"One compelling scene shows how the human-beatbox noises made by STOMP star Keith "Wild Child" Middleton engage tabla player Shafaatullah Khan to counter with his rapid-fire spoken syllables called bols, used for teaching hand-drumming in Indian music."

"Applause has never been a yardstick for success for Shafaatullah Khan, the rising star in the world of classical music, but the thunderous ovation never ceased throughout his performance on the tabla and sitar at the Tagore Theatre here today."

"That night Shafaatullah Khan impressed a crowd of more than 500 people with his musical talents with the tabla and sitar. His presence added a sense of history... any cliched ideas the audience may have had about Indian music quickly dissipated as Khan began playing the tabla... A master of the sitar, he proved the guitar-like instrument was for more than just slow, meditative tunes... "

"...1998 also brought an initiation into Indian music at its top level. Shafaatullah Khan’s sitar & tabla magic might still be going on, it was barely stoppable."

"Virtuoso... Classical Purity... Astonishing individuality... Shafaatullah Khan explored the rhythmic intricacies of percussive sound in a way that was both intellectual and poetic.... Creator as well as performer...."

"The real driving power entered the performance when Shafaatullah’s marvelous fingers on tabla showed us the rhythmic complexity of the music and enthralled the audience."

"[Shafaatullah Khan]... gives a very lively performance and skillfully manages to steal the audience’s attention toward him whenever he so desires."

"The mood of both pieces in which the tabla player, Shafaatullah, was involved was predominantly exuberant... at one point he could be heard echoing on the larger of his two drums the melodic ideas taught to him by his father, perfectly tuned simply by the pressure of his hands."

"The tabla accompaniment by Shafaatullah Khan was absolutely superb…his bols and tukdas evoked spontaneous applause from his listeners."