoor by Kamaljeet Ahluwalia. Following his performance, Pandit Anindo Chatterjee shared his thoughts regarding the artist. Chatterjee described his dedication to the tabla as fantastic and musical. The singer also noted that Tari Khan utilized intricate tihai and rhythmic patterns.

Beyond the tabla, Ustad Tari has developed a vocal singing career. He is a disciple of Ustad Mehdi Hassan and learned the art of singing from him. His discography includes "Meri Pasand, Vol 1" in 1983 and "Blue Moods: Ghazal and Hindi Collection" in 2000. He also released "Samvad (Conversation) with Ustad Tari Khan" in 2005 and "Sangam" in 2006. His 2008 release was titled "An Unforgettable Evening with Ustad Tari Khan."

Personal life

Tari Khan lives in California, United States. He moved to California 16 years ago to expand his horizons. He founded an academy for tabla studies there and trains his disciples in the region. He also tours universities and conservatories throughout America and Europe. While teaching, he absorbs creative influences from jazz, African, and rock music. He maintains a number of followers and students across the globe.

Awards and recognition

Tari Khan has received several prestigious honors throughout his career. He was awarded the Taj Poshi (Golden Crown) Award. In 2008, the President of Pakistan presented him with the Pride of Performance Award. He also received the Amir Khusrau Award.