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Dhamme Khan hails from a quaint village, some 20 km from Jaisalmer. The musical art has been propagated in his family since generations. He plays the dhol, and all the members in the group are related to each other. He is mainly interested in percussion instruments like Dholak. He has performed mainly in India and wants to travel abroad for performances. He wants to impart and spread this musical knowledge as much as possible. His son is 4 years old and he has already began teaching music to his kid. His Ustad(teacher) was Gutte Khan, his father.

Bhongal Khan hails from a village called Dau. He went to primary school, but was always interested in music. His family has been into music since generations and he sings and plays Dholak in the group. He has been working with this group since 3 to 4 years. September to January is the peak season for these singers, and he performs in family functions during the remaining part of the year. Every child, even when he cries, has a melody in his voice, so music runs in their bloodline. He has performed in Jodhpur and Jaipur and other places in India as well, and wants to perform in abroad in future.

Sachhu Khan, a 27 year old young man is quite amazing when it comes to moving his fingers on the khamaicha. He has been playing and learning this instrument ever since he 9 years old. He is real brother of Kootal Khan and like other members in the family, he was initiated into music since a young age. Sachhu Khan is working in Mama’s Resort and Camp in Khuri since 4 years, ever since the group was formed and he is thinking of expanding his network. He mostly performs in hotels, at family functions and wherever the occasion demands him to be, like engagement and wedding ceremonies. He has performed in India and in US with the group and individually he has performed in Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Pune. He is an expert in playing instruments like Khartaal and Harmonium also.
Sachhu Khan is very ambitious when it comes to his family, and wants to provide financial security to his family. He has 1 kid, and he wishes that his son combines and maintains a healthy balance of music and education, as he believes that having a graduation is also essential these days. For him, whatever he does, he will do it for his family.

Mange Khan, 29 is the nephew of Kutal Khan. He has also been working in Mama’s resort and camp in Khuri since 4 years, and ever since the group was formally instated. Personally, he likes singing more than playing instruments, even though he is an expert in playing Khadtaal and Harmonium. He mostly performs in hotels, at family functions and wherever the occasion demands him to be, like engagement and wedding ceremonies. Individually, he has performed in Allahabad, Benaras, Jaipur,Udaipur and has also worked in a hotel called “Punjabi Dhaaba” in Ooty for 3 months.
For his performances, he grabs whatever opportunity comes his way.
Mange Khan has 3 daughters and he is liberal to the view that if his daughters wish to sing in future, he would totally support them. In future, he would also like to train people in music. In the end, he adds that as soon as a kid is able to sit/stand on his own, he is ready for a musical training with a “Dholak”.
Mange Khan’s favorite style of singing is Mand, which is the famous style of singing in Rajasthan. It is well recognized in classical circles and this style is very important in folk songs of Rajasthan. This is neither accepted as a full-fledged Raga nor is it reckoned among the freely rendered folk songs. It is very near the Thumri or the Ghazal.

Rekha is multi – talented artist. She is a stunning dancer and marvellous singer. She gets this talent from his her banjaara tribe which highly promotes creativity and talent from a very young age itself. She is the only female singer i the group. Rekha is 25 and married to a man in Jodhpur but during the season time she makes sure that she joins her group and follow her passion. She apart from dancing and singing trains other banjaara girls who want to follow their dream of dancing and singing in future.

Talab Khan belongs to Barna Village of Jaisalmer District of Rajasthan. He is from Manganiyar tribe and is a skilled Harmonium player. He got musical instruments as heritage in his family and is trained by his family members only.. Apart from that he has been a part of various other groups from time to time and finds it easy while performing with the new artists as well and adjusts very swiftly. He finds himself quite comfortable in playing percussion to Marwari, Bhajans and Sufi music. He always had a dream to travel abroad and showcase his talent. Now, after travelling to various countries he feels quite satisfied. After being an established musician alongside Gazi Khan he gives full freedom to their children to pursue music as a career, but still encourages them to get basic education. He himself is an illiterate but still considers education as the utmost necessity of the today’s generation. He feels that the Rajasthani folk music need a better platform from where it can reach out more number of audience as he believes that folk music has the quality of touching the soul of the audience. He wishes to prosper more along with his group and wants to travel the whole world to showcase the magic that folk music possess. He wants to perform more of live shows as he enjoys the appreciation that he gets from the audience.

Kootle Khan, has been singing since he was 4 years old. He plays harmonium and khartal. He has travelled all over India for performances but never got a chance to perform in abroad. Kootle believes that even musicians should continue their basic education till 12th standard. He wishes to provide the children in his family with basic school education which he considers necessary for making a living these days. Kootle says that although people are fond of folk music, but these people are just a small proportion of the huge population of India, which is the reason why folk music is losing its importance and is confined to mere hotel performances and Tourism propagandas. His music genre is not defined and can play any kind of music of which he is passionate about.

Goram Khan plays Dholak, he found inspiration within his family to learn various musical instruments. He is just 23 years old and plays Dhol, Harmonium as well and can sing too. At a very young age of 8 years, he started playing dholak and has been learning and performing ever since then. Manwar is a multi-instrumentalist and has performed with various bands, and with time has become very comfortable in performing with new artists. He recently got associated with Gazi Khan’s group and has been quite satisfied as he is getting to learn a lot from the master himself. He wishes to achieve fame in Bollywood, thus giving recognition to Manganiyar community and their art form globally. He has played in various parts of the country and wishes to perform in abroad as well and wants to experience showcasing his skills to foreign audience. Manwar has a very distinctive vision as far as folk music is concerned. He wishes for dholak playing competitions to happen just like singing competitions take place in large numbers throughout India, which he thinks will give a platform to young and talented dholak players and will encourage them to do better. He wants his children to learn traditional folk music as well as classical music so as to come up with an innovative style of music.

Bakshe Khan, a 35-year-old young man is quite amazing when it comes to moving his fingers on the khamaicha. He has been playing and learning this instrument ever since he 9 years old. He is the real brother of Mame Khan and like other members of the family, he was initiated into music since a young age. Bakshe Khan is working with Mame Khan for 8 years, ever since the group was formed and he is thinking of expanding his network. He mostly performs in hotels, at family functions and wherever the occasion demands him to be, like engagement and wedding ceremonies. He has performed in India and in the US with the group and individually he has performed in Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Pune. He is an expert in playing instruments like Khartaal and Harmonium also.
Bakshe Khan is very ambitious when it comes to his family, and wants to provide financial security to his family. He has 2 kids, and he wishes that his sons combine and maintains a healthy balance of music and education, as he believes that having a graduation is also essential these days. For him, whatever he does, he will do it for his family.

