For music, the 20th century can be seen as period of great artists in all genres and witnessed the rise of a large number of giants in all gharanas of music. This includes superstars such as Bhaskar Rao, V. D. Pulskar, Ustad Amir Khan, Ustad Fayaz Khan, Taan Kaptan Fateh Ali Khan and his partner Gernail Ali Bakhsh Khan, Vishnu Digambar, Pundit Balkrishan, Ustad Abdul Karim Khan, his able disciple malka-e- mausiqi Roshan Ara Begum, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Pundit Ravi Shankar, Ude Shankar, Mahraj Ghulam Hussain Kathak, Khalifa Qadir Bakhsh and Ustad Nathu Khan who rose to great heights as well as newer forms and styles also came into being.

Sindh has a long history of classical and traditional music. Recorded history notes the existence of classical music during the days of Akbar’s regime. Permanent settlement of musicians from other parts of the subcontinent took place during the Kalhora and Talpur eras. Besides artists from Gwaliar and Patiala gharanas and local music lovers also played their role in promoting this great genre. Ustad Sadiq Ali Khan had already migrated from Punjab and settled in Khairpur under the patronage of the Mirs. Cities like Shikarpur, Larkana, Hyderabad, Karachi and Dadu were main centres where music conferences were held annually and at random. Seth Vishandas Manjhuwaro was such a great music lover that he raised a two-storey building in Hyderabad where vocalists and instrumentalists were to live on expenses paid by the Seth. The building still exists posing a question mark for music lovers.

During the last century music conferences called Handas were held regularly and were participated in by music legends of the subcontinent. In Hyderabad, Holmstead Hall was an important venue for such moots. In Karachi, Seth Vishandas had built a hall near Merewether Tower where regular music festivals were held till Independence. Another venue for music concerts was the Mayfair Theatre where classical and light music concerts were held.

After Shikarpur, Hyderabad was a busy centre of music. Here popular artists from the Gwaliar and Patiala gharanas settled down and promoted music. Among them Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan and Ustad Allahdino Noorani were two legendary figures. Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan was the son of Taan Kaptan Fateh Ali Khan while Ustad Noorani did not belong to any traditional gharana of music but to a peasant family of Sindh. Out of sheer love he learnt music and became a great exponent of classical and traditional Sindhi music. No music concert was complete without the two performers.

Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan settled down in Hyderabad and taught a number of students who rose to the heights of music in Pakistan. These include Farida Khanum, Nasim Begum, Zahida Peveen, Ustad Umeed Ali Khan and Nawab Akhtar.

The Patiala gharana is known for its expertise in the Dhurpad genre. Ashiq Ali knew Dhurpad but seeing its decline due to its intricacy, he chose khayal and in that genre he applied the sophistication of Dhurpad, making it a different style of khayal than that sung by another gharana. He gained full command of interpreting the theme of raaga with alap using swifter gamaks to embellish it. Since Ashiq Ali belonged to the era of open air music, he cultured his voice in that direction. When gramophone came into being he was offered to sing for them which he did, but since the gramophone records allowed only 3.3 minutes duration he had to develop that skill to meet the requirement of khayal within that span of time. For that he developed a ‘chhota khayal’ with almost non-existent alap and directly stepped into asthai and antara and spent half of the time in swift glides. In doing so he did not disfigure the raaga, which is a difficult task and comes with acquired skill.

Besides using traditional instruments he had a skilled pianist Kantilal who accompanied him on piano, perhaps the only vocalist in classical music to be accompanied by a piano in khayal rendition.

By being a proponent of historical style of classical singing Ashiq Ali Khan never hid anything from his students. Thus, he kept his school of singing alive. Ashiq Ali Khan strongly believed in ‘Ustad-shagird’ relationship which is a time-tested way of transmitting the art form from one generation to the other. This trend is still followed by Ustads and music teachers. It was due to this practice that when Umeed Ali Khan attained expertise, Ashiq Ali Khan made him a singing partner and the duo sang many ragas to perfection.

He had a special blend of voice suitable for the singing of Dhurpad and Khayal. He sang the two with complete dedication showing no inclination towards thumri which is generally sung after khayal. Instead he would choose Sindhi or Seraiki Kaafi, in which he also involved his own style that was followed by many of his contemporaries. Jadoo lai vya jee mein’ still reverbrates in the minds of Kaafi listeners. It was sung in Sindhra and continues to be sung by three generation of vocalists. In those days the gramophone recording companies recorded at Bombay but for popular musicians they brought their machines to Karachi. Ashiq Ali Khan never went to Bombay but got all recordings done at Karachi.

A well mannered and well-dressed person, he never allowed his students to look shabby. Eventually his students, too, became very popular and excelled in their own form and styles.