Saaz

Saaz presents sitarist Hidayat Khan, with Enayet Hossain on tabla, in a full performance of Raga Shyam Kalyan, an evening raga of the Kalyan family.

Shyam Kalyan has a warm, dusky character, close to Yaman but with its own graceful turns. Hidayat Khan explores it in classic concert form: an alap, jor and jhala on solo sitar, building from slow meditation to rhythmic intensity, followed by gats in vilambit (slow) and drut (fast) teental, where the tabla joins in conversation.

Hidayat Khan is the son and disciple of Ustad Vilayat Khan and carries his father’s gayaki ang, the singing style of sitar. Enayet Hossain learned tabla from his father, Ustad Hamid Hossain, the founder of Aimrec. Saaz means instrument, and the album is a pure showcase of sitar and tabla. Released by Aimrec in 2011 (AIMCDIM350).