A candid interview with Amaan, Ayaan Ali Bangash and Taufiq Qureshi

Brothers Ayaan and Amaan Ali Bangash engage in a free jam session with percussionist Taufiq Qureshi at Pondicherry Cafe Sofitel in BKC PICSNimesh DaveHave you landed Has the car picked you up Come on you know BKC youve been here before says Ayaan Ali Bangash the younger son of Ustad Amjad Ali Khan to his brother Amaan over a call Amaan has just landed from New Delhi Taufiq Qureshi joins us and waits with Ayaan at the lunch buffet of Pondicherry Cafe a fine dine in SofitelTheir families have been friends for generations I have played with Ustad ji Amjad Ali Khan Ayaan and Amaan Before Amaan walks in we can chat over alaap the starters says the 53yearold percussionist and younger brother to tabla maestro Ustad Zakir HussainThe sarod players are set to release an electronic album tracing the journey of the sarod from the rubab a musical instrument from central Afghanistan while Qureshi is working on a single where the beats come from instruments made out of waste materialsWriddhaayan What is your equation with each other Taufiq We are like brothers My father Ustad Allarakha Qureshi played with his grandfather Hafiz Ali Khan sahib and Amjad bhaiAyaan We had backstage access to the concerts We were taught to go and speak to musicians touch their feet and seek blessingsTaufiq On several occasions we have decided what to play on stage itself There werent any rehearsals When they play Classical they stick to the pure form respecting the gravity of their lineage There is a track called Blessings by the brothers which I really likeAyaan Whenever we have performed that track with Taufiq bhai he has added colour to it We were barely in our teens when we shared the stage with Ustad Zakir Hussain he didnt need to do it In 1999 at Saptak festival in Ahmedabad Allarakha ji played before us because he wanted to Then he watched the whole concert from the wingsWriddhaayan Were you naughty as kidsAyaan Amaan bhai used to get into more trouble Abba never had a temper He would simply ask us to go out of the room but our mother smacked us Both of us used to prank call musicians I am not taking names Once we sent a musician to another musicians house for dinner We picked up the phone and said Dawaat hai aa jaiye laughsTaufiq Talking about memories I remember Zakir bhai would take me on a cycle to St Michaels High School in Mahim He was a brilliant dhol player During fairs he would go and join the band in processions I used to tag along To ensure I wasnt lost he would take me up on his shouldersFood arrivesTaufiq Tasting the Prawn and Mixed Seafood Dimsums Wow This is really good Generally I like chicken for its protein Ayaan I customised the salad It is healthy after green teaAmaan arrives and brings a plate of StirFried Chicken and Prawns and Roasted ChickenWriddhaayan Why dont you two compose for filmsAyaan Now there is a gap between classical musicians and Bollywood Directors seem to be comfortable with thisTaufiq When you are composing for films you need to listen to the producers assistant too You need to make seven tunes for one song I would never be able to do it Ive had offers but I couldnt execute themThe conversation veers to social mediaAyaan At times it gets too much One guy made a trailer of the Dover Lane Music Concert and put up a disclaimer Full concert coming up Imagine Now artistes cant repeat their own tunesTaufiq I cant even repeat a kurta Theyll watch a video of a previous concert and say hes worn the same oneAmaan Social media also has a negative side Whenever Sanjay Dutt is going to jail there are cameras outside his house not when it is his birthdayWriddhaayan All of you tour a lot in the US What is your take on Trumps ban on Muslimmajority nationsTaufiq That reminds me San Francisco airport is shut due to protests against Trump Bhabhi ji Antonia Minnecola Zakir Hussains wife is stuckAyaan Amaan bhai and I never had a problem checking in at airports because we write Bangash in our surnameTaufiq even I didnt have a problem Zakir bhai and Amjad bhai have had to face issues because they write Khan and Hussain The Americans arent aware of Qureshis