Ashraf Khan, 23, has been singing since he was 4 years old. He plays khartal. He has travelled all over India for performances but never got a chance to perform in abroad. Ashraf believes that even musicians should continue their basic education till 12th standard. He wishes to provide the children in his family with basic school education which he considers necessary for making a living these days. He says that although people are fond of folk music, but these people are just a small proportion of the huge population of India, which is the reason why folk music is losing its importance and is confined to mere hotel performances and Tourism propagandas. Their group genre is not defined and can play any kind of music of which he is passionate about.

Makhne Khan plays khartal, he found inspiration within his family to learn various musical instruments. He is just 23 years old and plays Dhol, Harmonium as well and can sing too. At a very young age of 8 years, he started playing khartal and has been learning and performing ever since then. Makhne is a multi-instrumentalist & has performed with various bands, and with time has become very comfortable in performing with new artists. He recently got associated with Gaffur Khan’s group and has been quite satisfied as he is getting to learn a lot from the master himself. He wishes to achieve fame in Bollywood, thus giving recognition to Manganiyar community and their art form globally. He has played in various parts of the country and wishes to perform in abroad as well and wants to experience showcasing his skills to foreign audience.

Saleem is 13 years old. He loves to go to his school and keep up with his learning of music after it. He at any condition wishes to study a lot. He wants to take his musical culture to next level. Saleem likes to sing Rajasthani folk mostly. He anyhow finds time for his riyaaz (daily practise). He along with his group has performed in many cities of India, like, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, etc. For him learning old recitals from their fathers and forefathers is something that he cherishes the most currently and believes they are the best teachers. He like his other brothers in his group automatically learns the age old recitals just by hearing them. He wishes to write new folk music and compose them too. He dreams to take their culture to the whole world

Chote Khan has been learning since he was 5 years old. He has been learning it from his father and grandfather. His whole family does the same, follows music. He has done very little study. He knows how to play various numbers of instruments like dholak, dhol, chip, khartal. He wants to learn everything so that he is not left behind. He has learnt mostly from Gaffur khan and Barkhat Khan. He also knows classical music. He has been performing ever since 2000 in various countries like London, Paris, Lorrean, Glasgow ( for Commonwealth Games). He loves to do fusion performances with foreigners. He has learnt to do fusion with the help of his brother Swaroop Khan who performs with Mame Khan. He wants to promote music, especially his Rajasthani cultural folk music.

Satar Khan, has been singing since he was 4 years old. He plays harmonium and khartal. He has travelled all over India for performances but never got a chance to perform in abroad. Satar Khan believes that even musicians should continue their basic education till 12th standard. He wishes to provide the children in his family with basic school education which he considers necessary for making a living these days. Satar Khan says that although people are fond of folk music, but these people are just a small proportion of the huge population of India, which is the reason why folk music is losing its importance and is confined to mere hotel performances and Tourism propagandas. His music genre is not defined and can play any kind of music of which he is passionate about.

Ahmed Khan, 30 is passionate about reflecting the culture and heritage of Jaisalmer in his music, and is less fond of popular songs. Ahmed Khan uses all the traditional raagas like Malahar, Jog, Bhairavi etc. and Jog is his favorite raga, since he says that it brings an entirely different dimension to a song. Like all families, music runs in his family and he has been learning music since he was 8 years old. His elder brother Thanu Khan is his Ustad and Guru. Ahmed has performed all over in India and has also performed internationally in Bangkok. Ahmed wants his group to be famous, and also wants a musical group by his name. He was accompanied by Chugge Khan during his Thailand trip.

Ashok khan is 13 and studies in 9th standard, unlike other musicians, this talented man is equally focused on his education as well as music. He has been playing traditional instruments like dholak and morchang since he was young. He has performed in India as well as abroad in Australia, Malaysia, Dubai and was also a part of “Manganiyaar Classroom”. Manganiyar Classroom directed by Roysten Abel is, in a way, continuation of his earlier work Manganiyar Seduction. With 35 little Manganiyar boys what Abel attempts in this production is not just an introduction to the glorious musical reserves of this community, but a kind of activism. He brings to centre stage an India that is not so shining but left far behind. For Manganiyaar Classroom, he earns as much as 10,000 for each concert. In future, Ashok Khan wants to join the army or teach music and wants to make it big out of the country.

Shakar Khan, 24, is Gullu Khan’s nephew and has been singing since he was 4 years old. He plays harmonium and khartal. He has travelled all over India for performances but never got a chance to perform in abroad. Shakar Khan believes that even musicians should continue their basic education till 12th standard. He wishes to provide the children in his family with basic school education which he considers necessary for making a living these days. Shakar Khan says that although people are fond of folk music, but these people are just a small proportion of the huge population of India, which is the reason why folk music is losing its importance and is confined to mere hotel performances and Tourism propagandas. Their group genre is not defined and can play any kind of music of which he is passionate about.

Saleem Khan, 17 is a student and plays dholak and sings in the group. He learns from his Ustad, Sawai Khan who works with Mame Khan;s group. He has been learning music since he was in school.Saleem maintains a healthy balance of education and his passion, by practicing music in his free time. Saleem Khan, is a composer as well and has composed many songs. He has represented his school at State Level, and is all set to go abroad for an International Youth festival. This 17 year old man, is a man of principles as he believes in propagating the musical art without any selfish needs. He teaches music to kids in his school, for important functions. He wants to make India proud on a global platform. According to him, folk music is endangered and the Government should help and support them financially.

Ghewar Khan is the younger brother of Rahim Khan, who is also his Ustaad, he is a khadtal player who is passionate about music. Ghewar Khan considers music his top priority and is not educated. He wants name and prosperity for both his ustad and himself.

Rahim Khan is the dholak player in this group and they perform in weddings, local concerts and tourism promotions. This talented dholak player has been performing since the age of 15. Mustaq Khan was his mentor. He has performed in several places in India and wants to travel abroad for performances.

