Shaukat Hussain

Ustad | Miyan Shaukat Hussain Khan
Performing atAlhamra Arts Council,Lahore,Pakistan
Born	Shaukat Hussain Khan 1930 Phagwara,Jalandhar,Punjab,British India
Died	25 January 1996 at age 66
Occupation	Tablamaestro
Years active	1945 - 1992
Awards	Pride of Performanceby thePresident of Pakistan(1985)

Shaukat HussainKhan(1930 – 25 January 1996), commonly referred to asMiyan Shaukat Hussain,was a Pakistanitablaplayer who belonged to thePunjab gharanaof tabla-playing music artists.

Early life

He was born to a family of professional musicians. His father, Mian Maula Bakhsh, was a professional singer. But young Shaukat was drawn to percussion instruments from an early age. He began his career fromAll India Radio,Delhiin 1945. At this radio station, he was very much influenced by the then tabla maestrosAhmed Jan Thirakwa's andAlla Rakha's performances. His family migrated to Pakistan after its independence in 1947. In Pakistan, he was employed byRadio Pakistan,Lahoreas a staff artist for 43 years.

Career

He was a disciple or student of renowned tabla maestroMian Qadir Baksh,founder of thePunjab gharanaof tabla players who also was the teacher of many tabla players that later gained international recognition.Mian Qadir Baksh was known throughout the world for his skill and mastery of tabla.After learning the art of tabla playing from Mian Qadir Baksh, Mian Shaukat Hussain soon started gaining recognition in the music circles in Pakistan and was the music group accompanist of choice for Pakistan's great classical music vocalists and instrumentalists includingSalamat Ali Khan,Amanat Ali Khan-Bade Fateh Ali Khan(classical-music-singing-duo),Roshan Ara Begum,Mehdi Hassan,Ghulam Aliand many others during the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. It requires intellect and sensitivity from the tabla player to figure out what the classical music vocalists expect from the accompanying tabla player as the singers go about their singing. He has to have the ability to read the minds of the singers.When these artists performed onPakistan Televisionshows, they frequently selected Mian Shaukat Hussain as tabla player to accompany them on stage. Also riding on a wave of success, Mian Shaukat Hussain touredEurope,Africa,IndiaandBangladeshwith these artists.Another contemporary famous tabla player in Pakistan isTari Khan,who is now known as thePrince of Tabla of Pakistan,was also a disciple of Mian Shaukat Hussain, "who is said to be a 'ditto copy' of the great ustad" – according to a major newspaper of Pakistan,The Friday Times.

The same newspaper also states, "In the early 1990s, UstadZakir Hussain (musician),India's famous young tabla player, paid a visit to Pakistan and was performing atLahore's Pearl Continental Hotel. When Ustad Shaukat Hussain walked in, Zakir stopped playing, came down from the stage, stooped before Shaukat and presented him with 'nazrana', declaring that while his own father, the great UstadAlla Rakha,was in India at present, his musical father was right here in front of him. "

Awards and recognition

• Amir KhusrowMusic Award in 1979 and in 1983
• Pride of PerformanceAward by thePresident of Pakistanin 1985

Death

Mian Shaukat Hussain retired in 1992 and died 4 years later on 25 January 1996 of kidney failure. His on-stage tabla performances showed his high level of skills.According to a major Pakistani newspaper, Ustad Shaukat Hussain has been ranked amongst the finest tabla players ofPakistan.

See also

Here are some other prominent tabla players:

• Ahmed Jan Thirakwa
• Alla Rakha
• Zakir Hussain
• Ustad Tafu
• Tari Khan

External links

• Profile of Mian Shaukat Hussain on tablapassion website