Popular singer Kabir Suman, credited with the introduction of a new genre in Bengali songs, has said he considers Ustad Amir Khan as his mentor and planned to bring out an album on Bangla 'Khayal'.

"My dream is to sing 'Alap' like Amir Khan, to master the 'Gayaki' of Nikhil Bandyopadhyay. I have always wished to bring out an album on classical vocals in Bengali. I hope to popularise Bangla 'Khayal' among the present day audience," the singer said at a press meet here last evening. He said he was doing the most important task in his life by introducing classical music among the Bengali audience in his own way so that one might understand and appreciate classical music's 'Taal' and 'Laya'. Suman also regretted that the habit of listening to old classics on AIR - light modern songs, vocals - among the youth was on the wane.