An expert Algoza player of the group, Haridas Ram Bheel is 30 and has been learning how to play and make Algozas since the age of 10. He has learnt this art from his father, and says that his ancestors were based in Pakistan and have been engaged in the art of Algoza making since generations. Alghoza is a pair of woodwind instruments adopted by Punjabi, Sindhi, Kutchi, Rajasthani and Baloch folk musicians. It is also called Mattiyan ,Jōrhi, Pāwā Jōrhī, Do Nālī, Donāl, Girāw, Satārā or Nagōze.It consists of two joined beak flutes, one for melody, the second for drone. The flutes are either tied together or may be held together loosely with the hands.
Haridas hails from a small village near Khuri and has performed at many places in India and wants to perform abroad as well. According to Haridas, Algoza is a difficult instrument to master, as it requires an impeccable perfection of breathing techniques.He has been teaching this art to his kid too. Even though Haridas’s father has performed abroad, there are no recordings from those times.
Haridas earns a living by making Algoza. An Algoza takes a minimum of 10 to 15 days to make and costs around 8 to 10,000 rupees. He wishes to carry forward this art by the help of kind patrons. One can directly contact Haridas Ram Bheel to buy an Algoza.

Ameen Khan is a 21 year old all-round musician from Barmer. Primarily, he plays dholak in the group. Apart from that he can also play Harmonium and Khartal and is well versed with most of the folk music instruments. He has learned from his brother Khete Khan and has been into music from almost 12 years. He is a permanent member of this group, and also performs with other groups as well. He belongs to Sunta Gharana, which gave him exposure to music early on in his life, and has been focussing on only music after he left school in 7th standard. He listens to Ghulam Ali’s songs and follows his style very closely. Besides that, Nusrat fateh Ali khan also inspires him. He is well versed in performing sufi and Qawwali songs. His favourite raga is Raga Maand.
Ameen khan is very passionate when it comes to music, and dedicatedly follows a strict routine. He wakes up early in the morning and does Riyaaz for 4 hours from 5-9 am. Then in the evening, he trains young Mirasi musicians at Mahindra Gunsar Lok Sangeet Sansthan, a Music School run by Bax Khan. There he teaches around 25 students, and has been teaching there from quite some time now. His students are already prospering and are performing with established group of folk musicians. He has a dream to perform in foreign countries as well, and bring exposure for his students in the music school.

Sawai Khan, 20 is a Dholak player and has been with this group since he was a kid. He learnt dholak from his father and performs mostly in his village, although he is keen on going abroad. He wants to propagate music through all his upcoming generations.

Sikander Ali is a disciple of Talab Khan. Music has been in his family since generations and his grandfather Ramza Khan was also a musician. This 32 year old musician has been playing khartal since the age of 10 and performed all over India. His future plans are to perform abroad. He pursues music as his sole passion.

Lateeb Khan, 19 is learning music since he was 8 years old and is the son of Sukur Khan. He learnt music from his father and plays Khadtaal, Vapang and Morchang. He has performed in Bangalore, Punjab, Chandigarh, Delhi and Nagor independently. Some of his favorite raagas are Bhairavi, Jog, Malhar and Maand. Educated till 12th Standard, he wishes to pursue music further. At the young age of 19, Lateeb is married and has a kid, whom he wants to teach the music so that the musical tradition continues in the family. Financially independent, Lateeb Khan also engages in agriculture.

Abdul Khan, 23, is the nephew of Sakur Khan and is married, and also has a kid. He has performed almost all over India. Abdul Khan is the only one in the group who is a college graduate and has a Bachelor of Arts degree. He wants a balance of both music and academics for his kids. Sufism is the main genre of this group but he is fond of Bollywood music too. He likes Chandigarh particularly because of the huge spaces and people. Abdul Khan is eagerly waiting to perform abroad and also performs independently. This 23 year old enthusiastic singer has learnt music from his uncle, Sakur Khan, and Indra Khan, who are his mentors.

Hayat Khan, 18, jokingly describes himself as a kid who was never academically inclined, and was always drawn towards a musical environment. He can play Dholak, Khadtaal, Dhol and Harmonium with equal ease but prefers to play Dholak in group performances. As a kid, Hayat Khan also used to sing, but his voice broke at an early age and hence, he became more inclined towards playing instruments. Even though Hayat Khan was never interested in studies, he studied till class 9, before finally committing himself to music. When asked about education, Hayat Khan says: “Manganiyaar ki padhaai bhi sangeet hi hai”, (For a Manganiyaar, music is knowledge). For him, music is like a tradition.
Hayat Khan was one of the top 3 contestants of India’s Got Talent in 2016, and has also been a part of the “Manganiyaar Classroom”. Manganiyar Classroom directed by Roysten Abel is, in a way, continuation of his earlier work Manganiyar Seduction. With 35 little Manganiyar boys what Abel attempts in this production is not just an introduction to the glorious musical reserves of this community, but a kind of activism. He brings to center stage an India that is not so shining but left far behind.Hayat Khan has also performed for All India Radio and was selected for a scholarship by CCRT. Hayat Khan hasn’t been abroad yet, and is eagerly looking forward for his next performance with his group which is going to be held in Dubai. Currently, he is associated with Gunsaar Lok Sangeet Sansthan, which is an association based in Jaisalmer, and selects the artists based on their auditions. His favorite place to perform has been Himachal Pradesh and he has also performed in almost all Metro cities of India.

Indra Khan,40, is Sakur Khan’s younger brother and has been singing since he was 4 years old. He plays harmonium, khartaal, and veena. He has travelled all over India for performances and has also performed in Paris, Turkey and Bahrain. Paris is among his favorite places to perform. Indra Khan believes that even musicians should continue their basic education till 12th standard. Indra Khan has 4 sons and he wishes to provide them basic school education which he considers necessary for making a living these days.
Indra Khan says that although people are fond of folk music, but these people are just a small proportion of the huge population of India, which is the reason why folk music is losing its importance and is confined to mere hotel performances and Tourism propagandas. Their group genre is Sufi music and he is passionate about it.

Ahmed is a Khartaal player in the group. He has learned playing Khartaaal through the traditional learning which goes from his forefathers to the next generation. He has been learning since he was 5 years old and now he is a 22 year old young man. He has studied till class 8th. Ahmed is also a part of the famous “Manganiyaar Seduction” group and has travelled with them for his shows in countries like France, Portugal, etc. Even in India he has been to various different cities. Ahmed wishes to make progress in life and take their culture to all the corners in the world.

