Coca-Cola deepens cultural connections with Ustad Amjad Ali Khan

He was in Istanbul when Coca-Cola President and COO Muhtar Kent first heard the magic of Sarod music emanating from the fingers of the legendary maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, and he was hooked. He then came back to Atlanta and asked Kandy Anand, Coca Cola’s President, Philippines Business Unit, to help host the maestro in Atlanta.

Kent felt that since Kandy was also President of the Georgia India-American Chamber of Commerce, he would be able to use both the Coke and his GIACC connections to create an event that would be memorable. With barely six weeks to go, Kandy who was on his way to moving to Philippines, joined hands with Stan Sthanunathan Coke’s VP Knowledge and Insights and Narsi Narsimhan the President elect of GIACC, to start preparation. With barely 5 weeks to go and 15 September as the only date available from the maestro and his sons Amaan and Ayaan Ali Khan, the wheels were swung into action. The Fox Theater was accessed but just barely because another offer for the same date had come earlier, but they were still hedging. A check from Coke sealed the deal, and over 2400 people of mixed ethnicity arrived at the Fox Theater on 15th September to witness a memorable concert.

“A large number of Indians who were there didn’t have an in-depth knowledge of classical Indian music, but came because they liked music in general,” says Stan. “The non Indians actually had no idea what to expect. In fact they thought it would be a performance complete with a Philharmonic orchestra, and all they saw was first one man and a percussionist which later became three men and a percussionist!”

The evening began with Ustad Amjad Ali Khan taking the stage after Muhtar Kent and Kandy Anand had welcomed the eminent Maestro and his family and the audience. Ustad Amjad Ali Khan has not only been ahead of his times in creativity and the way he perceives music, its also really wonderful to see him adapt his music to the needs of the changing times. In a conversation we had had a couple of weeks prior to his arrival to Atlanta, a city he has visited before and always received a warm welcome, he said he feels that rather than perform a painfully elaborate “surgery” on each raga by playing endlessly for hours, something he has done many times, he felt his father the great Hafiz Ali Khan had a point when he said-capture the essence of each raga-that makes for music that would find a welcome in most ears. The prolonged alaap, and elaborate rendition of a raga for hours is best left for the times and occasions when true connoisseurs of music are present. The general audience neither has the time, nor the sensibilities to relate to such lengthy renditions.

Keeping that thought in mind, the maestro regaled the audience with lovely raga based compositions that were lilting, resonant with melody, resplendent with the raga notes, and yet just the right length. You were transported to Calcutta as notes from raga Durga flowed seamlessly from his fingers. Amjad Ali Khan dedicated the concert to world peace and said music comprises of the same notes in any language and instrumental music has no boundaries or barriers that language can create. His rendition of Ekla chalo re brought the house down.

Stan Stanunathan introduced Ustad Amjad Ali Khan’s immensely talented sons Amaan and Ayaan Ali Khan, who took the stage with Tabla player Subhankar Banerjee. Ayaan addressed the audience and said that normally it is not a tradition to perform after your guru who also happens to be their father, but they are doing so because it was the way their father had planned the performance. They went on to perform the lovely raga Rageshwari. I have always felt that Ayaan Ali Khan has always had his father’s touch, but that night, many of us were blown away by the amazing touch Amaan Ali Khan his older son displayed as each note flowed powerfully with crystal clarity from his fingers.

Khan sahib joined them later in the third segment and the trio played raga Kirwani together. I have heard them play Kirwani three times in a row, but the most beautiful thing about Indian classical music, as Khan sahib also pointed out is that due to its improvisational nature, nothing can be replicated exactly the same way. “ Whatever we play, we play once. You will never see us play it exactly the same way again, because even I do not remember how I played the last time,” said the maestro laughingly.

When the concert ended the trio received a spontaneous standing ovation.

People had been dancing on their seats, and came out totally dazzled. Many Indians said it had been a life altering experience: many non Indians were totally enthralled by what they saw.

Kandy Anand and Stan Sthanunathan said that many days later people were still talking about the concert. ‘ It was a mixed audience as you know and they had never thought of Indian classical music as being so enjoyable. The music was absolutely enthralling,” says Kandy and adds, “ I had never seen them live and it was amazing.”
Stan who had seen Amjad Ali Khan way back in 1984 in IIM Bangalore, said the maestro was brilliant then and remains as handsome and a genius even today. “ I’m delighted that we were able to honor someone like him whom I consider to be the Mozart of Indian classical music, in such a spectacular event. A stand ovation can never be engineered. It comes from the heart and that tells you how deeply they impacted the audience.”

The Coca-Cola company underwrote the concert which cost close to $100,000. Officials were delighted to have showcased an event that brought diverse ethnicities under one roof. A gala reception held earlier had the crème de la crème rubbing shoulders. Narsi Narsimhan the President elect worked tirelessly to make this event a successful fund raiser for GIACC. Amy Green (global events manager for Coca-Cola) worked very hard to ensure everything went smoothly. Kandy Anand said that their hopes had been to showcase Coca-Cola’s constant endeavors in bridging cultural barriers, and to raise funds for GIACC. Both objectives had been met.

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan had said earlier to me that he wants people of all ethnicities to come and try out his music just once. “Even though Indian classical music is not like instant coffee and takes time to grow on you, I’m confident, people will enjoy themselves.”

All I can say is, the maestro and his handsome and immensely gifted sons, stirred quite a melodic brew and contrary to his thoughts, the magical spell was instant!