Monday, June 22, 2009

Ali Akbar Khan was a treat for music lovers: Amitabh

Ali Akbar Khan was a treat for music lovers: Amitabh

New Delhi, June 22 (IANS) Superstar Amitabh Bachchan remembers legendary "sarod genius" Ali Akbar Khan, saying he was a treat for music lovers especially when he used to play with sitar maestro Ravi Shankar and tabla exponent Ustad Allah Rakha.

"We lost a great maestro in Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, the sarod genius. The 'jugal bandi' between him and Pandit Ravi Shankar was a treat for the lovers of Indian classical music," Amitabh posted on his blog www.bigb.bigadda.com.

"I have had the great privilege of watching them play in concert on several occasions and it was magic every time... The duo of Ravi Shankar on sitar and Ali Akbar Khan on sarod, with Allah Rakha on tabla has been the ultimate ensemble in Indian classical fare," he added.

Ali Akbar, who along with his former brother-in-law Ravi Shankar, took Indian classical music to the world stage, died at his residence in San Anselmo, California, following renal failure Friday. He was 87.