Firoz Khan comes from Chattangarh Village of Jaisalmer district. He is a well versed Harmonium player and he is also a backing vocalist. He primarily sings Bhajans, Ghazals, Sufi and even Qawalis. The group leader Talab Khan is his cousin and he has been a part of his group since the starting of his career. He was in 9th standard when his uncle started training him in traditional singing and helped him in learning the musical instruments. Ever since then, Talab Khan has been his inspiration for him. Their group sings a variety of songs in various different Ragas. He has been to various foreign countries with the group to perform and found that the people of foreign countries are also getting inclined towards Indian folk Music & appreciate their art. He takes a great pride to be carrying on the legacy of their traditional Tribal Music. He wants Indian folk music to flourish in India as well as in abroad.

Fote Khan belongs to Khuri Village of Jaisalmer District of Rajasthan. He is from Manganiyar tribe and is a skilled Percussionist who can play Dholak and khartal as well as other instruments like Harmonium, Veena too. He got musical instruments as heritage in his family and is trained by his family members only. He is Talab Khan’s nephew and has been a part of this group since the beginning of his career. Apart from that he has been a part of various other groups from time to time and finds it easy while performing with the new artists as well and adjusts very swiftly. He finds himself quite comfortable in playing percussion to Marwari, Bhajans and Sufi music.
He always had a dream to travel abroad and showcase his talent. Now, after travelling to various countries he feels quite satisfied. After being an established musician alongside Talab Khan he gives full freedom to their children to pursue music as a career, but still encourages them to get basic education. He himself is an illiterate but still considers education as the utmost necessity of the today’s generation. He feels that the Rajasthani folk music need a better platform from where it can reach out more number of audience as he believes that folk music has the quality of touching the soul of the audience. He wishes to prosper more along with his group and wants to travel the whole world to showcase the magic that folk music possess. He wants to perform more of live shows as he enjoys the appreciation that he gets from the audience.

Gaffur is a 40 years old man who has devoted all his life to music. He went to primary school, but was always interested in music. His family has been into music since generations and he sings in the group. He has been working with this group since a long time now. From September to January is the peak season for these singers, and he performs in family functions during the remaining part of the year. Every child, even when he cries, has a melody in his voice, so music runs in their bloodline. He has performed in most of the cities in India and other places outside India as well, and wants to perform more in abroad because he wants to more .

Sawai Khan is 30 and wants to be a teacher. He is a registered singer who is registered with a musical agency based in Jaisalmer.This talented singer has performed for All India Radio also, and has performed abroad with the group as well. He can also play a wide range of instruments commonly used in their group.

Tareef Khan(24) is the younger brother of Thane Khan, and has been learning music since childhood from brother. This 24 year old talented man plays all instruments like Morchang, Khartal,Harmonium and Dholak. His group sings for all occasions like marriage and birthdays. Tareef is married and has a kid and wants his child to be a graduate but also wants his kids to pursue music. He is particularly fond of traditional raagas like Mhaad and Khamaj and their group believes in the philosophy of 6 raags and 30 raaginis, making It a total of 36 raagas. He is also fond of other traditional raagas like Sri Raag, Malkauns, Deepak, Goond Malhar, Megh Malhar and Bhairav. While music is the primary means of livelihood for him, he also engages in Agriculture now and then. So far, Tareef has performed in Europe, Denmark, Germany, Canada, and Spain in abroad and of course, all over India.

Moti Khan, 11, is the youngest member in this vibrant group of immensely talented musicians. Even at such a young age, his musical knowledge is incredible. He learns music from his father and has performed in Pune, Jaipur and Navalgarh.

Manjur Khan (19) is Thane Khan’s cousin and lives in Khuri, a little away from Jaisalmer. He is a 12th standard arts student and has performed in Fatehgarh, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur so far. He has been awarded the prestigious “Kalaratna” by Rajasthan Government in “Yuva Mahotsav”. So far, Manjur Khan hasn’t performed abroad but it is one of his dreams to make it big internationally. Manjur Khan plays Khadtaal and Dholak in the group. Manjur Khan maintains a healthy balance of education and music, he attends school in the morning and performs in the evenings at a hotel.

Manjoor Khan lives in Khuri, a little away from Jaisalmer. This 24 year old talented man plays all instruments like Morchan,Khadtaal,Harmonium and Dholak. His group sings for all occasions like marriage and birthdays. Tareef is married and has a kid and wants his child to be a graduate but also wants his kids to pursue music. He is particularly fond of traditional raagas like Mhaad and Khamaj and their group believes in the philosophy of 6 raags and 30 raaginis, making It a total of 36 raagas. He is also fond of other traditional raagas like Sri Raag, Malkauns, Deepak, Goond Malhar, Megh Malhar and Bhairav. While music is the primary means of livelihood for him, he also engages in Agriculture now and then. So far, Tareef has performed in Europe, Denmark, Germany, Canada, and Spain in abroad and of course, all over India.

He is a young talent who has devoted all his life to music and is still learning. Darre is son of the legendary Manganiyar singer Barkhat Khan. Along with singing, he is well trained harmonium player as well. He went to primary school, but was always interested in music. His family has been into music since generations and he sings in the group. He has been working with this group since a long time now. From September to January is the peak season for these singers, and he performs in family functions during the remaining part of the year. He says that every child, even when he cries, has a melody in his voice, so music runs in their bloodline. He has performed in most of the cities in India and other places outside India as well, and wants to perform more in abroad because he wants to more .

Fote Khan belongs to Khuri Village of Jaisalmer District of Rajasthan. He is from Manganiyar tribe and is a skilled Percussionist who can play Dholak and khartal as well as other instruments like Harmonium, Veena too. He got musical instruments as heritage in his family and is trained by his family members only. Apart from that he has been a part of various other groups from time to time and finds it easy while performing with the new artists as well and adjusts very swiftly. He finds himself quite comfortable in playing percussion to Marwari, Bhajans and Sufi music.
He always had a dream to travel abroad and showcase his talent. Now, after travelling to various countries he feels quite satisfied. After being an established musician alongside Thanu Khan he gives full freedom to their children to pursue music as a career, but still encourages them to get basic education. He himself is an illiterate but still considers education as the utmost necessity of the today’s generation. He feels that the Rajasthani folk music need a better platform from where it can reach out more number of audience as he believes that folk music has the quality of touching the soul of the audience. He wishes to prosper more along with his group and wants to travel the whole world to showcase the magic that folk music possess. He wants to perform more of live shows as he enjoys the appreciation that he gets from the audience.

