Sukhawat Ali Khan

Sukhawat Ali Khan and Cali Qawwali in a Sufi and Kirtan Concert

In-person
$25 Day of | $20 In advance, use promo code SOULFUL

We appreciate advance registration.

Sukhawat Ali Khan leads Cali Qawwali, a soulful qawwali ensemble. Performances by Cali Qawwali bring you group singing and an instrumental sound, combining introspective prayer and joyful celebration. This music is performed both in unplugged and in electric abandon. Cali Qawwali’s unique spiritual music calls upon traditional Sufi and classical raag-based songs from Pakistan and India, new compositions, Bollywood, kirtan, ghazal and folk. The music is nourished by Sukhawat Ali’s immersion in the Shaam Chaurasi gharana, his musical family dating from the sixteenth century. Lyrics are in Urdu/Hindi, Punjabi, Arabic and Persian, sometimes combined effortlessly in one song. The audience is often invited to clap, sing and move with the band, creating a Cali Qawwali form of dhamaal, which is a song and dance seen at Sufi shrines.

Instagram: @caliqawwali Soundcloud: Cali Qawwali

Sukhawat Ali Khan ji’s Sufi music samples:
Allah Hu: https://soundcloud.com/caliqawwali/allah-hu
Ghulam Ali: https://soundcloud.com/casaganeshrecords/sets/laaj-review
Jogiya: https://soundcloud.com/caliqawwali/jogiya
Raste Juda Juda: https://soundcloud.com/casaganeshrecords/raste-juda-juda-sukhawat-ali
Ghoom Charakhana: https://soundcloud.com/caliqawwali/ghoom-charakhana
Heer: https://soundcloud.com/casaganeshrecords/heer-sukhawat-ali-khan
Door: https://soundcloud.com/casaganeshrecords/door-sukhawat-ali-khan

Sukhawat Ali Khan, vocals and harmonium – Sukhawat Ali is a classical vocalist from the Sham Chaurasi Gharana, a tradition founded in the 16th century. He is the son of legendary Indian-Pakistani vocalist Ustad Salamat Ali Khan and nephew of Nazakat Ali Khan. In addition to being a master of Hindustani classical music, he is an accomplished performer of North Indian and Pakistani devotional and folk music and ghazals. He began singing and playing music at the age of seven with his father Salamat Ali Khan, and has performed extensively around the world. Based in Sacramento he teaches individual students in the San Francisco Bay Area and leads Cali Qawwali. Instagram: @alisukhawat

Vivek Anand, vocals – A vocalist deeply rooted in emotional and spiritual expression, Vivek hails from a musical family in Bombay and has studied with Sukhawat Ali Khan for sixteen years. His repertoire spans Hindustani classical, semi-classical, bhajans, Sufi songs, and ghazals. Vivek performs solo and in other ensemble concerts in the Bay Area with Rita Sahai, her Vasundhara Choir, and with Anhad Naad. Instagram: @vivek.anand.sf

Irum Aftab, vocals – A vocalist and passionate student of Sukhawat Ali Khan, Irum hails from Pakistan and now lives in Berkeley. Her musical focus is on understanding the raagas that form the foundation of ghazal, folk, geet, and qawwali music across South Asia. Instagram: @irum.out.west

Saima Jamshed, vocals and percussion – A multi-instrumental percussionist and vocalist, Saima began playing dholak at age six. Now a key member of the qawwali ensemble led by Sukhawat Ali Khan, she brings joyful energy to the stage through dholak, darbuka, tambourine, and shakers. Originally from Karachi and now based in Berkeley, she continues classical and qawwali training under Sukhawat Ali Khan and Rita Sahai. Instagram: @saimamilesaway

Varun Pattabhiraman, drum set and percussion – An Indian percussionist based in San Francisco, Varun seamlessly blends traditional Carnatic percussion with global rhythms. He explores hybrid setups that incorporate instruments like the cajón, Roland HandSonic, drum set and mridangam. Instagram: @varunrpraman

Craig Reiter, acoustic and electric bass guitar – Craig Reiter is a multi-talented creative spirit whose musical expression transcends form. Known for channeling the divine through any instrument he encounters, his eclectic interests include everything from card counting to feline domestication, all of which somehow feed into his musical persona.

