Ustad Manzoor Hussain Santoo was indeed a prominent name in the legacy of the Santoo Gharana. A Gharana that can trace their legacy back over 300 years. He was a well recognized Sufi poet, composer, and vocalist. He led his family to great heights and achieved a global fanbase for the Santoo Gharana. As Ustad Manzoor Santoo was about to leave Qawwali, he asked the elders of the Gharana to select the next in kin. Through his sons (Sarfaraz Hussain, Imtiaz Hussain, Shanawaz Hussain, Bakht Fayyaz Hussain, Umer Daraz Hussain, Ejaz Hussain, Waheed Hussain, Raza Hussain and Asif Ali Santoo Khan), he sought to find the next flagbearer of the Gharana.
Asif Ali Santoo was eventually selected to take his place. Asif Ali Santoo became the face of the Gharana, and his family members performed beside him. The group performed for several years and now recently the group has seen its size grow to nearly twenty members.
Ustad Bakht Fayaaz Hussain (Asifs brother) introduced his son “Bakhtiar” at an early age to performing live with the family group. Bakhtiyar ofter accompanied the group as a percussionist and later as a backing vocalist. As Bakhtiyar continued to shine vocally, he was raised in rank to side vocalist opposite Ustad Asif Ali Santoo.
Recently, Ustad Bakht Fayaz Hussain announced publically that he was going to begin his owngroup with his son “Bakhtiyar” as the main vocalist. The elders of the Gharana soon came one by one to give their blessings to Bakhtiyar on his new journey as leader of his own trope. When Asif Ali Santoo was asked regarding why the group was splitting up, he replied “It is difficult to manage such a large group. We must adjust with the times”.
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