Talab Khan plays all traditional instrument and has been part of this group since 20 years. Music is imbibed through generations in his family. He is learning music since childhood from his father, Badav Khan, who was a dholak player. In future, he plans to cultivate this music further and to make it big in the musical world.

Vikram Bhatt is from Nagaur District of Rajasthan. He is 20 years old and is well versed in playing Dholak, Dhol, Khartal, Morchang, though his favourite instrument remains Dholak. He has been a part of Champe Khan’s Group for more than 2 years and has performed in all major cities of India. He has been engaged in other groups as well, so he is quite used to performing with various new artists playing different instruments in various different groups. He is cousin of Ramesh Bhatt & Sawai Bhatt who performs with Taga Ram. His mother died when he was quite young. So he joined his elders in the family in music and left studies. Apart from being a folk Musician, he also makes Puppets and does Puppet dance shows as well. He holds puppet shows successfully too just because of the fact that he can sing well. He believes that music is almost everything for him as it gives him his daily bread.
Vikram plays various folk instruments and that too in his own Style. His Technique of playing Dholak sometimes resembles that of playing tabla & he believes that he can club & perform with Western musical instruments as well. He believes that learning these many instruments came naturally to him. He also says that the rhythm comes from within when he listens to any particular song and thus he is able to play dholak along with any particular song. His Idol is Chhuge Khan ji of Rajasthan Josh, who has also performed in Various Bollywood Numbers. Vikram takes lessons from Chhuge Khan and has been working with him as well for quite some time now.  He is Vikram’s inspiration and the reason why he is taking music more seriously rather than puppet business.

Isak khan is Dholak & Khartaal Player, who found inspiration within his family to learn various musical instruments. He is just 23 years old and plays Dhol, Harmonium as well and can sing too. At a very young age of 8 years, he started playing dholak and has been learning and performing ever since then. He is the younger brother of Folk Musician Rasool Khan. Isak khan is a multi-instrumentalist & has performed with various bands, and with time has become very comfortable in performing with new artists. He recently got associated with Champe Khan’s group and has been quite satisfied as he is getting to learn a lot from the master himself. He considers his Brother Rasool Khan as his Idol because of whom he learned this art and tries to imitate his style. He is a close relative of famous Bollywood singer Swaroop Khan & dreams of achieving fame just like him, who went on to achieve fame in Bollywood , thus giving recognition to Manganiyar community and their art form globally.

Isak Khan has attended & performed several times at Rajasthan international Folk Festival which gave him a good exposure. He has played in various parts of the country and wishes to perform in abroad as well and wants to experience showcasing his skills to foreign audience. Isak has a very distinctive vision as far as folk music is concerned. He wishes for Dhol Playing competitions to happen just like singing competitions take place in large numbers throughout India, which he thinks will give a platform to young and talented Dhol Players and will encourage them to do better. He wants his children to learn traditional folk music as well as Classical Music so as to come up with an innovative style of music.

Sawan Khan is a 19 years old folk musician who started learning musical instruments at a very young age. He is the brother of Raees Khan & Ghulam Khan, who are also an established Folk Musicians. He primarily plays Dholak but has considerably good command over Dhol, Khartaal, Morchang, and Harmonium as well which he learnt from his elder brother Ghulam Khan. Out of all these instruments, Dholak is his favourite. He performed for the first time at the age of 8 years.  Since then he has been performing in various parts of Rajasthan & North India with various different groups.
He is very passionate & dedicated folk musician who rehearses for long hours during the day and evening as a routine. He believes that his only duty is to do regular Riyaaz (rehearsal). He believes that the person who does riyaaz regularly, is the least nervous while performing.

Mohammad Nawaz is a versatile Folk Musician who is mainly a Khartaal Player, who can also play Morchang. He is 21 years old and is playing these instruments from quite some time now. He started learning these intruments at a very early age after he got inspired from his Uncle Champe Khan. Being a student he used to practice regularly & tried his best to upkeep both his education and his journey towards being a musician. He started Performing in 2010 & since then he is a regular performer in various camps at Sam Dunes in Jaisalmer, and has travelled to almost all parts of the country to perform live shows. Currently, being an arts student, he studies English Literature apart from his Music career. Apart from his regular percussion instruments, he is also learning to play Khamaicha and is also keen on learning to sing folk songs.
Music is a very important component of his life & he describes his community & neighbourhood as very supportive which encouraged him for choosing music as a career. He describes music as an endless & divine energy, which everyone should experience. He observes life very closely, and also tries to write new lyrics of his own describing the simplicity and complexity of life at the same time. He thinks about finding the ways to propagate their folk music worldwide .He considers this as his mission for himself & wishes to travel around the globe to promote their traditional instruments & folk music. He expresses his concerns about the extincting art of playing Khamaicha, Shehnaai & Saarangi, which are an identity of their folk music. He has a dream of having a group of his own and wishes to bring the extincting instruments back in tradition.

Aslam plays Sarangi in the group. He is part of the revolution which is credited for reviving sarangi. He is known for his extraordinary control over the instrument and his voice. He started performing at the age of 11. Aslam has an uncanny knack of striking an instant rapport with audience. He has sincerely attempted to infuse interest and respect for all music and Indian classical music in the younger generation. Charismatic performer that he is, he can easily mesmerize the audience with his innovative skills and dexterity. A budding new name in the world of Indian classical music, and world music Aslam Khan is a very promising young Indian artist. He sure to make a difference to the world of Indian classical music and others.

Razza Khan resides from Harbha village near Jaisalmer. He plays mostly morchang, dholak, vapang, etc. He has worked with many other groups and mostly his elder brother Rais Khan. Singing is his in blood and therefore he loves music and wishes to follow it till the dates he dies. He has performed mostly in India and most memorable of all has been Zero Festival in Arunachal Pradesh for him. He loves the exposure he gets from performing at different places with new bands. He has been leaning music since he was 8 years old and has ever since followed his passion. He like to do new things with his music and the instruments that he plays. He always like to experiment with the music and support it by matching with the style of his fellow team members. In coming future, he wishes to perform on International grounds with his group and bring name and fame to his region. He believes music is equivalent to God and one with pure heart is the only one who acquires it wholly.

