MUMBAI: Pancham Nishad presents a musical tribute to tabla virtuoso Shafaat Ahmed Khan by Young prodigy Keshava (Tabla Solo) and Kaushiki Chakraborty (Vocal) at Swatantrya Veer Savarkar Sabhagruha, 252, Veer Savarkarmarg, Shivaji Park, Dadar on Tuesday, 24 July from 7.30 pm onwards. Entry to the concert is free.

The first session of the concert will commence with a solo performance on Tabla by 15 year old gifted young musician Keshava accompanied by Sudhanshu Gharpure on (Harmonium) . The concert will conclude with the vocal performance by renowned vocalist Kaushiki Chakraborty accompanied by Ojas Adhiya on (Tabla) and Ajay Joglekar on (Harmonium).

ShafaatBhai, with his incredible ability as a performer had swayed the music & rhythm lovers spread across the globe with his nimble fingers moving on the tabla creating rhythmic yet melodious sound resonance which was nothing short of magic. He was one amongst those few who could bring out the beautiful melodic nuances in the rhythms of the tabla. It seems only apt that the memory of this amazing musician and personality remains alive eternally.

Shashi Vyas, Director, Pancham Nishad Creatives says, “It was in 1981 that I heard Shafat bhai for the first time. He had been called to accompany the living legend Padma Vibhushan Birju Maharaj- world renowned Kathak dancer in the world. When the two of them commenced their performance, the two hours thereafter was sheer magic. The entire performance replete with extraordinary dance steps & movements were matched equally by extraordinary rhythmic beats played on tabla by Shafaat bhai creating a thrilling resonance seldom heard. I was completely mesmerized and spell bound during the amazing concert. The concert still is an unforgettable experience for me. This tribute is a small attempt on our part to honour the man and the musician for his exceptional contribution to the world of Indian music.”

The first session of the evening is a solo performance on the Tabla by young prodigy Keshava. Talent, virtuosity, and youthful dynamism blend in perfect harmony with this 15 year old, who is without doubt well on his way to becoming one of the most prominent musicians of his generation. Born to artist Gopika Dahanukar, he is also the grandson of the late veteran artist and arts patron Prafulla Dahanukar. Keshava has an innate sense of rhythm that has been honed over the years by many gurus. He first trained under Pandit Arup Chattopadhyay, and then under Pandit Shankar Ghosh until his passing in 2016. He then went on to learn from Amit Kavthekar, a student of Ustad Allah Rakha and Ustad Zakir Hussain, attended several master classes with Ustad Zakir Hussain in USA, and is currently learning from Ray Spiegel. When possible, he also learns with Taufiq Quershi in Mumbai.

Keshava was spotted by Bharat Bala at an event when conceiving ‘Rhythms of India’, the opening act of the New Delhi Commonwealth Games held in 2010. Audiences from around the world shared a moment of great joy seeing the beaming smile, flair and talent of the then a seven year old Keshava performing centre stage surrounded by more than a thousand percussionists from various states of India. Keshava is indeed an immense joy to watch!

The concert will be concluded by “The leading female classical vocalist of her generation Kaushiki Chakraborty. She has established herself as the most eminent female vocalist of Hindustani music. She touches the soul of her listeners by the purity of her voice, a melodious expression and the deep essence of her music. Nurtured by respected Pandit Gnan Prakash Ghosh, and her parents, Chandana and Ajoy Chakrabarti, the renowned singer of the Patiala gharana style. She masters the technical brilliance of the khayal, thumri, dadra, kajri, chaiti, bhajan with a complete immersion and devotionin the music. Kaushiki’s ecstatic recitals have been acclaimed across India and abroad gaining her an international reputation. She was honoured in 2005 with the distinguished BBC Radio 3 world music award for her album Pure by Sense World Music.

The event promises to be the one worth remembering as two artistes will showcase their immense talent commemorating the maestro Ustad Shafaat Ahmed Khan.