Daljeet Singh, acoustic and electric guitar – Daljeet brings the magic as a music director and guitarist, fusing devotional, classical Indian, Sufi, old-school Bollywood, and rock influences into a sound that is both soulful and electrifying. A master at building bands and weaving traditions, he is the driving force behind the group’s unique sound. Instagram: @ka8mandude

Sufi Devotional Music from North India and Pakistan

In-person | $20 In advance, use promo code SUFI | $25 Day of.

Book now/In-Person

We appreciate advance registration.

Join us for exploration of traditional devotional music from the motherland of Yoga. Sukhawat Ali Khan is an eleventh generation Sufi vocalist from the Sham Chaurasi Gharana (family) of music.that has been performed in traditional North Indian/ Pakistani Classical Music for over six centuries. Trained at a young age by his legendary father- Ustad Salamat Ali Khan, Sukhawat Ali has perfected the art of soulful sufi song. He considers music as a sacred experience that unites the performer with the listener. His universal themes of love, devotion, compassion and peace appeal to audiences around the world.

Sukhawat Ali will be joined by his band, Dua, a local collective of world musicians whose high energy rhythms move audiences to their feet.

Sukhawat Ali Khan’s Sufi Music samples can be found on our Youtube channel:

Sukhawat Ali Khan, (born 1960), son of Indian-Pakistani vocalist Ustad Salamat Ali Khan and nephew of Nazakat Ali is a classical singer of Sham Chaurasia gharana tradition founded in 16th century as well as a performer of North Indian and Pakistani classical music and related folk music. He began singing and playing at age seven and has performed around the world.”

Band Members:

Varun Pattabhiraman is an Indian percussionist based in San Francisco. Seamlessly navigating traditional Carnatic classical contexts and crossover genres, he enjoys orchestrating experimental hybrid setups that blend traditional Carnatic percussion with instruments like the Cajon, Roland Handsonic, and Drum Set. You can follow his musical journey on Instagram at @varunrpraman

Vivek Anand is a vocalist with a focus on emotional and spiritual meaning. Vivek is from a musical family in Bombay, and has studied and sung in the Bay Area with Sukhawat Ali Khan for sixteen years. Through this training he has acquired his emotional and spiritual focus, and a knowledge of ragas. His repertoire includes Hindustani classical, semi-classical, bhajans, Sufi songs and ghazals.

Saima Jamshed began playing dholak at age six, surprising everyone with her natural rhythm. Now a vocalist and percussionist in Dua band, a qawwali ensemble for Sukhawat Ali Khan, she brings joyful energy with dholak, darbuka, tambourine & shakers. Originally from Karachi and now in Berkeley, she studies classical singing and traditional qawwali with Sukhawat Ali Khan and Rita Sahai, blending deep tradition with instinctive musicality.

Craig Reiter – Like many modern American Renaissance men, Craig Reiter is a polymorphously talented individual with interests including Blackjack card counting, haruspicy, and Feline domestication. In addition, Craig has been seen channeling the voice of his Creator through whatever musical instrument crosses his path.

Irum Aftab is a vocalist (and clapper) hailing from Pakistan and now based in Berkeley. She is currently a student of Sukhawat Ali Khan. Her musical focus is on learning from his depth of knowledge about the underlying raags that form the basis of ghazal, folk, geet and qawwali music- that we all know and love across South Asia.

Daljeet Singh is the driving force behind our sound, bringing magic as a music director and guitarist. He has a knack for spinning up bands and fusing devotional, classical Indian, Sufi, old school Bollywood, and rock influences, he creates music that feels both soulful and electrifying.