Ashraf Khan resides from Harbha village near Jaisalmer. He mostly sings but also plays morchang, dholak, vapang, and also drums. He hasn’t learnt music from anyone in particular as music and its intricate details has always been in his blood. Like other group members he has learnt music just by listening to his elders. He has been performing with different band s since many years and intends to perform with his own band on both national and international grounds. He thoroughly enjoys doing different renditions of folk music in his own style and believes in delivering something new. He loves doing fusion with groups. He has not restricted himself to only folk music, he is a keen and passionate learner of instruments like drums and guitar.

Dilaawar Khan comes from Kotra village in Shiv Tehsil of Barmer District. This 30 years old khartaal player is also a backing vocalist n his group. He is the Disciple of Ustaad Ghafoor khan, who is his maternal uncle. He has been a performer since the last 8 years. Apart from performing is this group, he has also formed his own group with the name Dilaawar Khan & group, where he is the frontman. & also teaches music to his group members. The size of his group ranges from 4-25 folk musicians, as per the demand.

Coming from a family having rich background in music, Dilaawar Khan described that he learned from his family members only and never had to go outside to learn music. He does riyaaz for 6 hours daily & has already started training his children in singing. He generally performs the songs written by their forefathers. He himself has written a few songs along with his Uncle. The songs generally describe the event of birth of prince, their Marriages and other family events. He is well versed performer of Sufi Music. Apart from performing traditional Rajasthani songs, they also perform Bollywood songs, but only on request.

He has travelled to various countries like U.S.A., Russia, U.K., Japan, Turkey, Egypt, etc. For three years, he was a part of Gypsy all Stars group, where they were making Fusion Music & performed all around the globe. He has worked with various artists from Classical music & classical dance (kathak) background too. He claims that he can perform with artists of different genres and is very comfortable to play & sing along with them. He can understand English as he has been to various countries now. His dream is to work with more artists of various different backgrounds, be it musicians or dancers.

Mushtaq Khan belongs to kohra village from Fatehgarh tehsil in Jaisalmer District. He Plays dholak in the group. Besides that, he also plays khartaal. He learnt Playing Dholak from Ustaad Ghafoor Khan, starting at the age of 8 years. Mushtaq idolises Ustaad Ghafoor khan and is a permanent member of his group.  He has been to various countries like Spain,Morocco, Vietnam, France Belgium, Korea, Thailand etc. along with Ustaad Ghafoor Khan’s group. He also performs in other groups of different background as well, but found a considerable difference in the singing of Classical singers & folk singers.

He is a very passionate musician who does his riyaaz regularly and also teaches the children to play Dholak & Khartaal.

Kootal Khan comes from pasht devda village of Fatehgarh Tehsil in district jaisalmer. In Ghafoor khan’s group, he sings and sometimes plays Harmonium as well. This 47 year old folk Musician got music as a heritage from his forefathers. He primarily learnt the basic technicalities from his father and found inspiration in him. He started learning singing & playing Musical Instruments at the mere age of 7 years, and soon left school to perform at various family events in their village, where he used to be a part of group.

He along with his group were one of the very first musicians identified by Kamal Kothari, and were given an opportunity to perform in abroad. After that, it became a routine affair for them to perform in abroad. He along with his group have collaborated with various foreign artists and tried fusion with them, which enriched their experience. But he still remains a very humble & modest musician and admits that he still needs to learn a lot. He says that learning is a never ending process. He along with Ghafoor Khan are certified ‘A’ Grade musician from All India Radio since the last 15 years. He says that their folk music is very similar to Classical Music. Their traditional songs are called ‘Jangra’ which are basically songs on 7 or 14 beats just like Hindutani & Carnatic Music

For Kootal Khan, Music is Love of his life. He describes learning music as an endless and very interesting journey. He believes in working hard and wants to spend rest of his life singing and learning music. He teaches music to his grandson after getting back to home. His wish is that this legacy of singing shall be taken forward by his son & grandson.

Kalyaan Khan is a very interesting personality. He is just 16 years old and can play almost all the folk instrument that he has come across. Currently, he is serving as a dholak player in the group. Besides that, he can also play Harmonium khartaal , Dhol. He started singing folk music at the mere age of six years, and there has been no looking back since then. At the age of 12 years, he started adding various folk instruments to his skill-set, and is still learning. He got inspired from the people who used to come to his village from outside to perform. He felt that they themselves should perform the folk music rather than getting people from outside to perform. So he started learning the instruments along with singing.

He along with his Father has taught Khartaal to one Spanish man, who resided with them for three months. His Biggest achievement is that despite being illiterate he uses social media like facebook & youtube which was taught to him by the Spanish Folk music student. Now Kalyaan Khan uses social medium as a medium of learning & has become a very tech-savy person. He wishes if he could have studied a little, he might have understood using the Internet better. His father works for Gunsar Lok Sangeet School, which is setup by Rajasthani Folk artist Bax Khan. He also goes there along with his father in the evening and does Riyaaz regularly as a routine.

Kalyan Khan loves listening to Nusrat Fateh ali khan’s Qawwalis and considers him as his idol. He loves Sufi singing and practices it more regularly. His favourite raga is Raga Kalyan, . Currently, he is happy with the money that he is earning, and wishes to continue with this profession only.

Ameen Khan is a 21 year old all-round musician from Barmer. Primarily, he plays Khartaal in the group. Apart from that he can also play Harmonium & Dholak and is well versed with most of the folk music instruments. He has learned from his brother Khete Khan and has been into music from almost 12 years. He is a permanent member of this group, and also performs with other groups as well. He belongs to Sunta Gharana, which gave him exposure to music early on in his life, and has been focussing on only music after he left school in 7th standard. He listens to Ghulam Ali’s songs and follows his style very closely. Besides that, Nusrat fateh Ali khan also inspires him. He is well versed in performing sufi & Qawwali songs. His favourite raga is Raga Maand.

Ameen khan is very passionate when it comes to music, and dedicatedly follows a strict routine. He wakes up early in the morning and does Riyaaz for 4 hours from 5-9 am. Then in the evening, he trains young Mirasi musicians at Mahindra Gunsar Lok Sangeet Sansthan, a Music School run by Bax Khan. There he teaches around 25 students, and has been teaching there from quite some time now. His students are already prospering and are performing with established group of folk musicians.

Ameen listens to Bollywood songs and practices them. If given a chance, he would also like to make his mark in Bollywood like his cousin Swaroop Khan. He describes himself attuned in making music and wishes to compose music for Bollywood movies as well. Just like his brother, he has a dream to perform in foreign countries as well, and bring exposure for his students in the music school.

Swaroop khan is a very talented young musician in the group. He is 16 years old & plays almost every Mirasi Folk instrument. He currently plays Khartaal in the group’s lineup. Besides that he also plays dholak, harmonium, Manjeera etc. He is a permanent member in the lineup. Having a very distinctive taste, he loves Bollywood songs and practices them as well. He is a passionate follower of Atif Aslam’s singing, and wishes to be successful just like him. Apart from him, he likes listening to Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s songs and finds his voice very soothing. He learned from his fellow senior of his group Ali Khan and his Father Rasoul Khan. He is learning to sing and perform Sufi, Qawaali & Ghazals with his group.

He currently studies in 7th standard, and manages studies and music very nicely. Waking up early in the morning, he does Riyaaz for 3 hours from 5 to 8 am as a regular routine. Then after returning from school, he does the riyaaz again for 2 hours. His favourite songs are in Raga Bhairavi, and he is trying to master this particular Raga.

At this young age, he has already travelled to quite a many cities to perform along with his group. Apart from performing in marriages and family functions, he has also performed at various folk Music Festivals along with his group. He says that Music is a very important component of his life & cannot imagine his life without music. He dreams of visiting various foreign countries to perform and bring prosperity for his family.

Isak Khan is a wonderful backing vocalist in the group who has got qualities of a lead singer with a very vast range in his voice. He is 27 years of age and has been learning since the age of 12 years. He is a permanent member of Hasan Khan’s group. He is from Mirasi community and is carrying on the art form that he received as a heritage. They perform live music at almost all the marriage functions that happen in Rajput families. Apart from that, they have also been doing live stage shows with their group across the nation. Their songs include Ghazals & Qawwalis. He is a follower of Ghulam Ali, and follows his style very closely. Apart from that, he also sings songs of Abida Parveen very gracefully. He is not very fond of Bollywood music, but sings on request in private events and live shows.
Isak Khan is very well versed in his skill of singing and is very much comfortable in singing with his group members. Whereas, he has experienced that a random instrument player takes time to adjust with his singing, as his singing is very diverse with extreme highs & lows. He has always been keen to learn the instruments he has received in as heritage and can play harmonium as well. Music is everything for him and works hard day and night to improve his skill-set. He is very skilled in Raag Maand, Raag Shaam Kalyan, Raag Bhairavi. He respects Hasan Khan a lot, and has learned majorly from him only. He dreams of becoming famous just like Hasan Khan and wishes to lead a musical group like him.

Swaroop Khan is an adept Dholak & Dhol player who also performs as a backing vocalist. He is 35 years old and is a regular member of his uncle Hasan Khan’s group. He has been playing dholak & dhol in the group since 18 years and began with this group only. He belongs to Gehlot Community and can play the 12 beat rhythms at dhol, which he claims is only played in their community. He does not want to keep himself restricted to their Native folk music and tries to learn folk music of various other cultures as well. That’s what made him to learn Bhangra, Garba, Rajwada as well apart from their native folk music, which he performs when playing with other groups occasionally. He has an inclination towards Sufi & Qawwali Music. He describes that teen taal songs comes the most naturally to him and he enjoys playing teen taal the most.
He is the son of Famous Jal taal Player Misri Khan, and claims that their family is the only family in Rajasthan who plays Jal taal. He is also learning to play Jaltaal from his father and describes it as a very time taking process because of the complexity of the Instrument. They have also published a book about the instrument and are very proud of it.
Coming from a rich musical background, he feels quite responsible to take forward the art of playing their native folk instruments. His belief that a child always sees an inspiration in his parent motivates him to work harder and practice more. He also teaches his children quite often. He also wishes to travel abroad to perform which would further inspire his children to choose music as a career option.

Shareef khan is the youngest member of Hasan Khan’s squad and is only 16 years old. He has been into Music since last 5 years and plays Khartaal in the group. He is Hasan Khan’s Nephew and the grandson of famous Rajasthan folk musician Akbar Khan. He has already performed in various cities of Rajasthan along with other groups. He is also learning various other instruments like Dholak & Dhol. He is learning various Ragas like Bhairavi and Raag Maand, as is learning singing as well. He follows Rahat Fateh Ali Khan very closely and has all his songs in his Phone memory. Apart from that he also listens to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s qawwalis.

He studies in 10th standard and practices Khartaal regularly along with studies. He practices daily for atleast two hours apart from his studies. He wants to complete his education till 12th standard, but wishes to make career in Music only. He is learning to perform Ghazals and Qawaalis and is interested in Bollywood music as well. He is a follower of Arijit Singh & Atif Aslam and is keen to try his luck in Bollywood.
He also performs in his brothers group, where they perform songs composed by his Father and Hasan Khan and also perform Ghazals & Qawwalis. He has already performed at Maharana pratap’s family’s wedding and were appreciated as a group. He wishes to perform around the globe just like his father and take the heritage art form of their family on a world Platform.

Rafeeq khan is a very skilled backing singer and plays harmonium in the group of Hasan khan. He is 32 years old and belongs to Aalamkhana Gharana of Jaisalmer. He is the son of Hasan khan and born & brought up in Jaisalmer only. He has been performing since the age of 12 Years and has done various stage shows across the country apart from playing traditional music in Rajasthani Weddings. He has also played several times in the court of Royal Kings of Rajasthan where the program carries out nightlong and has got appreciation for his musical talent. He has learned from his Father who has always been his inspiration in Music. He is a well versed Sufi, Ghazal & Qawaali singer who also sings the local Maand Raga very well. He follows the style of Nusrat fateh ali Khan and loves his songs. Apart from that, he also enjoys singing songs composed by his father Hasan khan.
He is a very proficient Harmonium player and sings equally well while playing Harmonium. He has acquired a very good speed in playing harmonium with practice & hard work. He has a good knowledge of all 36 Ragas and sings songs of various different Ragas. He Majorly sings songs in Maand , bhairavi, Kalyan, and Sarang Ragas. He personally likes song about the topic Moomal’s beauty and performs various songs at request when he is playing at live concerts or doing private events. He describes music as the main reason that he left his studies after 8th grade. He also teaches his children to play Harmonium and also encourages them to work hard at studies as well. He always wishes to work hard in the field of music just like his father did and has a dream of becoming renowned like him.

Khete Khan is a multi-talented personality & Multi –Instrumentalist Musician. This 32 years old musician plays Ghada, harmonium, Dholak & Khartaal. Apart from playing these many instruments he also gives backing vocals in the group. He has been playing since the age of 12 years, when he left education in 4th standard. He has been with Hasan khan’s group since 11 years. Since then he has been a regular member of their squad, making new advancements in his skill set.
Currently, he is playing Ghada in the group. It is a very difficult instrument to learn as it takes a lot of energy to play the instrument, leaving the player completely exhausted in the end. He learned the art of playing ghada from one of his uncles. He describes that the presence of a Ghada Player increases the charm of the band and enriches the tonal quality of their live performance. He started learning to play Ghada at the age of 30 as he wishes to master as many instruments as possible and contribute to the group in best possible way. Being a multi-instrumentalist, he is often used as a replacement of the co-players in case other player is unwell or unable to play the instrument because of exhaustion or minor injuries. As there are very few Ghada players in the city, he is often invited by other groups as well to play the Ghada. Prior to learning Ghada, he used to play Khartaal in the group.
He is a father of a five year old child, and has already started training him. He believes in work hard, doing riyaaz regularly and giving the best attempt always. He wishes to make further advancements in his skill set and is keen to learn more & more. He dreams about travelling across India to showcase his skills and promote Rajasthani Folk music.

As roots are the most important part of a tree, similarly Akabar khan being the root for the entire Alamkhana tree. He is fondly known as Akbar Khan Saheb Alamkhana. Akbar Khan Alamkhana is a court musician and Alamkhana head in the reign of HH Maharawal Shri Raghunath Singh Saheb and the present Maharawal HH Shri Braj Raj Singh Saheb. Akbar Khan extends his services to the Jaisalmer traditional music and inspired many young men from Manganiyar community to learn music and take music as profession and many of them now giving performances worldwide. Around 500 artists from from the villages benefited from him once he connected them to Sangeet Natak Kala Academy, Jodhpur and 300 artists connected to Dept. Of Tourism and connected 500 artists to Nehru Yuva Kendra, Jaisalmer and he connected 300 artists to the All India Radio. He played an important role in getting Artists’ Colony(for all the village artists).

Akbar khan Alamkhana has won many awards like Sangeet Prodha award by sangeet natak kala academy, Jodhpur, International Senior Citizen award by Govt. of Rajasthan, Jaipur, Giridhar Smarak Award by Royal House, Jaisalmer on Jaisalmer foundation day, Golden Fort, Jaisalmer, Siromani Award at Bombay, Maad Samman by Allah Jilahi Bai Maad Santhan, Bikaner, Guideship by the West zone cultural center, Udaipur are few of the many other prestigious awards to name for his contributions to the music and welfare activities at Jaisalmer. His dream is to take the music ahead and keep it alive forever with the welfare of the artists in the particular region. Akbar Khan Alamkhana, is working for the music and for the welfare of musician community, who are socially and economically backward. Since the time he has started working for his community, musicians and music lovers started coming to Jaisalmer from all over the world and took the Jaisalmer music at international platforms.

Sawan Khan is a 19 years old folk musician who started learning musical instruments at a very young age. He is the brother of Raees Khan & Ghulam Khan, who are also an established Folk Musicians. He primarily plays Dholak but has considerably good command over Dhol, Khartaal, Morchang, and Harmonium as well which he learnt from his elder brother Ghulam Khan. Out of all these instruments, Dholak is his favourite. He performed for the first time at the age of 8 years. Since then he has been performing in various parts of Rajasthan & North India with various different groups.
He is very passionate & dedicated folk musician who rehearses for long hours during the day and evening as a routine. He believes that his only duty is to do regular Riyaaz (rehearsal). He believes that the person who does riyaaz regularly, is the least nervous while performing.

Farooq Khan is a versatile folk musician who is mainly plays Khartaal. He is 21 years old and is playing these instruments from quite some time now. He started learning this instrument at a very early age after he got inspired from his Uncle. Being a student he used to practice regularly & tried his best to upkeep both his education and his journey towards being a musician. He started Performing in 2010 & since then he is a regular performer, and has travelled to almost all parts of the country to perform live shows. Apart from his regular percussion instruments, he is also learning to play Khamaicha and is also keen on learning to sing folk songs.

Music is a very important component of his life & he describes his community & neighborhood as very supportive which encouraged him for choosing music as a career. He describes music as an endless & divine energy, which everyone should experience. He observes life very closely, and also tries to write new lyrics of his own describing the simplicity and complexity of life at the same time. He thinks about finding the ways to propagate their folk music worldwide. He considers this as his mission for himself & wishes to travel around the globe to promote their traditional instruments & folk music. He expresses his concerns about the endangered art of playing Khamaicha, Shehnaai & Sarangi, which are an identity of their folk music. He has a dream of having a group of his own and wishes to bring the endangered instruments back in tradition.

Devu Khan belongs from Barmer district. He sings and plays khartal in his group. Like other member of his group he is a keen learner and passionate performer.  He has been learning to play khartal from his father since the tender age of seven. Devu Khan is a simple man with his music as the only means of living. He sings and plays khartal genuinely from his heart. He loves the opportunities where he has to collaborate with new and young music enthusiasts. He has two daughters and he makes sure both are into music and learning what they really like. He looks forward for a life where he can explore more about his music and the various forms of music in the entire world.

Sikander Khan plays dholak, who found inspiration within his family to learn various musical instruments. He is just 23 years old and plays Dhol, Harmonium as well and can sing too. At a very young age of 8 years, he started playing dholak and has been learning and performing ever since then. Sikander Khan is a multi-instrumentalist & has performed with various bands, and with time has become very comfortable in performing with new artists. He recently got associated with Kasam Khan’s group and has been quite satisfied as he is getting to learn a lot from the master himself. He wishes to achieve fame in Bollywood , thus giving recognition to Langha community and their art form globally.

He has played in various parts of the country and wishes to perform in abroad as well and wants to experience showcasing his skills to foreign audience. Sikander has a very distinctive vision as far as folk music is concerned. He wishes for Dholak playing competitions to happen just like singing competitions take place in large numbers throughout India, which he thinks will give a platform to young and talented dholak players and will encourage them to do better. He wants his children to learn traditional folk music as well as classical music so as to come up with an innovative style of music.